Harbor Freight quick hitch

RalphVa · Jan 19, 2021

Picked it up this morning. First trip here to HF. Had been to the one over the mountain a couple times.

Found bottom to top link dimensions on the WC46: 13 and 15 inches. Can check position of top hook on the QH.

One some implements in the past, I've had to set the top link at a different length. I'd think this is a problem in connecting to some of them. Probably only the bush hog whose top link has to be set to have the movable gizmo on the top in the mid point of its run.

Ralph

Tinhack · Jan 19, 2021

My rotary cutter and flail mower were like that, I had to change the length of the top link from one to the other. Mostly because of the way the flail mower sat on the ground. But I'm fixing that during my makeover of my primary tractor. I added "top-n-tilt" and a third set of ports for my grader blade (swivel). With a top link cylinder, that hassle will be over.

By "gizmo", do you mean a flexible link? I added the link that looks like a cowboy spur since my rotary cutter didn't have one. It allows the top link to flex if the rear of the cutter goes over a rise. It helps the flail too since I run the rear roller on the ground.

RalphVa · Jan 19, 2021

Tinhack said:
My rotary cutter and flail mower were like that, I had to change the length of the top link from one to the other. Mostly because of the way the flail mower sat on the ground. But I'm fixing that during my makeover of my primary tractor. I added "top-n-tilt" and a third set of ports for my grader blade (swivel). With a top link cylinder, that hassle will be over.

By "gizmo", do you mean a flexible link? I added the link that looks like a cowboy spur since my rotary cutter didn't have one. It allows the top link to flex if the rear of the cutter goes over a rise. It helps the flail too since I run the rear roller on the ground.

There's a sliding thing, about 4 inches or so slide, on the top link for both the Frontier and JD LX-4 bush hogs. Forgotten what it is called.

Ralph

RalphVa · Jan 19, 2021

Got the HF QH. Had to adjust the top hook to it lowest position to get close to the 15" the WC46's top link is. All my other implements' top links are about 17" up.

Think I'm gonna get this thing: Amazon.com: Hildirix Versatile Quick Hitch Adapter Inside Width 2-13/16?Used to Adjust Top Link Bracket Movements for Category 1 Quick Hitch: Home Improvement It's a hitch adaptor. This one is $46. There's a Speeco one for only $29, but it is out of stock and has no adjustment. The $46 one has 2 holes where it affixes to the QH. With this, I'll have to get off each time to attach the top link, but I'd probably have to get off to adjust the length of the top link anyway.

Don't relish having to move that top hook with its 2 bolts. Think it's gonna be too high for the WC46 at its lowest position, too. We'll see when the WC46 gets here, supposedly tomorrow.

Just thought of another option. Wish I'd thought of it before ordering the adapter. Could use a top hitch pin instead of those 2 bolts on that top hook. May try it tomorrow on the WC46. Could send the adapter back; I guess. Probably not worth the shipping.

Ralph

lostcause · Jan 19, 2021

not sure how tall the top hook is on yours, but you don't need or want the top pin bearing in the bottom of the hook since your bottom pins are designed to do the heavy lifting. you only need enough of the pin in the hook to hold tension. I suspect you wouldn't have an extra 2" of vertical height to use all of your stuff at one setting though. many years and a different tractor prior to having a quick hitch I made a 3ph drawbar for trailer moving. I used some random angle scraps for the vertical legs and ended up with a hole at about 15-3/4" above the bottom pin. when I made my ballast I made it to about 15-1/2" just to make sure it wasn't bearing. there's a post on here about quick hitches and someone shared a standard sheet showing that it is supposed to be 15" top to bottom pin for cat 1 & 2. seems like it's not a regularly followed standard though. I'm going to work this spring to make sure all of my attachments will work to the 15" spacing.

Tinhack · Jan 19, 2021

RalphVa said:
Got the HF QH. Had to adjust the top hook to it lowest position to get close to the 15" the WC46's top link is. All my other implements' top links are about 17" up.

Think I'm gonna get this thing: Amazon.com: Hildirix Versatile Quick Hitch Adapter Inside Width 2-13/16?Used to Adjust Top Link Bracket Movements for Category 1 Quick Hitch: Home Improvement It's a hitch adaptor.
Ralph

That's the one I was talking about. I got mine from HF but had to order it. I seem to remember it being in the $20 range. That was about 12 years ago.

I modified mine. I cut off the two extra holes on the yoke side. Then used that end on the top link. I mounted the "spur" end to the QH. I made spacers out of PVC pipe to center it on the pin. It worked for years that way. It's always shown on the implement side which seems silly to me. I was able to back up to my implements and go. The only time I had to get off the seat was to connect the PTO on the rotary mower.

Tinhack · Jan 19, 2021

lostcause said:
I'm going to work this spring to make sure all of my attachments will work to the 15" spacing.

Ditto on this. Make all your attachment fit the QH. I only had to change one but mine are old. Seems like the old ones are more "standard" than the new implements.

By the way, that ANSI standard someone posted a while back is all wrong. It doesn't match up to any of my tools.

lennyzx11 · Jan 19, 2021

I skipped ahead but a few things come to mind that I learned.

On my old 47 ford 9n, I put an overrunning clutch on the PTO shaft and it made the difference up perfectly for the HF quick hitch setback.
My Kubota with HST doesn’t need an overrunning clutch though.

One of the best mods I did was weld a piece of receiver extension tube(also from harbor freight inside the quick hitch under the horizontal piece.
Not center. That could get in contact with the PTO shaft on a hill or ditch. And not too close to the vertical piece. So you can get the pin and safety clip in the standard spacing hole(s).
Lets me throw a receiver hitch, vise, winch, Pintle hitch, or drawbar hole hitch on as needs dictate.

I use quick release pins instead of bolts for the hook.

I extended my hook also.

The top hook adaptor (stirrup looking thing) from harbor freight was cheapest (25 bucks)but had to order it and has worked fine for 5 years now. It came quick from California though. Within a week.
Seems like I even used a coupon code for 20% off back then.