Quick hitch and extendable links?

[RollTideRam]

I am almost sure of what my next tractor will be. I will be getting new implements as well. Would it be wise to get extendable links and a quick hitch or save some money and get regular links?

On my 3320 I used Pats because I had mix matched equipment. I really like Pats with a hydraulic top link, but with a cab tractor I think a quick hitch would be better.

 

[Redlands Okie]

So will you have equipment this time that fits the tractor your getting ?

Personally I am a big fan of quick hitches. Swapping out attachments several times a day is not a issue with quick hitches. Keep in mind that attachments that are a bit out of measurement can often be modified pretty easily so their all the same. Well worth it if your keeping them a long time and use them pretty often.

 

[WranglerX]

Love my QH... Wish industry was a little more proactive in adopting the standard.... My solution is if it does not fit the the QH, modify it till it does...

Dale

 

[ericm979]

With extendable links and telescoping stabilizers I don't feel a need for a quick hitch. Top and tilt make hooking up even easier.

Many implements don't work with a quick hitch. Do a search. The QH also extends the implement about 4". That means a bit less manuverability and less clearance under the implement when you go down a ramp. Not a concern for most but it is for me as my barn has a ramp at the door that my chipper barely clears with the top cylinder retracted.

 

[Roadworthy]

I used Pat's and kept the turnbuckle adjustments for the links - I'm cheap. I do appreciate the width flexibility and lack of need to modify implements. I did need a longer top link and I had to build one new driveshaft but overall I'll stick with Pat's.

 

[Fallon]

I'm in the QH camp. With TnT I often dont have to get off the machine to hitch or unhitch. The QH also supports the heavier top cylinder so it's never flopping around. I have had to modify several, mostly older, impliments to make the top hook fit correctly.

 

[TractorNH]

Quick Hitch with hydraulic top link is the quickest and easiest way to hook up an implement.

 

[RollTideRam]

I guess I will reword my question. I am getting a quick hitch, is it worth to order the extendable links if you are using a quick hitch?

 

[atsah]

When I had a tractor with extendable links I saw no reason to buy a QH.. I did not change implements several times a day though and I don't think many people here do.. With extendable links I had no problems hooking things up, it was the driveshafts that were the PITA..

 

[Fallon]

I guess I will reword my question. I am getting a quick hitch, is it worth to order the extendable links if you are using a quick hitch?

No.

I've hitched hundreds of times & used the extendable links on my L4060 once... when wrestling the QH on. Was kind of convenient that one time, but otherwise useless. I wish I had them a couple times on my L3200. Then I got a QH a week or 2 later & TnT within 8 months to a year.

If you setup your impliments right or get them right you never need to ever take the QH off. If you do need to take it on & off much at all your better off with extendable links or Pat's. I'm guessing a 3pt or subframe backhoe might put you in that boat.

Getting a long top hook or welding a 1.5" extension on the back of the stock QH top hook makes marginal impliments hitch up easy.

 

[countrybumpkin]

How much is the option? I have both but the tractor came standard with the extendable links. Obviously there not used with my quick hitch, but if I ever removed it for some reason I like having them just in case.

 

[RollTideRam]

I did not get a line item estimate, I wish I had. I may end up getting them just to be on the safe side. He just figured the tractor with all the options I wanted and the only price I asked about was the radio and it was $300. Just thinking about some of the options I could do without to help pay for a top and tilt.

 

[Imold]

What I like about the QH is that once you get it put on and the 2 turnbuckles tightened up the QH is pretty solid and does not shift a lot side to side, I also got all three of my implements adjusted to fit with the lower pin bushings but I needed to use a extension on top instead of the hook for my 2 Walco implements so I left the hook off.

I tried to just use the lower arms without a QH but I had to redo the turnbuckles when I switch implements being one was wider then the other and it took time to tighten them up so the implement did not move side to side to much, with the QH i do not have to worry about this because the lower pin bushings made up the difference.
This is the one I had to modify because the lower pins were to close together, works fine with the QH now.



Jim.

 

[countrybumpkin]

I’d get the extendable arms and forgo the radio, but that’s just me. I’d install a nice aftermarket radio myself.

 

[Zebrafive]

You do not need both, but if you have an implement that you can not use with the QH, adjustable lower links are well worth having.

 

[k0ua]

The PHD (Post Hole Digger) is one implement you will not be able to use with your Quick Hitch. You will need to remove it, so then the extendable lower links might be pretty handy. Post Hole Diggers are reputably a PITA to hook up anyway, unless parked just so to make re-hitching easy. Even then some complain about them. If you don't have or don't contemplate getting one, then the Extendable lower links or even the telescoping stabilizers don't have much purpose. I use them all the time, but then I don't have a quick hitch and nothing I have is QH compatible anyway. I also don't have TNT, though I have contemplated getting that several times. But I guess if I have lived without it this long.. Fixed lower links and turnbuckles are in themselves a big PITA but that all goes away with the QH.

 

[Fallon]

The PHD (Post Hole Digger) is one implement you will not be able to use with your Quick Hitch. You will need to remove it, so then the extendable lower links might be pretty handy. Post Hole Diggers are reputably a PITA to hook up anyway, unless parked just so to make re-hitching easy. Even then some complain about them. If you don't have or don't contemplate getting one, then the Extendable lower links or even the telescoping stabilizers don't have much purpose. I use them all the time, but then I don't have a quick hitch and nothing I have is QH compatible anyway. I also don't have TNT, though I have contemplated getting that several times. But I guess if I have lived without it this long.. Fixed lower links and turnbuckles are in themselves a big PITA but that all goes away with the QH.

I rebuilt my 3pt PHD to work on a QH. You need a hydraulic toplink for that though. I liked mine, but sold it with the old tractor. Replaced it with a hydraulic SSQA PHD on the new machine.

The cabbed machines are wired for a radio & have speakers & antenna no matter what. It's just a $9-30 adapter to plug any single DIN car stereo in.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Top and tilt on the 3 point is a great thing to have. Makes hooking up attachments much easier. Makes using them easier also usually. With the quick hitch your now getting into a really nice setup. Hard to do any better. Save the money on the extendable links.

 

[dennis103]

I guess I will reword my question. I am getting a quick hitch, is it worth to order the extendable links if you are using a quick hitch?

I would get the telescoping end links on the tractor. I love my quick hitch but a couple of my attachments won't work with a quick hitch, for different reasons. My farm winch the lower pins are under the winch, so the top hook and bottom hook won't line up, I have a hydraulic pump and tank for my snowblower and the hydraulic hoses are too short with quick hitch and installing a 80 LB hydraulic pump on the rear PTO with the quick hitch right there is very difficult and last my rotor tiller needs a longer PTO to reach w/ quick hitch. Thats an easy fix but I don't use it often enough to justify a new PTO shaft. Sooo I really appreciate the extendable links when I do have to hook up the old fashioned way.