Quick hitch top hook clearance issues

[Fallon]

Finally got my quick hitch yesterday (Ended up getting the NorTrack from Northern Tool) & I'm having some issues. My Land Pride blade & King Kutter box blade are both advertised as being quick hitch compatible (Land Pride even has a quick hitch sticker just below the top pin), but won't quite hook up on the top, bottom attaches fine with the bushings installed. The top hook doesn't seem to stick out far enough. The bolts that attach the hook to the rest of the frame jam up against the vertical braces on the implements. Somebody elsewhere on here mentioned swapping the bolts for some pins, which gives me a tiny bit of extra room without the bolt head or nut in the way (and adjustment convenience).

I attached a photo of the box blade, where you can see the pin on the implement not going all the way down & the implement frame is pushing on the pins that hold the hook to the rest of the quick hitch. The Land Pride blade does the same thing & the top of the hook & the back of the mounting post leans over the top of the pin & the hook runs into the underside.


What's going to be the best fix? Welding a bar onto the back of the hook & moving the 2 holes backwards (like in this thread)? Or would it be a good idea to grind out the inside on the back of the hook directly where the pin is currently resting in the attached picture?

I've seen a photo or 2 with only 1 bolt holding the hook to the hitch. Is that going to be beefy enough? Would that even let the hook properly grab the pin on the implements?

 

[bcp]

On my HF hitch, I had to rivet the hook in place so it would reach into my implements. I used 1/2 inch mild steel rod about 1/16 inch longer then the width, then pounded each end until it would not slide out. The hook was then non-adjustable, so I made an adapter for my out-of-height-spec implements. Adapter

Someone else (on TBN?) welded a one inch +- square bar with holes on the front of the hook to move it back. (your link may be the one, but the picture I remember was different.)

Bruce

 

[Wagtail]

On my JD iMatch QH the hook is ridgid mounted and sticks out a lot more than what's shown in your picture.

My 655 tiller and the ballast box hook straight up but my 1200 slasher has a top pin 'extender' that allows the hook to snag it.

I've got a seed/fertiliser hopper and a 3PH ballast roller on order... we'll have to see if they 'line up' when they get here. :hammer:

 

[davethegundoctor]

Well if you had gotten a Land Pride QH it would work just fine. You now know why these off brand sell for less!!! The best is none to good.

David Pidgeon
New Haven, Vermont

 

[jenkinsph]

I use the IMatch with the top hook welded in place works great. Took the better part of a day to convert all my implements to the quick hitch about four years ago, been happy with them ever since. When I buy or build a new implement I make sure it meets the quick hitch specs. I don't see a need for an adjustable top hook because if I have to get off and adjust it up or down then it isn't quick anymore.

Looking at your picture I would either add steel to allow it to be extended outwards if you wan't to be able to keep the adjustable pins or position it to fit and weld in place. The height for quick hitch implements is 15" height instead of the 18" for a standard implement. There have been several threads over the past few years with members having the same issue you are experiencing.

 

[Fallon]

Ya, for several hundred bucks I figured I could do some grinding or welding on a cheap one & still come out ahead.

 

[Guesseral]

There was a really good thread on the HF QH top hook extension, where the user welded a solid extension to his hook and drilled new holes because it was too short to connect to the implements. For the life of me I can't find that thread, there was a really good picture of the one that he welded and it just looked like such an east fix well if you can weld that is. Does anyone else know where that thread is?

 

[bcp]

Found it:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/252974-quick-hitch-problems.html#post2944942

Bruce

 

[Fallon]

I'd gone through 3 pages of searches on quick hitches & hadn't found that one, thanks. That's one of the 2 general ideas I'd seen, that's by far the best photos though.

 

[Guesseral]

Found it:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/252974-quick-hitch-problems.html#post2944942

Bruce

Oh yea that is it! How did you fine that looked for quite a while.

That is what I want to do also but I just haven't gotten around to it but winter is coming and things will slow down greatly at that point. The only thing is if I work with the QH this winter I will have to bring in implements one at a time to adapt or make QH compatible I have several older units and also some new ones too.