Quick Hitches Quick hitch

[buck1]

I looked at the Speeco quick hitch as well as read specs on the one offered in the Northern Tools catalog. My problem in both cases is the lower link connectors are at about 26 inches apart whereas my implement pins are separated by 28 inches minimum. Turning the pins inside instead of outside is not an option because the supports that the pins are mounted on is angled and hides the pins. I don't want to cut into this angle because that loses strength. Any other options out there?

 

[beenthere]

Head for the local welding shop and ask them to modify the attachments to fit. That's what I am doing with mine to get the right location of the pins.

 

[MikePA]

Here's a <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/cgi-bin/compact/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=implement&Number=204718&page=&view=&sb=&o=&vc=1#Post204718>link</A> to a post that indicates the Speeco quick hitch does not adhere to Cat 1 specifications. So, short of returning it and buying one that does, the other suggestion is about all you can do.

 

[GlennT]

I've got a Land Pride quick hitch and I agree with BeenThere that the only thing you can do is have a blacksmith do some work on implements that won't fit. My crane and rear scoop required major surgery on the lower pins; my cultivator and box blade needed work on the upper connection. I use a short, heavy piece of chain for the upper linkage on my shredder, finish mower and chipper. This took some time (and expense) to get set up, but it was worth it to me because I no longer have back and shoulder pains after hooking up and using the implements. I still can't back up to an implement and hook up without getting off the tractor, but that's no big deal. You also probably want to consider making dollies for your implements so you can store them more compactly. Most people don't have the space to spread out their implements so they can just back up to each one and hook up. I have wondered how the extendable lower arms on a three-point hitch compare with a speed hitch. These weren't available when I purchased my tractor. Maybe they would be a better choice than a speed hitch.

 

[JRP]

From what I have read on TBN the speeco is close to Cat 1 quick hitch specs, but not quite. Seems like they wanted to use parts made for other implements instead of making the right parts. So far I would bet John Deere I-match quick hitch fits the spec most closely. Probably exactly. The Landpride has an adjustable top hook like the speeco. This is not good. A set up for a quick hitch should not require the hitch or implement to be adjusted. This turns it into a slow hitch.

The best thing we can do to help implement manufacturers understand is don't buy new implements that are not quick hitch compatible (tell the dealer this) and also, buy JD Imatch hitches until the other brands figure it out and make a hitch true to the spec.

Way to go John Deere! Keep up the good work. If someone would please buy my speeco hitch I'll buy what I should have, a JD I-match.

 

[em14]

Glenn,
Last week I decided that a 1800 lbs. mower could not be man handled by myself and it was taking for ever to hook up. My JD 5020 does not have the telescoping lower arms and I decided to check prices ... Went to my dealer and found out the telescoping arm would be $466.00 each .... the Cat ll I-Hitch was $ 425.00 ... I pick it up day after tomorrow ... I think that the telescoping arm is a great way to go but this was a used tractor and didn't have them ... (and may never have them at that price)

 

[kyoders]

What about impliment manufacturer's adherence to the standards? I've never really done any checking, but I've seen enough variation to think that perhaps not all impliments adhere as closely to them as they might. And are the specs complete enough to deal with every possible impliment that could be built? Having a standard is wonderful, but only if everybody plays nice. It's a step forward that JD is doing so with the I-Match, but I doubt that it's the magic bullet that will solve every problem. No matter how exactly it matches the standard, there will be impliments that won't work without modification.

Kevin

 

[jhburke]

As I have stated earlier I have the speedco hitch. I have given up on a low cost quick hitch. I just look at each implement and get as close as I can. I just get out the torch and welder and revamp to fit. I just traded tillers so that I could use the quick hitch on it. I had an older kubota and no way to adapt it to the speedco. None of my implements are a back up and hitch and go without leaving the seat. But they are very much easier to hitch up in the current configuration.

 

[JackIL]

Kevin,

You are right--it takes two to tango. The tractor quick-coupler has to meet standard and the implements have to meet the same quick-coupler standard. In fact the specifications for both are listed in the ASAE official standards.

Implements for the larger sizes of Category II and higher normally do adhere to the standards and thus easily mount on all tractors with a Cat XXX coupler. However, most manufacturers of Cat I implements have not bothered to follow the standards--they just got them approximately in the ball park which allows direct connection to Cat I tractors without a coupler. They got away with this since most Cat I tractor owners don't yet have a quick coupler.

The Deere I-Match coupler does adhere to the standards so it will work with any implement that also (or accidently) follows the standard. You will note that Deere simultaneously provided implements that followed the standard and advertizes them as "I-Match Compatible." Many of the Frontier branded implements sold by Deere and manufactured by Woods also follow the standard even though the counterpart implements sold as Woods brand do not necessarily follow the standard.

So the bottom line is: Just because you have an I-Match or other Quick-Coupler that follows the standard, you are not guaranteed that it will quick couple to any arbitrary 3 point implement you just might come across. It will couple to those implements that follow the Cat I standard for quick-couplers. As of now that includes Frontier and First Choice (Midwest) but very few others.

Jack

 

[Marko]

Folks ,

I do not know if this will help in the situation , however Worksaver makes a quick hitch that is adjustable model QH-101 for CAT 1. Top link only it appears and they do talk about the 3PH spec's and how some attachments do not work etc. I thought I would pass this along in case it helped. I have a Worksaver 3PH Carryall and it is well made.

http://worksaver.com

Mark

 

[JRP]

Kevin,

Jack said it. To work well both implement and hitch must meet the quick hitch standard. The quick hitch standard is not the same as the cat 1 3pt standard. The hitch standard would have to be much more constrained.

The bottom line is that if I have to modify my implements I might as well make them fit the standard, not just sort of close. Problem is that I think the standard costs about $60 to buy.

 

[JRP]

Kevin,

Jack said it. To work well both implement and hitch must meet the quick hitch standard. The quick hitch standard is not the same as the cat 1 3pt standard. The hitch standard would have to be much more constrained.

The bottom line is that if I have to modify my implements I might as well make them fit the standard, not just sort of close. Problem is that I think the standard costs about $60 to buy.

 

[gerard]

<font color=blue>A set up for a quick hitch should not require the hitch or implement to be adjusted. This turns it into a slow hitch. </font color=blue>

While I agree it would be nice if an adjustable top hook wasn't necessary, there's too much variation in implements to NOT have one. Not a perfect system but I wouldn't be without one. Makes heavy implements MUCH easier to hook up though I don't understand the width problem - all my implements hook up ok widthwise although I did have to put the post hole pins to the inside. I though 26 inches was kind of the cat 1 standard.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

That's a good point about the top hitch. I wonder if the Midwest/First Choice quick hitch has one that's moveable or not. I know some people here saw a prototype at Louisville but don't recall if they indicated it had one or not. Perhaps either Jim Mc or Inspector 507 can shed some light for us.

 

[Inspector507]

Gary,
Probably just like the Midwest "Quick Hitch". We are still waiting to see it hit the streets. The last I heard from JimMc on the hitch was, patenting and so forth was delaying it getting on the market. So I imagine the hydraulic top link is probably the same story.

Jerry

 

[JRP]

Yes Gerald, some use an adjustable top hook. The Cat I standard has a 26" bottom pin spacing, pin sizes for top link, but no spacing between bottom and top is adheared to, The Cat I Quick Hitch standard (more constrained than Cat I standard) specifies I think 15 (or 14 7/8" ??) as the vertical spacing from bottom pint to top pin.

It turns out most implements need the top pin connection lowered. Also, a top link is usually dropped in from the top, while the hitch hook comes in from the bottom. Many older implements have parts below the top pin hole that hits the hook before the hook can engage.

The Cat I quick hitch standard must have addressed the hook size, clearance, approach angles, etc.

The bottom line is unless you buy all new green or "meets Cat I quick hitch standard" you may neeed some torch and welder time. So far, the time I have spent has been wort it.

I set my speeco top hook to the 15" position and will probably weld it there.

 

[JimMc]

The Midwest quick hitch does indeed exactly conform to the Cat 1 implement standard as does all of the equipment we manufacture. However, we chose not to use the Cat 1 quick hitch standard for our quick hitch. The reason is simple. The Cat 1 quick hitch standard requires the use of bushings on the lift pins. We thought that idea provided few, if any, benefits, and the big drawback was you had 3 choices (none of them good in my opinion) to use a quick hitch built to the quick hitch standard.

1. Buy bushings for every piece of equipment you own. This would allow you to use your quick hitch with a good pin fit and still allow you to remove the bushings if you wanted to loan it out to someone without a quick hitch.


2. Buy new, larger diameter lift pins which fit the quick hitch standard. Now you can use your hitch with good pin fit, but must change out the pins to loan out.

3. Leave the bushings off and let the implement rattle around in the hitch. Not good for precise position control, but now you can loan out your equipment and it is less expensive.

In the end, I felt it much simpler to make our quick hitch fit the implement standard rather than the quick hitch standard. No bushings, no hassle, no extra expense, it just fits. If (actually the only benefit I have come up with for bushings is reduced wear) you wear the pin out from use, Cat 1 pins are less than $1.50 each.

I also decided that since all our implements meet the standard that an adjustable top link was not necessary. The comment that an adjustable height top link turns a quick hitch into a slow hitch is correct. Since folks who have equipment which does not meet the standard will be modifying their equipment any way, why add extra expense to the hitch. Just change the top link while you are at it.

 

[Inspector507]

JimMc,
Will it be available soon?

Jerry

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Yeah, what Jerry asked... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Seriously, thanks for the complete and infomative reply. As always, a great learning experience for me. Thanks!

 

[GlennT]

$466 per telescoping lower arm!! That's mind-boggling. I had no idea they were that expensive!! I paid $325 for my Land Pride quick hitch and I thought that was over priced. I would have purchased a SpeedCo from Northern Tool for $200, but I couldn't get at one so that I could measure the distance between the hooks. I was able to buy the Land Pride locally so I knew what I was getting.

Regarding an adjustable upper hook on a speed hitch. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's not intended to be adjustable for each implement an owner might have. In my case, for example, I measured the height of the upper connection from the level of the lower pins on each of my implements and then I set the upper hook at the position that was appropriate for most implements. This turned out to be 18 inches for me, but I'm sure it would be other heights for other people. My friend the local blacksmith (he calls me by my first name and smiles when I come through the door) modified the implements that didn't meet this standard. I suppose the upper hook could be more easily adjusted if hitch pins were used instead of bolts, but I suspect things would rattle around quite a bit.

$466 for a telescoping arm!! Wow!!