adjustment to HF 3pt hitch

[deereman64]

I have decided to modify my HF 3pt hitch by widening the arms. Im not a welder so Im going to have a welder to do it for me. Should I ask him to make 2 cuts either side of the center point and add a spacer to widen. Or should I get him to remove the center point and make one cut and widen there and then replace the centerpoint?

 

[BBB]

I'd cut each side and add a spacer. Just my 2 cts

 

[montanaman]

I can usually picture things well but I just can't picture what you are asking. Most welders have a good idea of how things are built and I think I would just leave it up to him.

Just tell him that you bought it cheap and would like to keep it cheap but you want it to work well.

I think I read something about the HF hitches a while back and I assume what you are talking about if the tabs for the lower lift balls are too close together for the balls to fit and need to be moved out? When I get confused is the one cut vs two cut thing?

Ken

 

[deereman64]

Sri montanaman. Its a bit difficult to picture. Its not the narrowness of the space where the balls go into thats fine. No I referring to the top arm. Its not wide (long?) enough to fit many of my implements, so I plan to cut this top arm and add about 2 inches of plate so that it will be wider. If I do it I will post a price. Remembering that Im in suburbia, speak with a foreign accent and look fairly green

 

[firemanpat2910]

If you only need 2 inches couldnt you just put a jack inside of it and spread it?

 

[JoeL4330]

It's hard without a picture. See attached image...presumably, the dimension you wish to enlarge is not (rpt not) "C", inasmuch as you said the "ball ends" fit in fine. That's the dimension that most have mentioned as problematic ...I had to use a pair of steel felling wedges to open up that dimension.

So, do you want to enlarge "A" or "B" ?? The dimension "A" is more or less a standard, and changing "B" seems like a job for top-link-adjustment.

 

[deereman64]

thanks for the image yes its A that has to widen. Im surprised that mine is short, perhaps I was the end of the beam. I thought about using a jack but dont think i would have much luck.

 

[radman1]

thanks for the image yes its A that has to widen. Im surprised that mine is short, perhaps I was the end of the beam. I thought about using a jack but dont think i would have much luck.

I used a hydraulic jack and 4x4 wood blocks to widen mine about 1.5". It actually splayed out quite nicely just at the bottom. It almost looks like it was made that way. You will actually have to over widen it, because it will spring back about 1/2".

 

[California]

The ASAE standard is 26.81" minimum inside to inside for the A dimension.

I referenced the source in this old post
QH measurement and ASAE Standard

If the QH is that far off, just take it back and get another. Mine was spot-on.

 

[deereman64]

I went out this morning and did some measurements.

The 3 pt hitch has a nice sticker on it that says it meets ASAE standards but in fact the inside measurements is 27 inches.

My KK stuff is 28.61 but my homier stuff and ironically the JD balance box is much narrower. Unfortunately the only jack I have is the auto raising type and I think a bottle jack is want is needed. So by the time I bought a new jack and turned the hitch into a pretzel Ill try my welder first.