Any tips for 1 man implement hook-up?

[Reg]

I think the "trick" if there is one, is to back up straight and to be lined up from quite a long way out.
If this means putting down markers when you un-hook, then put down markers.
Something as simple as a short length of 2x4 say 10 ft out that you align your tractor's right rear tire to might do it.
If you don't want bits of 2x4 left laying around maybe you can figure a way to establish the center line quickly each time with string (Mason's line) using a big old 3,4,5 triangle ?
Something as simple as a paint spot on the center line 10 ft out when you un-hook could also work. Just back up over it while watching your drawbar for center.
How about a string from such a center spot to an exact center spot on the implement ?
Directly under the top link hole.

Just a few thoughts - practice helps too (-:

 

[patrick_g]

I have broken 4x4 and 2x6 boards trying to lever an implement into place. What can easily be done in 2-5 min with two people has taken me 30-50 min to hitch up alone. The foregoing was pre Pat's Easy Hitch gizmo. Now after several years using it I just love it. It may not do much for the PHD but it sure helps everything else.

The best thing (and I realize it isn't available to everyone) is a smoothly paved area for changing implements. I built dollies for several of my heavier implements prior to getting Pats system and being able to move implements in two dimensions by hand made changing them almost trivial. ...and then I enclosed my paved area and made it a shop leaving me in the dirt and gravel changing implements and praising Pat's Easy Change system for making it much much easier than without it.

Subsequently I have poured a floor in my 36x71 equipment barn and have inside implement storage for all weather implement change ease. I have reinstated my dollies (they have 6-8 HF caster wheels each) and implement changes are pretty easy.

The PHD is still a challenge and different folks have tried various solutions but hanging the PHD from an overhead support (like a big pendulum) works well and is dead simple to set up. While the PHD is installed on the tractor back up to the pendulum support (chain, cable, rope, or whatever) and after raising the PHD over half way as high as it will go but NOT all the way up you attach the support to the top of the main part of the implement frame. You then detach the implement and drive away leaving it hanging. Hooking up again is fairly straight forward. Just back up close to where you were when you removed the PHD and hook it back up. If the vertical support (chain or whatever) is sufficiently long it is easy to move the PHD forward or back or side to side or to rotate it. Makes hooking it up about as easy as possible short of doing the Yoda "mind over matter bit, ala "Star Wars")

I have a super HD box blade, large heavy disk harrow, HD 6 ft brush hog, 3PH cement mixer, pasture spray rig, PHD, rakes, rear blade, plows, carry all, and so forth. I can remove any of these and attach any other in about 5-10 min single handed, usually with no loss of blood and without saying anything that would embarrass a Sunday school class.

My quick attach FEL uses two large pins to hold the bucket or other implements on. Bucket, forks, Hay spike, whatever used to swap super easy but over time stuff gets tweaked and a hammer is required to remove/replace the pins. To make that super easy you make up (or have a machine shop do it) extra long pins with the excess length tapered. This makes tapping them in much easier as it gradually aligns the mating parts. This saves me a lot of effort and time swapping FEL attached implements.

Pat

 

[Reg]

Good points Pat.
As you said, a nicely paved flat area is ideal - although poured concrete may be impractical for some and too expensive, I think a close alternative might be patio blocks.

I "could" til up an area, rake it, smooth it, tamp it down and lay 2ft square cement pads.
I haven't, I could, I might... (-:
I have some pallets that grass and weeds grow up through, it looks terrible I know.
A few patio blocks and occasional Round-Up could take care of what comes up through the cracks and around the edges.
Maybe this Fall, maybe...

 

[hosspuller]

I haven't read but a few of these posts ... Aren't telescoping draft links available for CUT ? I did a retro fit of telescoping draft links when I pinched a finger. Since then, hooking up a heavy 3 point is much easier, no struggle...

Back close to implement, telescope the draft link ends on to the pins. Back the tractor until the draft link ends lock. Then get off and connect the top link... no Struggle with heavy implements. :thumbsup:

 

[Reg]

Only for the seruoisly minded wanting a quick hitch 3 point hitch | 3 point quick hitch | 3 point tractor hitch | The Deltahook

$1400 for the Cat 2 ?
Errr,,, No.

$850 for the Cat 1 ?
also No, maybe "Heck NO !!!".

and these are just to get STARTED with only 2 implements per tractor - or tractor Cat.
They do NOTHING for hooking up a back hoe either (-:

I ain't THAT much in need of help (yet).

Just come in straight, use the telescoping link ends if you have them, use the bucket on edge to inch backwards/forwards if you don't.

 

[bcp]

Why not hang some implements (plow, etc.), as is often done with a post hole digger?

Or set off the implement (rear blade, box blade, rake, etc.) on a concrete block or piece of pipe at the balance point (side to side) so it can be pivoted easily.

Bruce

 

[Soundguy]

i hear ya. all my tractors are cheap / old

and yep.. a prybar does wonders!

soundguy

I'm not that rich either, heck I don't even have money for a fancy shmancy quick hitch that still wouldn't do me crap good with putting on my most dreaded implement the post hole digger. In fact i'd have to take it off out of the way before putting it on.

For most of the stuff I just use backing up as precise as possible along with muscle and leverage to hook it up. I don't have nearly enough room to store anything inside so wheeled dollies wouldn't do me much good. After bending some smaller diameter bars and snapping a couple 2x4's prying around 3pt hitch disk and brush cutter I found a good prying solution.

Had a friend that did road construction get me a slightly damaged used road sign post. It was one of the galvanized heavy duty types not the thin stamped sheet metal ones. Someone had hit it with a car and bent it near one end so I just cut it off with the portaband and was left with about 7 feet of good solid prying power. The way it is shaped the cupped side digs in if the ground is soft and doesn't slip as much.

As far as moving implements to mow under them and stuff, I used to do that with the boom pole and a chain. Then I invested in a 15 gallon sprayer and roundup, even less work than moving and mowing with a quick hitch would be.:thumbsup:

 

[Degolyerent]

I try to make sure and set them as flat as possible and I use a 6' steel bar with a flat end to pinch things one way or the other, I always keep it in my truck along with a fully supplied tool box and a lot of extra pins etc. It usually only takes a few minutes to change things out my pickup is my"support vechile" it is a must as I use my tractor to make a living and I haul it to different places daily

 

[Cacinok]

i hear ya. all my tractors are cheap / old

and yep.. a prybar does wonders!

soundguy

+1 I have a 4' piece of pipe that sits where my implements do - gives me that extra little push. About the only real problem I regularly have is the PTO of my brush hog get stuck in the in position b/c it sits over winter outside. I've tried lubing it, but nothing has worked so far.

Clint.