Pats' Quick Hitch vs Northern Tools

[N2DFire]

We just bought the $80 Harbor Freight flavor QH and the first attachment to get modified was the RC. It's the heaviest piece we have and therefore also the one that's the biggest PITA to hook up.

As others have stated; we have/are/will have to modify every attachment we have (because I'm 99% sure the ones that Dad didn't build himself were all shipped over on the mayflower :laughing: ) and yes that's an inconvenience up front, but ...

Dad has neuropathy in both legs and climbing up and down even one less time in a day is a good thing (and hey I'm not getting any younger either) so in the long run the QH is going to be worth it.

With Pat's system you still have to get down to hook the top link on everything whereas with the QH you only have to get off to connect/disconnect PTO powered attachments. Right now with a RC as your only attachment, you see no "gain" from a QH over Pat's system because you still have to get off to do the PTO anyway, but as your "stable" expands it's going to make a difference. Especially if you are buying new(er) attachments that are already QH compatible.

 

[CCWKen]

I leave my hydraulic toplink in float when mowing.

I take it that you don't have a locking valve on your top link cylinder?

I'm not keen on letting the hoses take the beating when not in float for other equipment. I hope your hoses are sheathed. A popped hydraulic line is extremely dangerous.

 

[Fallon]

I take it that you don't have a locking valve on your top link cylinder?

I'm not keen on letting the hoses take the beating when not in float for other equipment. I hope your hoses are sheathed. A popped hydraulic line is extremely dangerous.

Nope, have good FitRite gear, so leak down takes days not hours or minutes. I wouldn't give up float for the world, it's to useful. I understand what you are saying about hoses carrying the weight & know pressurized fluid cuts, but I'm sure your loader hoses are carrying the weight already. They are probably even closer & better lined up to cause problems.

 

[LD1]

Nope, have good FitRite gear, so leak down takes days not hours or minutes. I wouldn't give up float for the world, it's to useful. I understand what you are saying about hoses carrying the weight & know pressurized fluid cuts, but I'm sure your loader hoses are carrying the weight already. They are probably even closer & better lined up to cause problems.

Yep, no different than loader hoses or backhoe hoses.

 

[bcp]

What's with all the people saying you never have to get off the tractor when using a quick hitch, except for PTO?

About half my implements have a stand in the front that needs to be raised after hitching, and lowered before unhitching.

Do you have rakes, blades, etc., with no stands, that stay upright when parked?

Bruce

 

[N2DFire]

What's with all the people saying you never have to get off the tractor when using a quick hitch, except for PTO?

About half my implements have a stand in the front that needs to be raised after hitching, and lowered before unhitching.

Do you have rakes, blades, etc., with no stands, that stay upright when parked?

Bruce

Actually yes I do - it's called propping them on a stump (or blocks) & lifting them over after they're hitched.

Did this long before we had a quick hitch just so we didn't have to try & pick them up off the ground or pull them forward and do the "balance dance" getting them to the lift arms.

 

[California]

My only implement that needs a stand is the angle blade. And the rototiller could use one, but lifting its nose to wedge something under it temporarily is under 50 lbs so no big deal. Box blade, disc(s), spike harrow are infrequently mounted but don't need a stand.

Most frequently changed is rear forks (with its front 'A' shaped), swapped with trailer ball on a side to side drawbar.

For all of these, the fixed side to side distance between pin hooks remains constant using the HF Qhitch. That saves a lot of monkey business loosening the sway chains to slip the arms over the implement pins for each implement change. It's simple to dismount the trailer ball drawbar and go get the rear forks, for example, I do that all the time.

The other advantage of the QH I mentioned previously: shove the implement around to get it lined up. Much better than precision alignment with a crowbar!

 

[screamin400]

I got mine at harbor freight. First thing I did was take out the two bolts on the link and put roll pins cut to length in their place. Works great so far. No need for an extension. My understanding is that roll pins are just as strong. I could be wrong on my info though.

 

[The Deerslayer]

Nothern/Harbor Frieght/ Speeco... I wasn't trying to be brand specific. I was basically asking about that particular design vs. the Pat's design.

If I understand correctly:

Pat's
Pros:
Better able to use on different implements without modifications


Cons:
a little more expensive
a little more difficult to connect/disconnect implements


Other style:
Pros:
Easier use
less expensive

Cons:
May require implement modification to work


Seems Pat's may have an advantage (off the shelf/no modifications) with a rotary cutter due to flexibility with the top link?

I have used both and prefer the Pat's. Another potential con to the Pat's is I needed an extender for the PTO when using my rotary cutter. No big deal. The Pat's adds another 4 inches or so.

 

[California]

I have pins securing the Qhitch top hook. With these its easy to move the hook up/down, remove it when it's in the way, or even mount the hook upside down after backing up to a couple of implements that have a cross brace blocking where the hook should slip under the implement's top pin.

Note also the addition to the trailer-ball towbar that prevents the bar from revolving. The little plate is welded to a cat1/cat2 sleeve to make it level, then that assembly is bolted to the crossbar on the inner side and also through the hole in the pin out where the clevis pin should go. This is sufficient for my 18 and 24 hp tractors, something more substantial would be needed with the Qhitch on a larger tractor.