3pt hitch help

Soundguy · Jul 12, 2005

( Wood is a little less damaging than metal pry bars )

Thats one reason I use copper or brass mauls.. the metal is way softer than the steel.

soundguy

Soundguy · Jul 12, 2005

( I absolutelty agree..."pick a nice flat spot...". If I had one, or a leveled equipment shed floor, I'd be in 7th heaven. However, on a side hill in VT (a bit more hilly and rocky than FL) I'm luck if I can find a spot within 5 deg. of level (and no rocks). )

You have a tractor.. you have implements... you can MAKE a flat spot... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

( but I'll take the quick hitch approach and not have to carry any "persuaders )

I believe you will find that quick hitches are a tad limiting in what they can and can't attach to lickety split. They also add a new calculation to implement sizing.. weight, distance from hitch, and pto length.
Many implements may not be 100% sized correctly for quick hitches.. Quick hitches also effectively limit your ability to modify equipment.. like turning pins 'in' for example.

As for carrying a persuader.. I leave all my implements 'planted' in one location.. a small area away from the horses.. My persuaders live with the implements.

( The time saved backing up to the Grooming mower or Rear Blade and mostly just lifting the I-Match and throwing the latches, compared to persuading attachments onto the 3PH gives me more time to make a few $'s cutting neighbor's lawns, or avoid all the cussing and just get some work done here )

As i said before.. Alot of it is practice and placement. Just because you have a quick hitch.. won't guarantee 100% drive up and go attachment on implements.. if the implement isn't perfectly inline with the tractor.. and on the same plane ( remember that 5' problem you spoke of? ).. then the hitch may not latch up. Also.. you will always have pto shafts to hook up. I've hooked up and unhooked so many implements.. that I can do it in about a minute or so on the 5' mower, and less on the plow, or box blade, or rear scoop, or boom pole.. etc.

Heck.. My 2500# category 2 mower can be hooked / unhooked in about 3 minutes...

Lotsa practice...

( I still vote for any reasonable quick hitch system over beating on expensive equipment (IMHO).
)

Again.. Finesse.. I'm not advocating taking a sledge hammer and standing on top of your mower and just beating the cr@p out of it till it magically fits /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif A little leverage goes along way. A 4' prybar under the edge of a 500-700# mower can nudge it a couple inches by flexing your arm a bit... no 'beating' required. If you are beating.. try a brass or copper hammer... doesn't mark up steel.

When i first got my tractors.. it would take me forever to hook up something like a box blade... thats not even a 45 second job now. You also have to use the built in tractor options to your advantage. If you have a bit of a mismatch.. hook up the fixed link arm first.. then use the adjustable link arm to allow for the difference.. pin it up.. then readjust the arm. Samre with the toplink.. adjust it to hook up.. then readjust to fit.

I usually paint a band around my adjustable link and toplink so if I move it.. i can get back to the 'sweet' spot without measuring or thinking

The few seconds a quick hitch would save me.. would take a lifetime to average out the price.

If I ever become disabled, or injuried.. i may change my mind about the price/value they offer.

Soundguy

Soundguy · Jul 12, 2005

( I understood why so many farmers had several tractors )

Got to admit..that's pretty handy too!

Soundguy

Soundguy · Jul 12, 2005

( btw, I have some devout Ford fans as neighbors and relatives. All I know is I have spent more time and money working on any Ford I have had than other brands.
)

In my experience fords are just as easy to work on as other brands.. and all brands break just as much.

I've got quite a few flavors of tractors to base this on as well.

Soundguy

rozett · Jul 12, 2005

( You have a tractor.. you have implements... you can MAKE a flat spot... )

I absolutely love your sense of humor. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Soundguy does have an advantage over most of us. In Florida there are a LOT of flat spots....... where there used to be houses and barns. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

rozett · Jul 12, 2005

Eric, I take my boxblade on/off quite often. Believe me, you get better at it all the time. The flat spot that Soundguy mentions is the most important. What I've done is laid a couple of 4x4's down in my flat spot and set the boxblade down on them. It makes moving the BB around an awful lot easier. Mine weighs 550 pounds plus another 100 for the big (rock) weight on it. So kicking it just results in injury to me. But it slides around a lot easier only resting on the 4x4's. I have them set down in a V shape so when I drop the BB, the side panels and the tail blade are resting on the 4x4's. This also keeps the scarifiers off the ground.

When I back up to the BB, I look behind me and line up the fixed length link arm (left on my CUT) as I'm backing up. I can raise/lower the arms while standing on the ground. Once the fixed arm is attached, I attach the adjustable arm. I slide the BB if I can, or adjust the turnbuckle if necessary. Then I get the toplink.... again, using the turnbuckle. Once attached, then I readjust the turnbuckles to set the blade. If your flat spot isn't (flat), it makes it a lot tougher getting both arm lined up.

Mine is typically on/off in 5 minutes.

Donnyj · Jul 12, 2005

The adjustable length 3pt hitch arms and the auxillary lift lever in the rear of the tractor have made hooking up attachments so much easier and safer. Back the tractor up close, lower the arms, adjust the length of the arms to reach the attachment, move the lift up or down from the back of the tractor for final hookup, and away you go. Sometimes the 3pt hitch arms need a good kick to slide on those rusty pins. Don't get between the tractor and the attachment and have somebody try to ease the tractor back to the attachment. I did that and got lucky, that time. Never again. Wet shoes slip off clutch pedals very easy and quick. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

keeney · Jul 13, 2005

KennyV, my comments were mostly directed towards this snippet posted by OkieG:

"Back the tractor an inch at a time (With my hydrostat trannie, I do this while standing beside the tractor), and the lift arms will slide right off (no hammer, no kicks, no muss, no fuss), easy as can be...very impressive to female neighbors. "

I agree that "safe" and "expedient" are often at odds with one another, and everybody needs to make their own decisions as to the tradeoffs they are comfortable with.

Personally, I find it helpful to remind myself how silly my explanation will sound to my wife if an accident were to happen (assuming it was a non-fatal accident). For example, "Yes, honey, I know that crushing my foot between the tractor and the pallet full of stone I didn' see back there is an inconvenience to the whole family, but you have to give me credit for all those times I saved 2 minutes getting the mower un-hitched!".

- Rick

OkieG · Jul 13, 2005

keeney, kennyV, Eric and others,
My post earlier in this thread does not, perhaps, come across as intended. I agree with those of you who consider operating the hydrostat while standing beside the tractor as potentially dangerous. I would not want anyone to try it and get hurt. By the way, the reference to impressing the female neighbor was in context for the thread the post came from.

Please forgive my weak defense, if you consider my approach indefensible.

First, walking across the street is dangerous, especially at first. Doesn't mean it can't be done safely. Doesn't mean that with experience you get so good at it you don't worry about it anymore.

Next, when attaching/detaching an implement, something has to move. A hammer, prybar, swift kick can sometimes persuade the implement to move. On the other hand, the tractor is made to move.

Next, I wouldn't try my technique with a gear tractor, but the hydrostat makes it easy. On my Deere, there is a seat switch. When no weight is in the seat and the hydrostat pedal is depressed the tractor moves, but just barely...perfect (for me) for adjusting for implements. Of course, when you remove your hand from the pedal, the tractor stops immediately. Potentially dangerous??...yes.

Next, I do not use a hammer or prybar of any kind. Level ground is nice, but not necessary. My "persuader", is an occacional shot of WD-40. In all honesty I must say that I've come much closer to hurting myself, when I use a hammer or prybar or try to physically move the implement...not to mention the frustration of trying and failing. I hate coaxing implements.
Dollies might be the best solution. The only implement dolly I built was for the PostHole Digger. It works great. The rest of the implements are strewn about my backyard, all on dirt, which is not the best surface for a dolly.

I apologize if my descripton of my approach comes across as unconsidered and too cavalier. It is inherently dangerous and great caution should be used if anyone attemps it. But, it works for me and might save a few bruises, choice words, and your back for you, too.

This discussion reminds me of a sequence of photos posted here sometime ago:

I wonder if this guy, thinks he's being unsafe?

OkieG