Quick Hitches Quick hitch

[gerard]

I also have a landpride quick hitch purchased form Carvers and I know it was a lot less thaan $325 even with shipping. Closer to $200 if memory serves......... My adjustable top link hook adjusts with two small pins with cotter clips through them so it adjusts really easily. No tools, pull two pins, move up/down, replace pins, and put back cotters. (Not actually cotter pins but I don't know what they're called - maybe spring pins??) I also can leave it in the same poisition for everything but the box blade. For that I drop it down because I use the bolt holding the two angles together as the top link attachment point. The Landpride also comes with two pieces of flat stock with two holes drilled in each end. If you're implement has metal in the way so the quickhitch hook can't fit, you use the two plates and it "extends" the top link pins so you don't have to modify any implements. (Should have taken some pics, would have been a lot clearer)

 

[GlennT]

Gerard - Thanks for the post. When I purchased my Land Pride hitch a number of years ago it didn't come with an owner's manual and there were no options available. After reading your post I pulled up the Land Pride home page and was able to download an operator's manual and a part list. The adjustable upper hook is shown in two drawings; one attached by bolts and the other by pins and hair-pin cotter pins. I suspect that the pins and cotter pins are now standard. The parts list also shows the "floating top link assembly" you describe. I might look into this; however, I'm now using two short heavy pieces of chain with a clevis and I have it attached to the quick hitch at the same place as the company's assembly is attached and this works well with my shredder, finish mower and chipper. I don't see where I'd gain anything by using the company's product. However, thanks again for the info; I want to read the operator's manual to see if I can improve on anything.

By the way, when I purchased my quick hitch I had a choice of one with a fixed upper hook (welded on) for $300 and the one with the adjustable hook for $325. I called several dealers and that was the going price at that time. It's nice to know the price has come down to be more competitive.

 

[gerard]

Hey if it's not broken I wouldn't fix it either and I wouldn't buy the floating kit either, just have one made. It's just 2 identical pieces of 1/4 inch plate, about 2 inches x 6 inches with two holes drilled in them large enough for a hitch pin to go through. One side goes on the hook and the other goes through the implement and, as you said, you get a floating linkage. Only benefit to the plate vs chain setup is it seems the chain will alow things to "ride up" if you go in reverse. That's reduced a little with the solid plate connection.

 

[JRP]

I bought a Speeco after I finished building my 3pt forks and now they don't fit. Here is my easy quich hitch connection soultion:

I wanted a simple hitch connection for Cat 1 quick hitch, so drew the Speeco on ACAD, then started on the connection. See attachment. Flat 1/4" stock could be used for light implements. The solution uses only two pieces of 3 1/2 x 3/8 flat bar that each have three bends. The bends add strength.

The top gets a 3/4" bolt with a Cat1 - Cat 2 top bushing, plus a Cat2 - cat3 top bushing. Lower ends each get a Cat 1 lower pin, plus a Cat1-cat2 and a cat2-cat3 lower bushing. A small weld blob holds the lower bushings in place. Lots of bushings, but less expensive and easier to find than the Speeco bushing kit.

Note the 45 degree bends guide the Speeco hooks to the correct side-to-side position. I think you could be off as much as 2" to the side when backing up and the angles will move the implement and get the hitch connected easy. This is a "design for assembly" concept from manufacturing engineering.

The top link connection also gets a 3/4" hole at 18" spacing so it can be used with a standard 3pt hookup if the lower bushings are removed.

I have a set of these being bent at a machine shop. If they work well I'll post pictures of the finished assembly.

Adapting my implements to the Speeco take time, but it is rewarding when I can change implements in only a minute.

Wish I could compare these to the actual ASAE standard, but ASAE has a monopoly and have priced the standard out of my budget.

 

[em14]

What's the shop charging you for the bending? .. and are they going to drill the holes in the pieces?

 

[GlennT]

I should have mentioned that I've discovered one advantage with using a chain over the company's flexible top connector. If I'm going to drive down into a ditch and I don't want an implement to drag when I go up the other side, I can snug up the chain connector and the back of the implement will be as high off the ground as it possible. I do have to be careful, though, so that I don't do bad things to the PTO shaft.

 

[JRP]

I don't have a clue yet on the price. The sho is very reasonable. I drop of the drawing and find out the price when it is finished. $35 per hour. The cost would be much lower if a shop with a brake would bend the pieces. With a digital back stop they could bend about 100 in an hour.

I'll drill the holes with my drill press and the $18 set of silver and Deming drill bits (9/16 - 1") from Harbor freight. Great buy.

If I have a bunch made I will build a simple drill fixture to eliminate layout time.

I would post a dimensioned drawing for you if I could figure out how to export ACAD to JPEG.

 

[em14]

Thanks ... I can handle .DWG
Leo

 

[HayDR]

DWG- em14

Only an engineer would have a .DWG AUTOCAD program..LOL

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: DWG- em14

And if he exports the drawing as DXF, just about any graphics or CAD program can read it.

 

[em14]

Re: DWG- em14

You are correct about that ....

 

[JRP]

Well, I tried a DXF but TBN booted it out. Must be a graphics picture type file.

If you want one email me. I'll try to reply with it.

 

[JRP]

I picked up the pieces yesterday. I had them build four pieces or two sets. The set up time is the same and each additional set takes only six bends or a few minutes more time.

The total for 3/8" x 3 1/2" material and for bending was $51, or about $25 per set. Labor for all was $35 or one hour. It is a good shop.

I will drill the holes. Harbor freight has a 9/16" - 1" silver and deming drill set for $18. I got one for use with my drill press and they look great.

 

[gerard]

Sounds like you have a great idea going, I assume you're going to replace the existing "arms" of your implements with the ones you just had bent? Most of my implements have a third "arm" that extends to the top of the A frame. (The piece that is in the way of the top hook of the quick hitch). Do you plan on cutting this out with a torch and re welding in some way that it doesn't interfere with the quick hitch hook?

 

[JRP]

Not sure. I made these to add to a boom pole and a big 3pt forks attachment. I think I will be able to drill them, mount the pins, tack on a spacer to keep the lower pin spacing correct, then weld the assembly to the implement.

I also have a 700 pound cast iron elevator? weight that I want to make into a rear counterweight.

There has been a lot of discussion about counter weight vs loaded tires for FEL. I had a brain fart: A rear counter weight actually reduces the load on the front axle because the rear tires act as a fulcrum. The results in less weight/wear on the front axle. Loaded tires adds weight to the rear, but the weght being carried by the front axle is same as if tires were not loaded. More wear on front axle.

This is important to me because one failure that I am aware of on a Kubota M6800 involved too much weight on front due to loader operation. It should be 60% rear, 40% front.