Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,261  
The bushings I used on that trailerball drawbar are standard Cat 1 to Cat 2 bushings, so the qhitch hooks must be Cat 2, while the overall side to side width of the HF qhitch is Cat 1. Well for various values of Cat 1. I have an early HF qhitch and I think the present ones are a quarter inch wider.

Yes, I recall seeing a HF Cat 2 qhitch in the catalog a while back. I hadn't noticed if it disappeared.
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,262  
The bushings I used on that trailerball drawbar are standard Cat 1 to Cat 2 bushings, so the qhitch hooks must be Cat 2, while the overall side to side width of the HF qhitch is Cat 1. Well for various values of Cat 1. I have an early HF qhitch and I think the present ones are a quarter inch wider.

Yes, I recall seeing a HF Cat 2 qhitch in the catalog a while back. I hadn't noticed if it disappeared.

Ok, thanks. I've seen good prices, on the bushings, on eBay but some go Cat 1 to Cat 2 and some are Cat 1 to Cat 3 and think I saw Cat 2 to Cat 3.

I looked at the Cat 2 hitch 3-4 years ago and then it was gone.
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,263  
MY HF quick hitch has Cat 3 hooks.

Bruce
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,265  
MY HF quick hitch has Cat 3 hooks.

Bruce

Ditto.

Just want to make sure we're all talking about the same thing here: the lower hooks down at the lower link arms that receive the implement's link pins. They are Cat 3 (1-7/16"+) on all the HF Cat 1 QHs now being sold. That's good, because it allows them to receive the dedicated QH adapter bushings that Northern Tool, AgriSuplly, TSC, Quality Farm Supply, et. al. sell: https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200479426_200479426

Older HF Cat 1 QHs used to come with Cat 2 lower hooks, and can't be used with those adapter bushings. My first HF Cat 1 QH, which is probably 15 years old and still going strong, is that way. I just bush the pins on the implements I use most with that tractor up to Cat 2 with 1" I.D. galvanized iron pipe cut to length, with large flat washers on the hitch-pin end. That way they can still be used with the newer QHs on my other tractors as necessary, with only a bit more slop. My newest HF QHs, bought within the last five years, have Cat 3 lower hooks.

Regarding Cat 2 QHs, I, too, seem to remember HF selling them years ago. Northern Tool and others still sell them for about $170 and up. https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200660649_200660649
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,266  
Ditto.

Just want to make sure we're all talking about the same thing here: the lower hooks down at the lower link arms that receive the implement's link pins. They are Cat 3 (1-7/16"+) on all the HF Cat 1 QHs now being sold. That's good, because it allows them to receive the dedicated QH adapter bushings that Northern Tool, AgriSuplly, TSC, Quality Farm Supply, et. al. sell: https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200479426_200479426

Older HF Cat 1 QHs used to come with Cat 2 lower hooks, and can't be used with those adapter bushings. My first HF Cat 1 QH, which is probably 15 years old and still going strong, is that way. I just bush the pins on the implements I use most with that tractor up to Cat 2 with 1" I.D. galvanized iron pipe cut to length, with large flat washers on the hitch-pin end. That way they can still be used with the newer QHs on my other tractors as necessary, with only a bit more slop. My newest HF QHs, bought within the last five years, have Cat 3 lower hooks.

Regarding Cat 2 QHs, I, too, seem to remember HF selling them years ago. Northern Tool and others still sell them for about $170 and up. https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200660649_200660649

Thanks for the clarification Threepoint.
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,269  
want to make sure we're all talking about the same thing: the lower hooks down at the lower link arms that receive the implement's link pins. They are Cat 3 (1-7/16"+) on all the HF Cat 1 QHs now being sold. That ... allows them to receive the dedicated QH adapter bushings that Northern Tool, AgriSuplly, TSC, Quality Farm Supply, et. al. sell: https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200479426_200479426

Older HF Cat 1 QHs used to come with Cat 2 lower hooks, and can't be used with those adapter bushings. My first HF Cat 1 QH, which is probably 15 years old and still going strong, is that way. ... My newest HF QHs, bought within the last five years, have Cat 3 lower hooks.
Interesting, thanks, I learned something new.

After the rollpins are driven in, the implement can't be swapped onto a different tractor that has original Cat 1 arms or an early HF qhitch. Seems to me this adds complexity, to no advantage.

Photo copied from a Northern Tool customer review:
59b80f97-7385-5502-9837-aac3d24b6338
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,270  
Interesting, thanks, I learned something new.

After the rollpins are driven in, the implement can't be swapped onto a different tractor that has original Cat 1 arms or an early HF qhitch. Seems to me this adds complexity, to no advantage.

Photo copied from a Northern Tool customer review:
59b80f97-7385-5502-9837-aac3d24b6338

You can drive the roll pins out with a properly sized drift punch. I did this after buying a Speeco Cat 2 hitch for my New Holland then taking it back several years ago.

IMG_0254.jpg
 

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