Quick Hitches Harbor Freight quick hitch (revisited)

[jpm1]

I have 2 of these quick hitches, both cat 1, one has cat 1 hooks and the last one i bought has cat 3 hooks at cat 1 spacing. It hasn't created a problem yet and don't expect it will. If it does i'll weld some metal to the back side of the hook to lessen the hooks gap. What the heck, it was reap cheap, it was painted nicely and it works so . . . don't worry about the small stuff . . .John

 

[allen in texas]

Unfortunately with tractor hitches, "standard" dimensions are hardly standard, with way too much variability between manufacturers due to the way the 3PH evolved over time. The width (at 26") finally settled, but the height between the lift arm pins and toplink pin can range quite a bit (~14.75 - ~16.75)

In any case, both mine and a neighbor's HF 3PH are 27.5" inside dimension, and accepts Cat 2 pins, as it should. I bought Cat 1 to Cat 2 bushings down at TSC for less than a dollar each for my implements.

If yours requires Cat 3 pins, you bought something weird.


HH

note that I said my brother in law bought a new harbor freight hitch that seems to be sized in the hooks for cat 3. the one I have is cat 2.

that ain't to say that I never bought anything weird before.

Bottom line, IMO, a cat 1 quick hitch should have hooks that accept cat 2 size lift pins.

 

[KennyG]

There are certainly Cat 1 quick hitches that have Cat 2 pin sizing on the lower hook. However, these are not strictly compliant with the ASAE quick hitch standard. Apparently the HF quick hitch is attempting to be compliant, they just seem to have trouble forging hooks with straight sides.

As can be seen in the links I posted above, the standard assumes that both Cat 1 and Cat 2 quick hitches will accept 1-7/16 Cat 3 lower pins. This is how John Deere builds the iMatch and, if you go looking at quick hitch adapters, you will find that most convert the 7/8 Cat I pins to 1-7/16, not 1-1/8. Of course, you can find all kinds of Cat 1 to Cat 2 adapters, but these are not really adapters that meet the ASAE standard for quick hitches.

 

[allen in texas]

Update...
My brother in law returned hitch, got another one with the exact same part number in an identical box and guess what, it has cat 2 (perfect fit btw) hooks.

go figure.

 

[Hilltop Hillbilly]

Update...
My brother in law returned hitch, got another one with the exact same part number in an identical box and guess what, it has cat 2 (perfect fit btw) hooks.

go figure.

That's what I would expect. Glad to hear you got it sorted out.

Sounds like somebody at the factory or at HF goofed up on that first one.


HH