Quick hitch for M7060?

[inode]

Someone had mentioned looking at getting a quick hitch for my new M7060. I've been researching them and am looking at a Land Pride QH20 as well as Pat's quick hitch system. I'll most likely be using a combination of Cat 1 and Cat II implements which confuses the decision. I'll also be buying some new implements down the road. The main implements I'll be using are a rotary cutter, box grader, occasional auger and reverse tine tiller.

What do you have and what do you recommend?

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Someone had mentioned looking at getting a quick hitch for my new M7060. I've been researching them and am looking at a Land Pride QH20 as well as Pat's quick hitch system. I'll most likely be using a combination of Cat 1 and Cat II implements which confuses the decision. I'll also be buying some new implements down the road. The main implements I'll be using are a rotary cutter, box grader, occasional auger and reverse tine tiller.

What do you have and what do you recommend?

You will not be able to use a full 3pt quick hitch and be able to connect to both cat 1 & cat 2 implements without modifications to the implements. You are working with a fixed width on the QH and 2 different widths on the implements.

Either Pat's which would be the easiest or the European type (pictured) that are similar to the Pat's, but provide full contact of the hitch pin through out the full range of hitch movement capabilities.

You can get a top link that provides the same type of connection also.

 

[Fallon]

Cat1 & Cat2 have different pin spacing. Pin diameters are easy enough to deal with. All the pins for a QH need to be bushed up to Cat3 pin diameter anyway.
TractorData.com - Three-Point Hitch

You'll need to modify everything to Cat1 or Cat2 mount points to use a QH. I'd go up to Cat2 rather than down to Cat1 if you modify things.

I love my QHes, but not sure what I'd do with a split of Cat1 & 2 impliments. May or may not go the QH route, or at least replace my gear with Cat2 stuff if I didnt modify things.

 

[LouNY]

You will not be able to use a full 3pt quick hitch and be able to connect to both cat 1 & cat 2 implements without modifications to the implements. You are working with a fixed width on the QH and 2 different widths on the implements.

Either Pat's which would be the easiest or the European type (pictured) that are similar to the Pat's, but provide full contact of the hitch pin through out the full range of hitch movement capabilities.

You can get a top link that provides the same type of connection also.

I have this style on my Branson 8050 and find it very handy, I also have a couple of quick hitches which I do use on my IH574.
I find the hook type much handier especially if I have to connect a pto.

http://www.gkngroup.com/offhighwaypowertrain/products/documents/TAS/GKN_Walterscheid_TAS_GB_latest.pdf

 

[JWR]

I'm going to weigh in with a minority report. I foolishly bought a quick hitch (the most common, heavy frame type, 2 release handles, etc.) more than 10 years ago with very naive assumptions and poor investigation before buying. Tried to use it with both the JD4700 I had then and with the MF2660 I have now. It is by far the worst, least useful, frustrating waste of tractor gadget money so far. For starters there is zero flexibility left and right in implement pin spacing. Either it fits or it doesn't. In most cases it doesn't. By the time you pull it off, stop cussing, and go back to hitching the implement directly you will have forgotten why you ever bought the QH in the first place. One could put double the good money thrown in after bad and buy both a Cat 1 and a Cat 2... I suppose. Even then many implements will fit neither one.

They get in the way (space already limited and cumbersome) for making your PTO shaft connections. You find yourself questioning whether the hitch is as reliable for many of the rough and tumble uses (like a heavy bush hog, a big flail mower,etc.). Mine sits along the wall of the shed rarely used for anything.

In my opinion the design is lousy. Zero flexibility in left right spacing is just completely unsat. I do not own the Pat's lift arm ends but they look far more practical. The extendable/adjustable ends coming from the factory these days are a big help (I do have those) and becoming more and more common.

Modifying your implements to fit the quick hitch is having the tail wag the dog all over the lot. No way would I ever do that.

If you have a few $hundred spare for goodies on the M7060 I strongly recommend an hydraulic top link. They are extremely useful for almost every implement and especially for that box grader you plan on. [Get one with plenty of length-flexibility and heavy enough to handle anything you have.] And by the way I have found it very helpful at times in hooking up troublesome implements. Things far too heavy to move by hand (say a 1460lb bush hog) can be moved around a little using the hydraulic top link, often positioning them for ease of hitching.

 

[KWentling]

I agree with JRW. The 7060 has the extendable lower arms which makes hookups much easier. I have the quick hitch from my last tractor and I doubt it will ever go on my
new M7060. I have had about the same experiences that JRW described. The last tractor didn't have the extendable links was the reason I got the quick hitch for it. They work pretty good on some implements if all the spacing is good and there is clearance to get the hooks under the pins. Unfortunely that was not the case in most of my implements. I'd save my money.

 

[FTG-05]

I bought a QH a year or so ago. I had to modify every one of my implements except one (EA ED 8' Grader Blade).

A massive PITA. But now, changing out implements is about as easy as writing this post. Yesterday for example, I had my disc on the back. Had to change to my Bushhog 286 because I needed the heaviest and longest 3ph implement I have in order to move my TM Mk II deer shooting house into place this morning. Took all of about 2 minutes:

- Pull the levers
- Move into position, drop it
- Move into position for the next one
- Lift up, done

For the move I don't have to use the pto so I'll just tie it off out of the way.

This is why when I post on "what tractor to buy?" threads on the various forums I frequent, I don't make recommendations on color (even though all I own is orange) but that make sure all your 3ph implements are QH-compatible and make sure your FEL is SSQA-compatible.

If I was in your shoes, I'd buy a good solid Cat 2 QH and then either modify or replace your Cat 1 and make everything Cat 2 QH-compatible. PITA at first, but oh so well worth it in the end.

Good luck.

 

[bdog]

I'm going to weigh in with a minority report. I foolishly bought a quick hitch (the most common, heavy frame type, 2 release handles, etc.) more than 10 years ago with very naive assumptions and poor investigation before buying. Tried to use it with both the JD4700 I had then and with the MF2660 I have now. It is by far the worst, least useful, frustrating waste of tractor gadget money so far. For starters there is zero flexibility left and right in implement pin spacing. Either it fits or it doesn't. In most cases it doesn't. By the time you pull it off, stop cussing, and go back to hitching the implement directly you will have forgotten why you ever bought the QH in the first place. One could put double the good money thrown in after bad and buy both a Cat 1 and a Cat 2... I suppose. Even then many implements will fit neither one.

They get in the way (space already limited and cumbersome) for making your PTO shaft connections. You find yourself questioning whether the hitch is as reliable for many of the rough and tumble uses (like a heavy bush hog, a big flail mower,etc.). Mine sits along the wall of the shed rarely used for anything.

In my opinion the design is lousy. Zero flexibility in left right spacing is just completely unsat. I do not own the Pat's lift arm ends but they look far more practical. The extendable/adjustable ends coming from the factory these days are a big help (I do have those) and becoming more and more common.

Modifying your implements to fit the quick hitch is having the tail wag the dog all over the lot. No way would I ever do that.

If you have a few $hundred spare for goodies on the M7060 I strongly recommend an hydraulic top link. They are extremely useful for almost every implement and especially for that box grader you plan on. [Get one with plenty of length-flexibility and heavy enough to handle anything you have.] And by the way I have found it very helpful at times in hooking up troublesome implements. Things far too heavy to move by hand (say a 1460lb bush hog) can be moved around a little using the hydraulic top link, often positioning them for ease of hitching.

I know this is an old thread but essentially your quick hitch is built to spec and your implements are not. There are ASME specs for the size and vertical and horizontal spacing of the pins on CAT 1, 2 & 3. Quick hitches are built to this spec. If your implements don’t fit it is because they are not built to the industry specifications. Basically the implement manufacturer just randomly placed the pins where they thought looked good or was convenient. This is a very common problem on smaller implements. Most larger implements are built to spec. I have never seen a large tractor used by a commercial farm that didn’t have a quick hitch. The hitches are fine and work great. If you are having issues it is because you have a hodgepodge of implements that aren’t built to spec.

 

[JWR]

Well, read a little closer ... I said you COULD go buy multiple cat Quick hitches. Get all 3 and that triples the cost of this useless piece of crap.
Standards are wonderful and I served decades on standards committees for telemetry equipment. Fixed width is an absurd restriction that should never have been built in hardware. Pain in the ass to individual users. Someday a flexible truly universal quick hitch for 3 pt will be invented. I've never seen or heard of one yet. I'm betting ASME never endorsed a fixed width quick hitch as standards compliant (though I'm sure they stay away from recommending anything as any good standards group will.) No, I don't have a hodgepodge of implements not built to spec. I have ONE Cat n Quick hitch that has no width flexibility and I do not plan to go check ASME specs to see what the tolerances on width are. If I ever get time I'll sell the quick hitch for scrap by the pound since it is heavy.

 

[bdog]

I can tell you are frustrated with it and that is no fun. The standard does specify the width of the pins and there is really no reason the pins shouldn’t be that width on all implements. With a quick hitch you can attach and remove implements without ever leaving your seat. Just back up and lift and reach back and flip the levers. Do the reverse to unhook. I have changed implements multiple times in a day and never left my seat.