3 point hitch question

[diggerd]

I got my first attachment tonight and I had a couple questions about the Pat's easy change system and a Land Pride quick hitch. It's going on a Cat 2 hitch. I don't hay or anything but will prbably switch between a rake and box blade and some sort of mower when I get them. I hear some of the cat 2 attachments are not quick hitch compatible. I will also be adding a hyd top link.

 

[gwdixon]

I got my first attachment tonight and I had a couple questions about the Pat's easy change system and a Land Pride quick hitch. It's going on a Cat 2 hitch. I don't hay or anything but will prbably switch between a rake and box blade and some sort of mower when I get them. I hear some of the cat 2 attachments are not quick hitch compatible. I will also be adding a hyd top link.

All CAT 2 hitches are compatible with CAT 2 implements. That is how the CAT system works. If the implement is designated a CAT 0, 1, 2, or 3 then it will fit that size quick hitch (or ball ends).

Maybe you are thinking that CAT 2 implements won't fit on a CAT 1 quick hitch. In that, you are correct. A larger CAT implement won't fit on a smaller hitch.

However, a smaller CAT implement will fit on a larger CAT three point hitch with the use of bushings of the correct size on the lift pins or clevis pins. The bushings are relatively cheap.

The hydraulic top link also has different CAT sizes. Buy the largest you expect to use - probably a CAT 2. That way you can use either CAT 1 or CAT 2 implements with a bushing.

 

[bcp]

Bottom pin spacing is different between CAT 1 and CAT 2, so it may take more than just bushings for a CAT 2 quick hitch to lift CAT 1 implements.

The larger implements, CAT 2 and above, are much move likely to be quick hitch compatible, if they were made after dimensions were standardized. They are often much heavier than CAT 1 and harder to hitch by hand.

Bruce

 

[diggerd]

Thanks for the replies guys. I get the different catergory ratings but was told by a dealer that a Cat 2 quick hitch may not fit all Cat 2 attachments. I was thinking that maybe the Pats system might be better. A Cat 2 Land pride quick hitch is about $600 or so. I'd hate to buy it and not be able to use it with everthing. The Pats sytem is less than half and I would still have the flexibility to move the arms around a bit if needed. I bought an ETA extreme landscape rake and put it on tonight. Well it was more like backed the tractor up to it and swore at it for a few mins lol. I made it much harder on myself than it needed to be right from the start lol. I can see why a quick hitch or the Pats system and hyd top link would make things easier.

 

[Tx Jim]

I own both QH & PEC and I like Pat's Easy Change better because it will fit both Cat l & Cat ll implements that I own simply by installing the previously mentioned bushings

 

[jenkinsph]

diggerd,
From reading your OP and second response I don't see where you are looking for both cat 1 and cat 2 interchangeability as the others mention. If your question is whether all cat 2 implements are quick hitch compatible then I recommend you verify they fit your own quick hitch before you buy them. If all your implements will fit the quick hitch it sure makes life easier and is worth the time to set them up.

I should add that a lot of tractor owners have implements in their collection that may not be compatible and are better off with the PATS as Jim mentions. Starting up from scratch with your first implement I recommend you go for all quick hitch compatible implements Speaking for myself I try to buy, only new tools that fit or can easily be converted to the quick hitch.

 

[LD1]

What he ^^^^ said.

If you dont have the implements already, just verfiy they will fit before buying.

 

[gwdixon]

My original response (#2) was made under the assumption that you were asking about the Pat's system working with other CATs. I missed the Landpride rigid hitch reference.

Any rigid hitch is made to fit only the CAT that it is rated. There are semi-rigid hitches that can slide open or closed but they are rare and quite expensive. Here is a link to the standard CAT dimensions:

TractorData.com - Three-Point Hitch

I've used the Pat's system for about 20 years now in both CAT 1 and CAT 2 configurations on all my tractors (well, not the backhoe). The reason is that some of my implements don't fit the standard CAT dimensions...both home made and factory built. Also, I have a variety of CAT 1 and CAT 2 implements.

If using a rigid hitch, the implements have to be re-manufactured, or adapted, to fit the dimensions of the rigid hitch. The Pat's will adapt to anything I've run across so far.

 

[diggerd]

Yes I'm starting from scratch on attachments. I want to get a flail and was told by someone that most mowers are not quick hitch compatable. Thank you all for the help.

 

[gwdixon]

Yes I'm starting from scratch on attachments. I want to get a flail and was told by someone that most mowers are not quick hitch compatable. Thank you all for the help.

This is decidedly not true. An implement would be useless if it could not be attached to a tractor and some quick hitches, notably Pat's, will hook up to just about anything since it just changes the ball ends of the tractor.

Now, there are some disadvantages. Pat's and most quick hitches hook up from below. The approach to the implement must be clear from beneath. I have had to plasma cut a few mower decks to give access from below.

Pat's and most quick hitches will lengthen the distance from the tractor's PTO shaft to the implement. If the PTO shaft has already been cut short then it may not be long enough for safety. A fix is this PTO extension:

Pto Adapter