Quick Hitches 3 point hitch quick connector..got one?

[GarageSmoker]

I went to Tractor Supply Co. for the 1st time today. Just wanted to see what they had. I saw the quick connector for the 3 point hitch and it looked as if it would make the task of attaching and deattaching much easier.

Anyone out there got one? Does it work good? It really doesn't seem like a lot of money to spend if it makes that misrable chore easier.

GS

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

I am thinking about one myself. My weight box is a killer if I don't park just right.
How mush are they at TSC? Case-IH has one for about $250.

 

[radman]

I have 2 3pt quick attach Spee-Co units from TSC. One cost about $180-190, and the other I got when they went out of business for $80. They are set up for standard cat. 1 3pt but unfortunately not all equipment is standard. They come with either a hook or adapter on top. For my stufff the adapter works best. I had to modify some of my equipment slightly but they work great when changing between implements. Now only takes a few minutes at most. I have a T- N-T which really makes it easy.

 

[Casimir]

I have the SpeeCo Quick Hitch from TSC. One store had it priced at $180, but were out of the Cat 2 size, so I drove to another store and got it for $169 -- probably just paid for the fuel, but I had made up my mind to get one /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

None of my implements would work with the upper hook -- the angle support below the hitch pin interferes, so I use the adapter also. It does make it easier to hook up by myself, but still requires a little juggling to get lined up right and fooling with the 3-pt lift lever and/or top link length to get the pins to slide in and out easily. Still much better than without it. It helps to have the adapters or at least Cat 2-3 bushings in the lower pins to better fill the lower hooks. Otherwise, there is quite a bit of slop. May or may not result in unusual wear. The bushings are a lot cheaper ($3 pair vs. $21 for the permanent adapters), but having the permanent adapters mounted avoids having to use locking pins in the ends of the lower hitch pins.

Overall, I am happy that I got the Quick Hitch. I am too old and weak to manhandle those implements around to get the pins lined up with the 3-pt. lift arms. My language has cleaned up also /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif.

 

[BeeBop]

I use the Jiffy Hitch kwick attach system and it works great. I have the female attachments on all of my implements w/the exception of my post hole digger. When you use this system you will kick yourself for not getting one sooner. I am exploring the possibilities of procuring a power rake as soon as I figure out which one I want and the very day I bring it home a Jiffy Hitch kwik attach will be on it. I have looked at the yellow ones and none I can find seem to be as heavy duty as J.H. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

 

[daveMT]

The link to Jiffy Hitch Systems
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.jiffyhitchsystems.com/product.html>http://www.jiffyhitchsystems.com/product.html</A>

 

[wallysue]

I have had a Speeco from TSC for a few years. It does make it easier to hook up. Everything except the PHD got modified to fit. The lift arms on a Yanmar 1500 are kinda stretched to fit the 26 inch cat one standard so I mounted the arms to the inside of the quick hitch. The price was $179.

 

[Rus91]

I purchased an Imatch system with my new 4010 (love it) The only thing I use it for now is my weight box for my FEL. In the futureI plan on buying a boxblade. Right now it takes me about 30 seconds to hook it up once I am in position.

 

[JerryT]

I have the Speedco from TSC. The top hook is useless but the adapter works fine. What I like best about it is that you don't have to mess with the sway adjustment each time you change tools. Unfortunately my TSC finnish mower can't be used with it. Anybody else have this problem - can it be solved?

 

[GlennT]

I've had a quick hitch for several years. I've got the Land Pride, primarilly because I could see it before I bought it and I could buy it locally. The quick hitch at TSC is the same design. Mine works fine; although, I had to have my friend the blacksmith do some work on my rear scoop and my crane before they would work with the quick hitch. There was a brace under the pins of the scoop so the hooks couldn't move underneath and the pins on my crane were too far apart. I would buy the quick hitch with the adjustable upper hook. Before you buy one, be sure and measure the horizontal distance between the bottom hooks and the vertical distance between the bottom hooks and the upper hook and then check this with your implements. I had to move the pins on my JD shredder before I could connect it, for example. The strap-metal upper connectors on shredders and finish mowers won't work with a quick hitch because the rigid upper hook won't permit any movement; however, it is necessary to have a rugged but flexible connection like a piece of heavy chain to provide flexibility but yet keet the implement from pivoting up on the pins and landing against the ROPS or upside down on top of the operator if you hit a rock or a stump. Relative positions of pins and upper connectors vary greatly from implement to implement and have to be checked individually. Use of a quick hitch does move implements back a few inches and this makes a difference on PTO shaft lengths. Also, if you have a heavy implement (e.g., chipper, shredder), the front end of the tractor does get a little lighter because of the additional leverage. To take advantage of the quick hitch you will want to make stands or dollies for some of your implements so you can back up and connect easily. Even though it takes some doing to get everything set up properly, the quick hitch does save much stress on back and shoulder muscles; I walk upright more of the time now. By the way, for some reason the space in each bottom hook on a quick hitch is so large that the pins move around and make the implement jerk; you can buy metal sleeves at TSC and implement dealers that slip over the pins and increase their diameters from category 1 to category 2. I've looked at the TSC quick hitch and it seems to be equal to the Land Pride one even though there is quick a price difference. Again, the additional cost of an adjustable upper hook is worth it.