Couple of Harbor Freight QH questions

[California]

Would the top hook on the QH not work from the bottom?

In my case structural parts near the top of the mast block getting the hook in there.

 

[N2DFire]

The other two pictures are of the top mount area of another implement. I didn't play with it, just took the pictures. Any comments/thoughts about how this will work with the QH? It's a pretty common setup on implements so I expect some of you guys to have experience here.

We were / are in the same boat as you. Modern QH & Antique Implements. In the case(s) like the one you pictured here, we were lucky enough that the height of the bolt for the bracing was relatively similar across the implements so we moved the braces from inside to outside the upright links and added a wider spacer (cut piece of steel pipe) and new bolt as needed and use this bolt for the top link connection.

We had one implement that the braces were too heavy / thick to bend the small amount needed to relocate so we did end up notching & welding them in place.

It's near dark here now but if I can remember it I'll try to slip out tomorrow and get some quick shots of all the ones we converted.

To answer one of your earlier questions, if you can't get them converted then the adapter should work - just swap it for the top hook.

I bought the adapter just so we would have it but thus far we haven't had to use it yet.

Best of Luck & Merry Christmas.

 

[California]

re the flexible top link re-configuration suggested by Bruce:

I had a few experiences where I skated downhill on the 2wd YM240 because going down terraces, the mower lifted the rear tires off the ground. Scary when I'm working right next to orchard trees. Also this has to stress the mower chassis way beyond design specs.

I need a lot more flex than what that bracket provides. My workaround was to use chain between the mower top link and the qhitch. The photo below illustrates the extreme range of flex possible with the tractor tires still on the ground. When its time to lift the implement, the chain serves for that. The qhitch is cranked all the way forward for this mowing so on level ground the chain spans a 4 inch gap.

Photo from this old thread.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

We were / are in the same boat as you. Modern QH & Antique Implements. In the case(s) like the one you pictured here, we were lucky enough that the height of the bolt for the bracing was relatively similar across the implements so we moved the braces from inside to outside the upright links and added a wider spacer (cut piece of steel pipe) and new bolt as needed and use this bolt for the top link connection.

We had one implement that the braces were too heavy / thick to bend the small amount needed to relocate so we did end up notching & welding them in place.

It's near dark here now but if I can remember it I'll try to slip out tomorrow and get some quick shots of all the ones we converted.

To answer one of your earlier questions, if you can't get them converted then the adapter should work - just swap it for the top hook.

I bought the adapter just so we would have it but thus far we haven't had to use it yet.

Best of Luck & Merry Christmas.

Thanks for the response Steve. Pictures would be much appreciated, you know, worth a thousand words.

Merry Christmas to you and all TBNers. The advice/information you guys supply is priceless.

 

[countrybumpkin]

I just use a adapter, I have about half of my implements that will work with a quick hitch and about half that wouldn't. I have to get off to hook a pto shaft, hydraulic hoses, or raise a parking stand anyway so it's not that big of a issue.

 

[JRobyn]

I reworked the "flex link" on my BushHog thusly. It required that I drill a new hole to relocate each of the two vertical side links at the correct QH spacing from the lift pins (I think I used 15").







Also had to cut/grind down the bolt that connects the long "back links" so that it would pass between the verticals when necessary.

 

[N2DFire]

Thanks for the response Steve. Pictures would be much appreciated, you know, worth a thousand words.

Merry Christmas to you and all TBNers. The advice/information you guys supply is priceless.

Hey Jerry,

I have not forgotten you. The "farm" is my parents place and due to various weather & "life happens" events I haven't made it back out there yet but planning on getting there today.

Thus far we have converted a Rotary Cutter, Disk Harrow, Box Blade, and an old 7 tine type plow that we always called a "tiller"

I'll try to get you shots of each to show the various challenge each one had.

Steve

 

[TheDevilYouLove]

I just use a adapter, I have about half of my implements that will work with a quick hitch and about half that wouldn't. I have to get off to hook a pto shaft, hydraulic hoses, or raise a parking stand anyway so it's not that big of a issue.

Ah, I think this is what I need to make my HF QH work with my Land Pride rotary cutter. There is a thing on the mower that gets in the way of the top hook on the QH, but that adapter will fix it.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Hey Jerry,

I have not forgotten you. The "farm" is my parents place and due to various weather & "life happens" events I haven't made it back out there yet but planning on getting there today.

Thus far we have converted a Rotary Cutter, Disk Harrow, Box Blade, and an old 7 tine type plow that we always called a "tiller"

I'll try to get you shots of each to show the various challenge each one had.

Steve

Thanks Steve. I think I understand the concept you described in your post, but the pictures would be helpful just to confirm I'm on the right track. No hurry, just when you get around to it.

 

[N2DFire]

Ok pictures taken & uploaded. Not the best quality but I was being blown around by the high winds we're having & the sun was in my eyes. LOL

Disk Harrow
It's a small angle iron frame type. The supports running from the top link to the rear were inside the top link post with a narrow spacer, we just moved them to the outside and added a wider spacer & longer bolt.

Rotary Cutter
Ours has the chain style support to the rear to let it float instead of the wobble link like yours but should be similar fix.
We moved the support from it's factory position up to the top link hole and then added a bushing & bolt thru the hole where the support went.

Spring Tine Cultivator (We always called it a Tiller)
Here's were welding started getting involved. This thing is pretty beefy (and it's kind of short which was lucky on the top link height)
Here the rear braces were inside the top link bars with a narrow spacer. It's hard to see in this picture but when we moved the braces to the outside of the supports the top edge canted outward. We don't have the tools/equipment to heat those braces enough to bend them back in alignment so we used a disk grinder to cut notches in the top link bars and these braces then used a large C clamp to pull them in flush and welded them.

Box Blade
This one I wasn't involved in as much as the others. Dad & I consulted at the start and had a couple phone calls along the way but He did all the work on this one.
Here again the braces to the rear were just too beefy to bend so he just welded them in place and removed the bolt & spacer so the top hook could pass thru.
It was a tight fit so he spread them out and put a wider spacer in. For a lightweight BB it will do as is but I may go back and bevel the bottom edges of the supports to guide the hook to center and narrow up the spacer a bit (after Dad & Mom head south for the winter and I have the shop to myself ).

(Apparently I caught a leaf going by on this one so my apologies for the blur in the corner)

On all of these we were lucky that the new top link pin heights fell close enough that the Top Hook on the QH would catch them all and we didn't have to drill any new holes for the mounting pins.

It's not the best nor prettiest solutions but we're "hobby farmers" doing mostly land maintenance on our place so it works for us. If this was our living or we were clearing new ground I might have done some things different / better.

Best of luck with your project & I hope this helped you out some.

Happy New Year

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Ok pictures taken & uploaded. Not the best quality but I was being blown around by the high winds we're having & the sun was in my eyes. LOL

Disk Harrow
It's a small angle iron frame type. The supports running from the top link to the rear were inside the top link post with a narrow spacer, we just moved them to the outside and added a wider spacer & longer bolt.

Rotary Cutter
Ours has the chain style support to the rear to let it float instead of the wobble link like yours but should be similar fix.
We moved the support from it's factory position up to the top link hole and then added a bushing & bolt thru the hole where the support went.

Spring Tine Cultivator (We always called it a Tiller)
Here's were welding started getting involved. This thing is pretty beefy (and it's kind of short which was lucky on the top link height)
Here the rear braces were inside the top link bars with a narrow spacer. It's hard to see in this picture but when we moved the braces to the outside of the supports the top edge canted outward. We don't have the tools/equipment to heat those braces enough to bend them back in alignment so we used a disk grinder to cut notches in the top link bars and these braces then used a large C clamp to pull them in flush and welded them.

Box Blade
This one I wasn't involved in as much as the others. Dad & I consulted at the start and had a couple phone calls along the way but He did all the work on this one.
Here again the braces to the rear were just too beefy to bend so he just welded them in place and removed the bolt & spacer so the top hook could pass thru.
It was a tight fit so he spread them out and put a wider spacer in. For a lightweight BB it will do as is but I may go back and bevel the bottom edges of the supports to guide the hook to center and narrow up the spacer a bit (after Dad & Mom head south for the winter and I have the shop to myself ).

(Apparently I caught a leaf going by on this one so my apologies for the blur in the corner)

On all of these we were lucky that the new top link pin heights fell close enough that the Top Hook on the QH would catch them all and we didn't have to drill any new holes for the mounting pins.

It's not the best nor prettiest solutions but we're "hobby farmers" doing mostly land maintenance on our place so it works for us. If this was our living or we were clearing new ground I might have done some things different / better.

Best of luck with your project & I hope this helped you out some.

Happy New Year

Thanks a million Steve. I am just a hobby guy myself. These pictures are a big help. My problem is I don't weld so, based on what I run into, there's a good chance I might have to get one of the adapters.

When I get into the process of working on my implements, I'll post some pictures of my solutions. Hopefully I can get it all figured out.

 

[N2DFire]

Thanks a million Steve. I am just a hobby guy myself. These pictures are a big help. My problem is I don't weld so, based on what I run into, there's a good chance I might have to get one of the adapters.

When I get into the process of working on my implements, I'll post some pictures of my solutions. Hopefully I can get it all figured out.

You are very welcome.

From the looks of some of our weld beads, we don't weld either. :laughing:

I called the number in the "owners manual" and bought the adapter too. We didn't put a QH on the 8N (yet) and there are a couple things we wanted to be able to use with both tractors and in case we ever borrow anything that's not QH compatible.

The 8N is "old school" fixed arms & the CK has the extendable arms and I'd still take the QH even w/o the top hook - it makes hooking up so much easier even if you do have to get off and hook up the top link adapter.

You'll get there & you'll love it. I'm sure.

If you run into any snags along the way just post a question here - there are tons of great folks to help you out.

 

[lennyzx11]

Thanks Bruce. That makes sense, but I would not have thought of it.

I second that! Never thought of this.
I have a rotary cutter and a finish mower setup in the original configuration.

This is why I like these forums. I wasn't raised around farming and play by myself largely now so information like this would never be had in my world before the internet.

 

[JRobyn]

I modified my implements by only redrilling holes, no welding. The only other rework I had to do was to slightly change the angles bent on the ends of a few of the side/rear support arms. A Harbor Freight shop press made easy work of that, but a sledge hammer and concrete slab would have sufficed. A good 1/2" chuck corded drill and a few good large bits are helpful (3/4", 7/8"). The big HF step drills are good for fine-tuning the hole sizes, but in a few cases I had to touch up the insides with a rat-tail file since the steps on my step drill weren't deep enough.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I modified my implements by only redrilling holes, no welding. The only other rework I had to do was to slightly change the angles bent on the ends of a few of the side/rear support arms. A Harbor Freight shop press made easy work of that, but a sledge hammer and concrete slab would have sufficed. A good 1/2" chuck corded drill and a few good large bits are helpful (3/4", 7/8"). The big HF step drills are good for fine-tuning the hole sizes, but in a few cases I had to touch up the insides with a rat-tail file since the steps on my step drill weren't deep enough.

Jrobyn, if you get a chance, take some pictures of your modifications and post them. I'm always looking for ideas. By the way, where are you in middle Tennessee? I'm in Hendersonville.

 

[JRobyn]

See post #46. That's the bushhog. I'll get a few shots of the box blade shortly.

We're just south of Gainesboro.

 

[mike69440]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/327912-custom-3-point-attachment-2-a.html

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I reworked the "flex link" on my BushHog thusly. It required that I drill a new hole to relocate each of the two vertical side links at the correct QH spacing from the lift pins (I think I used 15").

View attachment 492729

View attachment 492730

View attachment 492731

Also had to cut/grind down the bolt that connects the long "back links" so that it would pass between the verticals when necessary.

Why not just totally remove the flex link, add washers or some other spacers to take up the space left by the flex link, and leave the long "back links" attached as they originally were. Sounds too simple, so I am probably not thinking of some problem this would create.

Removing the flex link would cause a more rigid connection between tractor and cutter. Is that a potential issue? The vertical distance between lower pins and the top where the hook would engage potentially could be a problem, but the hook can be moved up and down, so maybe that won't be a major issue.

What am I missing here?

 

[JRobyn]

The flex link is vital (IMHO, and that of Bush Hog) to allow the back of the hog to swing up and down to follow the ground contour. Some folks have just replaced the long back links with chain to accomplish the same thing.

Yes, the top hook on the QH can just be moved up or down, but I disliked the notion of having to "adjust" the QH any more than absolutely necessary between different implements. Makes it easier for the wife to change implements herself. So it was easier in the long run for me to just adjust the spacing between the lower pins and upper pin to fit exactly. This required redrilling the two holes for the side links about 1-1/2" lower.

 

[California]

You only need that top link to lift the mower, not when mowing. So chain is sufficient.

And at least in my experience a lot of flex is needed there. I mowed down a gentle slope and as soon as my front then rear tires dropped off into disked ground at the bottom of the slope, the rigid top linkage I had at the time left the tractor suspended with only the front tires and the mower's tailwheel touching the ground. 2 wheel drive so no brakes. I slid down a few feet out of control until the mower's rear wheel reached the bottom of the slope. I had started to turn so this made me slew around toward sideways too.

I learned then and there I needed to add some flex.

(Photo) That wasn't even much of a slope. I was mowing straight down this 'lawn' toward disked ground on the near side of that orchard row.

Summary: You need flex if your terrain is uneven, even to this minor degree. You need a lot of flex to mow up/down terraces like I showed in post #43 above.