quick hitch

[winston1]

At California's suggestion I'll start a new thread on an old subject. A few pictures and explanations of modifications to make my Harbor Freight quick hitch work for me. First is the swivel adapter I fabricated, Harbor Freight sells them, their sight is down so I can't post a picture of theirs. It is standing straight up and not used with this mower. Next is a picture of my Gannon box blade and pins extended out to achieve proper width. Also, in the background is a red finish mower that has had the top swivel shortened and re drilled to accommodate the home made swivel. Next is a picture of my little 4' scraper blade. It was a category 0 so I had to make radical changes to make it work. It is heavy made and has the rollover feature and was cheap. That is why I have it. Next is my old Dearborn turning plow. I put a pin hole closer to the end of top link connection to accommodate the swivel adapter. Actually did this on several implements. Last is my dirt scoop. I had to notch out a little of the channel iron right below the pins to allow the quick hitch to go under the pins. The only implement I have that I cannot use with the quick hitch is my Yanmar RS1300 tiller. I do not use the top hook that came with the quick hitch.

 

[Car Doc]

Cool! I have one a HF also and its brand new and sitting here at the shop waiting for me to start the operations that will make it work for me so glad you did this I may pick up some tips!

At first glance I see quite a few things I will change on it the top attachment is the first thing to be re-done.

I wasn't able to find the optional bracket you have, HF had them on BO so long I gave up and have my own parts to make one out of which I think will be better than theirs anyway.

There are old and new attachments I have not all will work just yet but like you did there its nothing a little fabricating cant fix. I do look forward to the time saving it could provide dang I am getting lazy.

 

[Gary Sweat]

Here's what I did for the box blade. The brace bar was originally welded in between the upright bars and a bolt in the top for the top link. This worked well and now I don't have to touch anything to hook it up. I made the top pin and welded it in place.

 

[California]

Winston, thanks for starting a thread where we can share our experience using a Quick Hitch.

Here are a couple of pictures I've posted previously.

Here, I shimmed my little 4 ft disc to make the pins as wide as the QH's hooks. Tractor Supply had the pins with long threads, and the washers.

I cobbled this rear pallet fork assembly out of scrap. It is handy to back up to the fork attachment, pick it up, and go move some heavy object like this box blade.

The second picture illustrates a couple of points. 1) I replaced the upper hook's bolts with removable pins to adjust its height more easily. 2) I used a common galvanized pipe coupling as the spacer at the top of the forks attachment, and also as the spacer on a couple of other implements.

 

[normde2001]

I'm a little confused as to why you guys are having to extend the length of your pins outward to make a cat 1 hitch work on cat 1 implements. Used to be the hitch, esp., from HF, had to be spread about 1/4" to make the 26" cat 1 min. width.

 

[Gary Sweat]

I'm a little confused as to why you guys are having to extend the length of your pins outward to make a cat 1 hitch work on cat 1 implements. Used to be the hitch, esp., from HF, had to be spread about 1/4" to make the 26" cat 1 min. width.

My older box blade, boom pole and KK bush hog are 24" spacing. The new scraper blade is 26". The quick hitch is 27" spacing. I think some of the older implements did not follow the standard.

 

[winston1]

Yep, I agree with Gary, not all category 1 implement pin widths are created equal. Might should be but there not.

 

[Johndeere3720]

I have only had to modify 3 of my implements to fit my imatch quick hitch. My box blade is only imatch compatible due to the modifications but I will always have a quick hitch so its no big deal. My brush hog was as simple as putting another set of thicker pins with welded on bushings and my harrow was as simple as adding a new top link slot and a new pin. I also added telescopic lower links to my 169D for my post hole digger, that's how I lifted my box blade so high, having that extra few inches is great, i just need to fine tune the sway chains so that when i lift stuff all the way up the lift arms wont rub the walls of my tires.

 

[normde2001]

As I suspected, the HF Quick Hitch is wider than it was a few years ago. It used to be 26.5 " inside to inside, and guys were spreading the legs with a jack to make them fit. I think if I ever decide I need one I may go with a EZ-HTCH . It doesn't extend the lower arm length, so no concern about pto shaft length, and you can easily fab up spreader bars to fit anything. Like a PAT's, only better and cheaper.

 

[Gary Sweat]

As I suspected, the HF Quick Hitch is wider than it was a few years ago. It used to be 26.5 " inside to inside, and guys were spreading the legs with a jack to make them fit. I think if I ever decide I need one I may go with a EZ-HTCH . It doesn't extend the lower arm length, so no concern about pto shaft length, and you can easily fab up spreader bars to fit anything. Like a PAT's, only better and cheaper.

There are advantages to both types. The EZ-HITCH and Pat's give the flexibility to not have to modify your implements and with the Quick you don't have to mess with the top link. For me, a one time modification to the implements allows me to just back up, grab it and go. Same with disconnecting and swapping. Depends on preference I suppose.

 

[Scotty Dive]

I have the HF quick Hitch and a TSC 6 foot back blade. The width of the quick hitch is about 1/4 - 1/2" too narrow for my back blade.

Has anyone bent their Quick hitch outboard with good results? I am thinking to use a jack and see what happens....but figured I might ask if anyone has had success?

 

[Car Doc]

I have a HF QH and its 27.5" inside if my memory serves me correctly and mine wont fit all my tools either if its the same as mine dimensions wise you may not be able to use it?

I am seriously contemplating a Pats QC based on the random fit/not fit of my applications fwtw..

I have otoh heard of guys putting a 20 ton bottle jack between the arms with spacers etc and making them fit if they are off just slightly to answer your question. I think a 1/2 would be asking quite a lot and still keep everything working but could be wrong?

 

[Scotty Dive]

I remeasured mine. The QH is 27 3/8" and the back blade is 27 1/2". I will have to change out the lift pins as they have a bevel to them as well. I think I might be able to bend or grind to make up the 1/8 to 1/4" I need to gain...????

 

[Car Doc]

Yeah you can probably get away with bending/grinding only being out 1/8".

You do have the 1 1/8" sleeves that you need to make the QH work don't you?

My HF didn't come with them (I know thats hard to imagine from HF) but I bought them at TSC and you need a set for each attachment. :thumbsup:

edit: http://www.speeco.com/products.php?id=209&prod=95

 

[jtokc]

I have a HF QH and its 27.5" inside if my memory serves me correctly and mine wont fit all my tools either if its the same as mine dimensions wise you may not be able to use it?

I am seriously contemplating a Pats QC based on the random fit/not fit of my applications fwtw..

I have otoh heard of guys putting a 20 ton bottle jack between the arms with spacers etc and making them fit if they are off just slightly to answer your question. I think a 1/2 would be asking quite a lot and still keep everything working but could be wrong?

I switched to a Pats QC from the HF quick hitch for 2 reasons:
1. The HF quick hitch interferes with a PTO shaft -- especially when transitioning from flat ground to an incline.
2. The same problem mentioned here about the width not always being adequate with a quick hitch

I'm willing to part with my HF quick hitch to the first person that offers me $50 for it -- or possibly less if I'm in the right mood.

 

[Scotty Dive]

cardoc.....can you send me a picture of those sleeves and where they go?

 

[Car Doc]

Yeah I went to a lot of work building adapters etc and then come to find out my driveshaft is too short now on my tiller.

That really pisses me off because the tiller is one thing thats too heavy for me to man handle around to get attached and is the one main thing I needed a QH for and cant use it now.

I am going to make someone a good deal on mine too!

 

[Car Doc]

cardoc.....can you send me a picture of those sleeves and where they go?

Check my post above Scotty I added a link for you!

They just fit over the pins and you hold them in place w/ a couple 7/16 roll pins they can be put on with the flange on the outside for tight applications like your back blade where the QH will have to sit flush with the inside of the attachment.

 

[Scotty Dive]

I am new to all of this....I saw the link but not sure what they do. I thought the pins on my implment just sit in the QH??? do you you have a picture of them in use?

 

[Army grunt]

that's the reason i went with "pats" system.They were on sail when I paid full boat for pats, But make no mistake they work great. When hooking up stuff now its like "Cheating"
Army Grunt