Skid Steer 3pt Quick-Hitch

[rScotty]

Back when we bought the M59, the dealer threw in one of these SSQA 3pt adapters for the FEL.
I don't think either one of us knew of a use for it, but it looked well built & interesting.

Over the years I've tried it with various reversible back blades to push and pull light snow....not very successfully either way.
I've also tried it with a springtooth harrow and a landscape rake - both of those have rubber gauge wheels and I figured that the gauge wheels would help....but they didn't.

Just this evening I had an idea that might actually make this thing work as a front mounted 3pt.
But before starting another project, I thought I'd first ask if anyone else out there has one of these adapters and has found a way to make it useful.
Anyone?
rScotty

 

[LHF2019]

How lucky that they just gave it to you. I would find it very handy. Not for using as such but moving stuff around the farm and getting equipment parked tighter in the shed Etc.

 

[mikester]

I made one to run a snowblower from my loader. It worked but it pushed the implement so far forward it became less effective for getting around obstacles. It worked well for cutting down tall snow drifts when the plows were pushing the piles over 6 feet high at the road easements.

I found a hydraulic top link more effective and I think a top-n-tilt kit would be more useful for me.

I haven't used my adapter in 10 years. I considered modifying it so I could try using my forks on the backhoe as a kind of telehandler for loading stuff into customer trailers. The BH has limited lift capacity so I haven't pursued this further.

 

[rScotty]

How lucky that they just gave it to you. I would find it very handy. Not for using as such but moving stuff around the farm and getting equipment parked tighter in the shed Etc.

Well.....not "they just gave it to me." It was part of the tractor buying negotiation at the dealer. Also included were shop manuals, tractor options, extended warranty, 50 & 200 hr service costs, trailering, financing, cash, and attachments. We batted things around until a deal was struck.
The bargaining is at least half the fun of buying a tractor.

We both thought that FEL 3pt adapter would be far more useful than it's been. It turns out that the FEL loader arms & adapter put the implement too far forward to control.

I'm hoping someone else has one or an idea. It's too clever of an attachment not to have a use.
I have used it as you suggest to move things around in "implement row"; it does that nicely.
The tow ball receiver in the middle has also been useful.
rScotty

 

[TMGT]

I need one to use the landscape rake to pull things out when I'm doing cleanups and have the backhoe on.
Also, I could see it being handy to move implements around and load/unload them on the trailer, especially awkward one that are hard to pickup with forks.

 

[Kessler Farms]

I have one that is mainly used on the CTL for a woven wire fence unroller/stretcher. It is much easier to stretch wire and position closer to the posts with the skid steer versus being on the back of a tractor.

 

[CoyPatton]

Hey rScorty,
I do not own such a plate, but have a buddy that jumped on one in a package deal thinking it would a great addition. I have used his with a landscape rake. It for me was overall a disappointment. What I found worked best was to have the rake in a “forward” position in the 3PH behind the tractor usage mounted on the plate and to drive backward. It worked ok as a multi process approach. I was clean leaves and small limbs from a small creek bed. I was able to put the fel in float and pull the debris up and out of the creek. I was able to create a line of debris up away from the creek and do most of the cleanup of this line with the bucket. My friend said it was the most useful usage he had seen for the plate other than moving implements for storage, although unless it tight quarters, forks work well for me.
The benefit I saw with the fel mounted rake was keeping the tractor out of the creek as the additional reach of the 3ph frame and fel meant only the front tires needed to get close to the creek.

 

[vacman]

I bought one of those for a specific use. I built a garage a few years ago and there is a fairly steep drop off to the grade on the back and west side. I needed a way to grade this but it’s too steep to go at it from the top so I used this device with my box blade so I could go at it from the downhill side. I would drive up and set the box blade down and then pull the dirt backwards/downhill. It was slow going and it puts a bunch of weight way out front but it worked. I haven’t used it since so not sure what else you can do with it. Moving equipment around would probably be the best use for it but so far I haven’t needed it got that so it sits.

 

[ismilelots]

Back when we bought the M59, the dealer threw in one of these SSQA 3pt adapters for the FEL.
I don't think either one of us knew of a use for it, but it looked well built & interesting.

Over the years I've tried it with various reversible back blades to push and pull light snow....not very successfully either way.
I've also tried it with a springtooth harrow and a landscape rake - both of those have rubber gauge wheels and I figured that the gauge wheels would help....but they didn't.

Just this evening I had an idea that might actually make this thing work as a front mounted 3pt.
But before starting another project, I thought I'd first ask if anyone else out there has one of these adapters and has found a way to make it useful.
Anyone?
rScotty
View attachment 2410426View attachment 2410426View attachment 2410426

I have a similar thing. I mostly use it to move my 3pt stuff out of the way when mowing the field. Saves a lot of time.
I also put my field rake on it when cleaning out the goat pen. It's easier to maneuver on the front.

 

[Chanceywd]

I made one of my own only the reverse of that. It is a 3pt to quick attach I use on the back with my forks or the loader bucket. Doing my firewood I can load all my tools and saws in the bucket and have the grapple on front to pick up the logs to cut.
I also use the bucket with a long hydraulic top link and can drive forward in the woods in the snow smoothing and packing the walking paths we use walking our dogs every day.
I bought the quick attach kit from ebay and used some pieces of steel from the pile.
I use it quite a bit with the forks as I put my firewood on pallets. So much easier for me to see than out on the loader. Works good on the L2501 or the 8N.

Bill