My Harbor Freight Quick Hitch

[California]

Do you connect the chain to the QH hook? If so, could you share a picture?

Here you go.

The loop is simply dropped over the top of the QH. I see in my photo I looped it through the mower's mast. It also could be just dropped over the mast.

It would be prudent to secure the chain with wire so it can't fall under the mower if it shakes loose.

I use slip-in pins at the top of the QH so I can adjust the height of the hook. I removed the hook entirely for this mowing, to create the maximum space between the mower's mast, and the QH which is adjusted as far forward as possible by shortening the tractor's top link.



Photo 1 showing the chain loop.

Photo 2 showing why this extreme flexibility is needed. About a quarter of my cross-mowing requires climbing terraces like this. Without the extreme flexibility provided by this setup, some of the weight that bears on the tractor's rear tires would stress the mower chassis and be carried by the mower's rear wheel. There were a couple of times mowing down a drop-off like this with my larger Yanmar (2wd) where there was so little weight on the tractor's rear tires that I scooted a forward few feet until those rear tires touched the ground again. That can't be good for the mower.

 

[RoyJackson]

Here you go.

The loop is simply dropped over the top of the QH. I see in my photo I looped it through the mower's mast. It also could be just dropped over the mast.

It would be prudent to secure the chain with wire so it can't fall under the mower if it shakes loose.

I use slip-in pins at the top of the QH so I can adjust the height of the hook. I removed the hook entirely for this mowing, to create the maximum space between the mower's mast, and the QH which is adjusted as far forward as possible by shortening the tractor's top link.

Thank you for posting those pictures.
My QH (Deere brand) has a welded on hook so I'm not sure how well using a chain would work.
My cutter, an older Land Pdride unit, has the movable upper link (Flex Link, I think they call it) and doesn't work with the QH. The lower links work fine., but I did want to be able to raise the cutter, if necessary.
Your pictures have given me some ideas, and that is greatly appreciated!

 

[JordanFTW]

Agri Supply advertises it for $17.49. I'm not sure what the shipping charges to your location will be though.
Shf141145 Top Hitch Adapter Bracket

Shipping was 12.64 to me in MD. HF is still the best place to get this.

 

[Hdoilcan]

I bought a HF QA today and it measures 27 1/8" (not 27 1/2")...... this is my first tractor and I don't have any attachments yet so I'm not really sure if the 27 1/8" will be good or should I return it and see if the have one that measures 27 1/2"? I live about an hour from HF and if I had to return it that's ok..... I dont want to spread it with a bottle jack tho.

 

[California]

Everybody loves Standards. That's why there are so many of them!

Quoting post # 25 near the top of this thread:

From LSU AgCenter:

Ok, that says a standard-dimension implement can't exceed 26.9 inches wide.

But out there in reality, implements come in all sizes.

I bought the early, smaller HF QH. It's just right for my 4 and 5 ft wide implements. I couldn't use a wider QH.

It seems that so many people need a wider QH that the smaller 'standard' one is no longer available.

There's no way to tell if your 27 1/8" QH will fit your implements before you buy the implements. You might select implements based on matching this QH.

 

[Richard Wazeter]

I received mine on Thursday and had it installed in about an hour. I had to made some adjustment to the top hook so it would fit my box blade. Had to hook it to the cross bolt as there was insufficient clearance to use the normal pin that was used for the top connection. I have not tried it with my cutter yet to see if my PTO shaft is long enough. While the hitch is "quicker" to use, I still find that I need to get off and set the bottom hooks open, hitch to the implement and then set the lower hooks closed. I guess I could do it from the seat, but I am new to this and am trying to work safely. My tractor is a Mahindra 28. As an aside, I received a catalog from AGRI Supply of Friday and to my dismay I found what appears to be the exact same quick hitch for $89.95 and the adapter sleeves for $9.99, so you are interested in a quick hitch you might want to check them out.

 

[SpecialED]

Had to do a little a modification to my box blade to work with my Harbor Freight QH. I wish I had the skills to do it all by myself, a buddy ended up helping me out by fabbing these up.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Looks like that should do the job.