Harbor Freight Quick Hitch Modifications

[MRIRich]

The heavy hitch pics are not of my tractor they're off the internet.

 

[MRIRich]

I made a rack; full width of the QHof 4" X 1/2" bar with brackets and pins to add it to the back. I add up to 500# of suitcase weights (50# each) just hanging them up in the weight I need. I have the BH on now so can't get a picture. Working on a similar arrangement for the front of the tractor. It will hook on where the front QH for snow plow/blade attachments. Same arrangement is planned to put them on other implements like the RT and BB.

Ron

Are you mounting it on the QH Like a Heavy Hitch? Because you cant use another 3pt attachment @ the same time this way. I wanted to be able to add some weight when using my Rototiller & Post hole digger that's why I am leaving the middle open to allow the PTO to work still. I know what your thinking, "hows the post hole digger gonna work with the QH?" That's another modification I will post when I get around to doing it. The Heavy Hitch would work great if you was not going to be using another 3pt attachment or using one of their attachments.

 

[Fallon]

Are you mounting it on the QH Like a Heavy Hitch?View attachment 461559 Because you cant use another 3pt attachment @ the same time this way. I wanted to be able to add some weight when using my Rototiller & Post hole digger that's why I am leaving the middle open to allow the PTO to work still. I know what your thinking, "hows the post hole digger gonna work with the QH?" That's another modification I will post when I get around to doing it. The Heavy Hitch would work great if you was not going to be using another 3pt attachment or using one of their attachments.

I found a spare PHD boom on CL for $20 & modified it to work with my quick hitch. Only works if you have a hydraulic toplink.

Basically you cut the main boom where it hooks up to the arch. Make sure your PTO shaft is long enough (or keep trimming the boom down until the shaft reaches). Then you weld the boom to the arch. Took me a few tries to get it right checking raised & lowered clearances. The bottom of my arch actually had some bar stock that when ground down a bit fits perfectly into the toplink. I then added some pipe bracing from the bottom of the arch to the end of the boom. Works pretty good & I get a bit of down pressure & can lift the back of the tractor (balancing on the PHD & front axle pivot is not good, don't do it) for the first bit of the hole.

The only bad is I didn't get things quite right height wise (if its even possible). If I drop my 3pt before I extend my toplink, the QH sits on my PTO shaft. I've used my press to straighten it out 2-3 times already & its bent again. Adding a few inch extension to the gearbox mount may or may not fix that, or completely removing all the welds (not going to happen, to much work) & adjust the angle of the boom where it attaches to the arch. For now though I'm just trying to remember proper order of operations & not drop the QH on the PTO.


Added some mount points so I can put a 200lbs chunk of pipe on top of the gearbox too as well as a female socket for the drill rod (same stuff as the bottom braces) so I can double its length for a light weight boom pole if I ever find a need for such a thing (thinking about making a frame to lift my chain harrow some day).

 

[Tractor Seabee]

One advantage of using 50# suitcase weights like I do is you can add weight to each implement as needed. I am in the process of making attachments to my BS, RT, RB, LR and disc to hook the weights to each implement.

Ron

 

[MRIRich]

Fallon Thanks for the info & Photo's I'll keep them in mine while I design mine. I saw another PHD similar to your design they didn't make the bracing extentions go out to the end like yours I think I like yours better.

 

[MRIRich]

One advantage of using 50# suitcase weights like I do is you can add weight to each implement as needed. I am in the process of making attachments to my BS, RT, RB, LR and disc to hook the weights to each implement.

Ron

Thanks Ron, when you get a change post pics of you QH & weight setup. Thanks again.

 

[Fallon]

Fallon Thanks for the info & Photo's I'll keep them in mine while I design mine. I saw another PHD similar to your design they didn't make the bracing extentions go out to the end like yours I think I like yours better.

My welding skill isn't that great & extra weight is good, so I hedged my bets.

 

[countrybumpkin]

I decided just to use the adapter, instead of the top hook, I almost always have to get off to hook up hoses, pto, or raise a parking stand anyway. I leave it on all the time and notched the top of the hitch so the adapter stands up out of the way by using the top link pin, keeps it from hitting the cylinder rod also when not in use.

 

[MRIRich]

I decided just to use the adapter, instead of the top hook, I almost always have to get off to hook up hoses, pto, or raise a parking stand anyway. I leave it on all the time and notched the top of the hitch so the adapter stands up out of the way by using the top link pin, keeps it from hitting the cylinder rod also when not in use.

Thanks that's a good modification, I'll borrow that idea from you. That would be handy to keep the adapter for when top hook is not an option. Thanks again.