Dumbest mistake EVER!

[fishpick]

I can now lay claim to the dumbest mistake yet in my long list of "notable" acomplishments... I friggin just bought a Cat II plow for a Cat I tractor... NICE HUH?

I went to look at this nice 3 bottom - but when the guy said he didn't have a loader or skid steer to help get it loaded in the pickup - my mind went from looking at the plow to determining how to get this thing loaded (my strong problem solver mentality)... and I completly missed the bigger pins and holes... Instead I made sure all the sheer pins were good - the tips and boards were in good shape, no obvious welds or reparis... everything checked out on this plow EXCEPT for the friggin configuration.

So - I have this nifty new IH plow in the back of my truck... ready to go to a new home...

I really - really can't believe I did that... for all they years around farms and farming implements I really, REALLY can't believe I just did this.

And I'm sharing because I know the abuse will make me feel better... I think I'm losing my mind or something... I have no clue how I missed this "small" detail...

 

[Sprocket1]

Not a mistake. Just good planning for a new tractor with cat 2 arms. I wish I had such power of forethought. My mistakes are usually triple dumb.

 

[Bedlam]

is it possible to change the pins over to cat 1? I just bought some from ag supply that are threaded with a huge nut on them, And they have a reducer sleeve for the top link.

http://www.agrisupply.com/product.asp?pn=11958

I cant find the lower pins but they have them and cheap.

 

[BJN644]

I think you can just change the pins, TSC usually has the conversion stuff.

 

[fishpick]

I think you can just change the pins, TSC usually has the conversion stuff.

Negative on the pin change (beside the top link holes are bigger too) but this plow design is a solid metal shaft about 2" in diameter with offset tapers on the end that neck down to the cat 2 pins.

The only option would be to pull the shaft and see what it would cost for a machine shop to make up a cat 1 sized version... and then screw around with the holes for the top link...

 

[scrapironford]

Check to see if you can get cat2 lower arms for the tractor, a cat2 top link should be easy to put together,cat2 on one end cat1 on other end, might have to use a torch and welder. scrapironford

 

[jenkinsph]

I have seen dumber things done, years ago my dad and I decided to buy a small dozer. We didn't know much about them but found a used one we liked okay, talked to the dealer who looked it up as a Deere 350 and gave us a price which we haggled over and finally bought. About two weeks later I figured out it was a 450 model which is about twice the size and price. Wonder how long this salesman lasted there?



Steve

 

[8934]

Just buy a quick hitch... They generally use bushings to make cat 1 items into cat 2 size.

May have to modify the top to accept quick hitch, but hey you can make it work.

 

[SteveInMD]

Buy a cat II tractor.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Dumb mistakes like that are what got me into the tractor trading business as a sideline. I kept buying implements that were way too big for my little SCUT. Because I was poor I'd only ever be able to buy something that was a screaming good deal. After I'd find out they were too big, I'd put them out in front of my place with a for sale sign for twice what I paid for them. Seldom did anything last more than a few days before it was sold.

Now I've starting buying the wrong stuff on purpose.

 

[foggy1111]

Dont feel like the lone ranger here.....most of us have done the same thing a time or two. I recently bought a plow with 2x16 bottoms instead of 2x14's ...as indicated by the model number. As said above.....the quick hitch (Harbor Freight) with cat 2 may be your 60 dollar solution to make that plow work for you.

 

[kebo]

Buy a cat II tractor.

Or use to make a mailbox with!! Bet nobody would run into that thing lol!!

 

[fishpick]

Thanks for the grief counseling... The Sigg story of the wrong caliber makes me feel warm inside as that was a little more than what I paid for the plow (and by little I mean LOT, and by warm I mean misery loves company).

My wife has made it clear I will NOT be starting a side business doing this But good idea.

As for the "buy a bigger tractor" - this plow is for the new bigger tractor... so - not going to try to take that hill - I'm happy with the recent victory - and learned new tractor whining is only effective in 5 year intervals

Swapping lower link arms back and forth does not sound like fun to me And modifying the plow, while attractive, kills the value of it - where I might be better finding a buyer and then getting a 2 bottom for me... plus - modified plows usually pull like, well, modified plows... just been my experience.

The quick-hitch option isn't a half bad idea (I knew there were lemonade from lemon people here) - off to TSC today at noon to take a peek at their hitch setup since the top link on that one is adjustable and the bins of cat 1 and cat 2 pins and bushings are an arms length away from the hitch

Also have some nibbles from local CL - so maybe I'll get lucky there too...

Like most everything in life that should be simple... stay tuned

 

[schmism]

you might also consider fabing up something like a pat's quick hitch except not so quick hitch.

ie a piece of 2x4 box steel about 8" long. at the tractor end is a hole for CAT 1 pin to 3pt arms. (slip over arm ends) the other end has hole for cat 2 pins on plow.

could be built with a 16" long piece of 2x4 box steel anything to cut it in half from a hand held hack saw to recpt saw, to 14" cuttoff saw etc. and a hand held drill and 2 hole saws of the right diam.

 

[Dead Horse]

Don't feel too bad. the only thing worse than putting a cat II impliment on a cat I tractor is putting a cat I impliment on a cat II tractor. 'Specially PTO powered attachments...... Big ole tractor turn them into a pretzel!

I bought a used cat I chipper that had a nearly 90 degree twist in the spline shaft. the fool ran it off the back of a 100 hp tractor. He is lucky...............VERY LUCKY. Yeah, I replaced the shaft, and the belts were junk too.