Any tips for 1 man implement hook-up?

[Gale Hawkins]

One tip I have worked out after installing Pat's QH is to park the implements up a slight upgrade vs downgrade. We are short on flat places.

Now this is with a manual transmission with me standing up facing the rear and working the clutch with my foot. The engine is at 800 RPM and in low low reverse. Gravity will give me forward motion if needed.

I shut off the tractor and do the top link from behind the tractor. I screw it until it fits then readjust if required.

 

[studor]

How do you find it a waste of time?

I bought the quick hitch cause it looked like a great idea - like many I then found that modifications were necessary to pieces of equipment I owned. Then, to be practical, everything must fit or it is a PITA taking the hitch on and off. Then I found that the snowblower stays on the tractor for four months of the year. The carryall probably is on for another four months or more. Then the other stuff like plow, chipper, box blade rotary cutter etc seems to be on for a full day or two and is not needed for a while. Some of the stuff is stored inside on a concrete floor which makes it really easy to hook up. The outside stuff is stored on pallets of the right height after a little trail and error. So basically my quick hitch and trailer drawbar are sorta permanently together and do gather some dust -- JMHO

 

[DanielVT]

I find the brute force method to be a waste of time

Agreed. But sometimes it's fun to pound the *#&$ out of something. :confused2:

 

[patrick_g]

Sometimes pins don't line up with everything they have to go through and pounding with a hammer takes quite some force. You can make some "custom" pins that are longer and gently tapered in the extra length and they tap in much easier. This helps with FEL quick attach stuff too like hay spike, bucket, pallet forks,etc.

Pat

 

[RalphVa]

All my implements are either on dollies or on surfaces where they're easy to slide (only one without a dolly is the back blade; it slides on the concrete; used to put it on 1 bys when it was on the ground). On dollies, they're easy to maneuver around. I've changed out 3 implements with a half hour's time. Use one; change; use another; change.

Ralph

 

[mburke121]

Since I started this post many moons ago, I thought I'd update everyone. I bought a new tractor, and included a Woods quick hitch in the deal. This has made a huge difference. Something I used to dread - changing implements - now has become something I don't think twice about. I change implements many times in a day, and it's really no problem. The quick hitch is one of things I like most about my new tractor :thumbsup:

 

[Soundguy]

I solved that problem by just leaving each attachment on a tractor.. no problem changing attachments either

glad you got something working out good for you.

soundguy

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I solved that problem by just leaving each attachment on a tractor.. no problem changing attachments either

glad you got something working out good for you.

soundguy

I am not that rich so I went Pat's Quick Hitch that is actually working out after I took the time to set it up correctly. A 7' bushhog and an 8' box blade used as a dozer are very demanding.

 

[JC-jetro]

I have bought HF Quick attach as well with the intention of making short work of hooking stuff to my tractor and safer. Unfortunately, I find more of a struggle to get the things attached. IF your ground is not flat, You are not backing in to your implement squared then you have issues. That also causes getting the stupid things off the tractor as difficult as one side comes off and the other sides binds, it sometime binds right at the J hook no matter How I change the angle. So far I got it to work well on my carry all but I have done ton of modification to get it to act right. I have changed the pin (longer or shorter), shimmed things up and you name it to get it to work. On my brush hog I just can not use it , simple as that as I have factory gusset plated welded on to my support and can get the J hook under the pin to lift. I always kept my cool and had to use some cuss words occasionally to relive my tension as necessary. So making a long story short, I can do much better with a few scraps of 2X4 and a 3 ft piece of 2" pipe to hook things on to my 3 point. I actually feel safer about it. I suppose the HF quick attach is a great tool if I back to a tree trunk to pick it up and lift using the J hook and a piece of chain, or remove a Tee post, but I could have already done that with my boom.

JC,

ps. I suppose if I had JD I match and all my implements made by JD would not have had the same issues. Live and learn I reckon

 

[Soundguy]

I am not that rich so I went Pat's Quick Hitch that is actually working out after I took the time to set it up correctly. A 7' bushhog and an 8' box blade used as a dozer are very demanding.

not rich either.. I just buy cheap tractors...


soundguy