HF QuickHitch vs iMatch

[kennyd]

If you zoom in you might see where I took a pointy punch and peened the metal around the studs, to jam them in. Can't think of the right term for this.

"staking" is the term.

 

[JB4310]

"staking" is the term.

:thumbsup:

.

 

[Millalien]

I have both, and as mentioned the HF model top J-hook bolts interfere with some implements, so I removed the bolts (actually just cut them) and peened them in place, now there is no difference in the dimensional specs between the 2.

...
You can see in this pic how I cut the bolts and set them as flush pins,along with some other mods

JB.

The outside-to-outside width on the HF hook mount is 2" without the bolt head or washer/nut, which is the same as the inside-to-inside width on my snowblower top-link pin bracket, and I take it that JB cut the bolt head and shortened the bolt shaft to make it work. Right? Otherwise, I was thinking of welding the HF hook to it's bracket if I want to use it with that attachment. If that's the case, I might as well weld and cut away the excess drilled bracket (the unused portion above the hook), which looks like it just interferes with the top-link pin bracket on the attachments anyway. I think that makes it basically equivalent to the Deere iMatch, which I don't think has an adjustable top hook at all.

Anybody with similar HF quick-hitch issues/mods ?

 

[JB4310]

The outside-to-outside width on the HF hook mount is 2" without the bolt head or washer/nut, which is the same as the inside-to-inside width on my snowblower top-link pin bracket, and I take it that JB cut the bolt head and shortened the bolt shaft to make it work. Right? Otherwise, I was thinking of welding the HF hook to it's bracket if I want to use it with that attachment. If that's the case, I might as well weld and cut away the excess drilled bracket (the unused portion above the hook), which looks like it just interferes with the top-link pin bracket on the attachments anyway. I think that makes it basically equivalent to the Deere iMatch, which I don't think has an adjustable top hook at all.

Anybody with similar HF quick-hitch issues/mods ?

You could weld it, and yeah if you did, might as well cut the excess, unless you can think of another use for it like I did with the receiver tube.

I staked the bolts to leave my options open, just in case a need arose to raise the top link connection.

Of course the JD imatch I have is not adjustable and that has been just fine so far.

JB

 

[Millalien]

I staked the bolts to leave my options open, just in case a need arose to raise the top link connection.

JB

Thanks, JB. Yep - I had that same thought after I posted. I guess the staking is really just to hold the pins in place; it's the pins that support the hook and no need to weld. It'd be better to be able to drive them back out if need be.

 

[JB4310]

Thanks, JB. Yep - I had that same thought after I posted. I guess the staking is really just to hold the pins in place; it's the pins that support the hook and no need to weld. It'd be better to be able to drive them back out if need be.

So far the staking has held for what I do with this back up machine. There is really no stress on the bolts, trying to push them out. but if you are doing something more critical with the QH maybe there would be a better way to guarantee those pins wouldn't come out???

JB

 

[KennyG]

I'll repost my solution to this. I cut off a couple of cheap hitch pins and ground screwdriver slots on them. (You could easily do this with plain rods, but I bought the hitch pins really cheap.) I ground a little off the side of the hook to add a little clearance and replaced the spring pins with thinner ones.