3ph implement hookup

[MtnViewRanch]

I was wondering if any of you have problems hooking up your 3 point implements? Myself, I have the factory sliding ball joints and top"n"tilt, so I don't have any problems hooking up stuff. But those of you that don't have all the adjustable points, do you have problems and if you do, how do you handle them? I was wondering after reading a thread about Pats Easy Hitch. Didn't sound all that easy to me. You have to do this and that just right to get it to work properly. What do you guys use, pry bars and sledge hammers, or do you just get real good at hooking your stuff up?

 

[Doc]

Good question Brian.

I had trouble hooking up my bush hog rotary cutter and my box blade. I have the extend able arms but no top and tilt. I had to use a spud bar to finagle implements into place. Pat's easy change saved the day. Easy to install and it lets your implement pins drop right into the Easy Change System. I give it 5 stars. Between Pat's Easy Change system and my Front End loader my back feels a whole lot better.

 

[Jim_S]

I don't have the extension lower arms. I tried the Pat's system but wasn't too happy with it on the larger implements. I have a Worksaver quick hitch that works very well IF the lower pins are standard spacing and IF the top link location is close to standard. Most implements I can pick up and never leave the tractor seat. Some I have to change the top link height on and I have a few that I just take the quick hitch off to use but they are not very heavy, like the agro spreader and the fimco sprayer.

Jim

 

[California]

At the size of my gear, rasseling the implements around by hand isn't bad. 4 ft rotary mower, 5 ft box blade, etc. Most are around 450 lbs.

I was just thinking about this, this afternoon as I installed the backhoe. I used a 3 ft bar under one stabilizer foot and then the other. It was surprisingly easy to lift and swing each side forward to engage its pin. I had parked the backhoe on a 8x8, the right height so the top link is aligned after the lower pins are engaged.

In summer I swap the mower and box blade often, so I keep a HF Quick Hitch on the tractor. I recommend this QH even if it won't fit all your implements. It's no big deal to take it off for the nonstandard implements.

I never use a sledge hammer. It seems barbaric to ding everything up. A 6ft 2x4 is plenty of leverage to align this size gear - with one exception:

In the past I used an 8ft 2x4 to lift and shift the box blade if its rippers were embedded in the ground. The Quick Hitch solved that problem - let the tractor do the heavy lifting!

 

[Mark777]

I just recently made a 'universal adapter' for a home-made rake and back blade. They are 5' and easily manageable to connect. The Roto-tiller was a different story until I learned the simplest and fastest way to attach or detach is to put the guide wheels on with blocks under the tiller front. Just pull the pins and drive away.

 

[OhioTC18]

Good question Brian.

Pat's easy change saved the day. Easy to install and it lets your implement pins drop right into the Easy Change System. I give it 5 stars.

I have Pat's Easy Change System as well. The tractor is quite small, but the implements are more than I wanted to wrestle around. Life has been easier since then

 

[shinnlinger]

I am old fashioned to date and keep some 5 ft hunks of 1nch rebar in the dirt by the implements to assist with leveraging my things on and off as California described. Never to much hassle but never getting out of the seat sounds kind of nice...maybe I will look into these quick hitch jobies.

 

[ghautz]

I use a 2x4 and a ball peen hammer as persuaders. Maybe I can convince the CFO a quick hitch setup is a good idea.

 

[California]

The HF QH's don't cost much. $70, or less on sale. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93691
(I should add this item to the thread about HF stuff that works as expected.)

On another site several brands were compared and I concluded they were all the same thing with different labels. The one exception is the expensive hitch sold by Deere. I wouldn't get that one since the height of its top hook isn't adjustable.

Telescoping arms sound like a good idea but I doubt I'll upgrade to that. Maybe, if I ever get a utility-size tractor.

As for a prying tool: long ago I decided a 6 ft digging bar wasn't safe to pry equipment with. When it slips it is so heavy it can bash you pretty good. A 2x4 or 2x6 is lighter and safer. It helps to park the implement on planks, to slide on later when you come back for it.

 

[dsgsr]

If you don't have extend able links or a quick hitch, Back up as center as you can get and always connect the lower pin first. Then you can raise the implement to get it level for the other pin. If level then connect the the closet pin and move forward or aft. to connect the other pin, make the machine do the work.

David

 

[Mith]

David, thats what I did with my tractor, as long as you can get one of the bottom pins on you can use the tractor to move the implement about to line up the other pins.

 

[civesnedfield]

Five foot pinch bar, Spud wrench and a small sledge hammer have always worked best for me.

 

[PBinWA]

Pat's and my big muscles! Actually, Pat's, careful and level placement, and occasionally my muscles combined with some swear words.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I was wondering if any of you have problems hooking up your 3 point implements? Myself, I have the factory sliding ball joints and top"n"tilt, so I don't have any problems hooking up stuff. But those of you that don't have all the adjustable points, do you have problems and if you do, how do you handle them? I was wondering after reading a thread about Pats Easy Hitch. Didn't sound all that easy to me. You have to do this and that just right to get it to work properly. What do you guys use, pry bars and sledge hammers, or do you just get real good at hooking your stuff up?

Mines like yours but w/o T&T. I have no trouble since I started using a MCycle cam lock tie down to pull the arms together over the pins. That function seems to be the only thing lacking in order to give hookup ease on the stock system. No hammers, no pry bars. Just the stock adjustments and a cinch strap.

larry
​

 

[ghautz]

Maybe I'm missing something. My lower arms will not spread apart far enough to clear the pins. I have to remove the arms to remove an implement or to connect one. I take it a normal tractor doesn't require that?

 

[Archdean]

Maybe I'm missing something. My lower arms will not spread apart far enough to clear the pins. I have to remove the arms to remove an implement or to connect one. I take it a normal tractor doesn't require that?

Please state what size and brand of "Ab Normal" tractor you own to include the cat # of your hitch so I might be able to help!

 

[Wannafish]

Maybe I'm missing something. My lower arms will not spread apart far enough to clear the pins. I have to remove the arms to remove an implement or to connect one. I take it a normal tractor doesn't require that?

If the lower arms hit the tires when trying to open up far enough to connect, is it possible to move the pins to the inside of the frame? I had to do this with a backblade on one of my smaller tractors.

OR

Is there an adjustment on the sway links you can make to allow the arms to open up farther?

WF

 

[Mark777]

Maybe I'm missing something. My lower arms will not spread apart far enough to clear the pins. I have to remove the arms to remove an implement or to connect one. I take it a normal tractor doesn't require that?

Ditto what Wannafish said.

You will be able to connect your implements without removing either lower lift arms when you reverse the Cat 1 pin position on your implements. It's so much easier to 'spread' the arms outward to connect than doing the opposite. So far, I've done my box blade, bush hog, rake and back blade. Then, and IF, the rear tires hit the swinging implement (especially turning or backing up) a simple sway chain adjustment, or crossing the chains will eliminate excess swing.

Mark

 

[Dougster]

Maybe I'm missing something. My lower arms will not spread apart far enough to clear the pins. I have to remove the arms to remove an implement or to connect one. I take it a normal tractor doesn't require that?

Holy Moly! We need pictures of that one! Something just isn't right there. The brand & model of tractor... and implements... should tell a lot.

Dougster

 

[Big Dog]

Frankly, it isn't that big a problem (other than still having to get off the tractor) when you have these ..........

3 Point Hitch with telescopic lower links and adjustable lift rod.

Mutliple Postion Stabilizers

Rear Implement Control Lever

I realize most tractors have the first 2 pictured but the rear implement control lever is the bomb!