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HF 3PT Quick Hitch on sale

4632 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  rockcrawl, 
NE Indiana mower
Guys,

I just saw that Harbor Freight has there quick hitch on sale for $99.99. It looks to be built pretty heavy. The 27 1/2 is too wide for my compact tractor TSC Country-Line boxblade. But maybe it will work for someone else.

Sorry about the double post
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F
HF's website shows the quick hitch on clearance for $79.99. They also have a 20% off coupon which brings the price down to $63.99. Just picked one up...I hope it works with my attachments!
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R
These are still on sale, $63.99 as frencht posted above. I just got mine. Typical cheap Chinese quality. It's built of larger tubing than the JD iMatch hitch, yet it's lighter (thinner tubing). The pins are all way undersized and sloppy in the holes. The tabs on the lower pins touch the draw bars and don't go in far enough to get the clips in without some coaxing with a hammer. One of the bolts that holds the upper hook is of lower grade than the other. The bottom hooks were flame cut or plasma cut with a torch that needs a new tip, the cuts are not perpendicular to the surface of the plate plate they were cut from, I'm not sure if this will be a problem. I haven't tried to hook up to an attachment yet. The release levers are somewhat difficult to operate, one more than the other. The offset is 4.5", I'm not sure what it is on the Deere but I don't think it's as much. With tax and shipping it cost me a little over $90, plus whatever the new pins and bolts are going to cost. I kinda wish I'd spent $300 and got one from Deere, but I'll use it for a while before I make a final decision. For all I know the JD iMatch is made in China too, but I've used one and it's a whole lot nicer than this.

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Here's a real problem. I tried to hook up to my rear blade today, nothing quick about it. I took the bolts out and welded the hook on.

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rockcrawl said:
Here's a real problem. I tried to hook up to my rear blade today, nothing quick about it. I took the bolts out and welded the hook on.
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Rockcrawl...I remember reading several months ago when I first considered getting a quick hitch that someone had the same issue with the bolts interferring. That person fixed the problem by notching the side of the hook to allow a for a quick pin and replaced the bolts with mounting pins that had a hole for the quick pin. Basically, the mounting pins were cut to be flush rather than protrude past the side frame which held the hook and the quick pins were inserted into a hole drilled in the mounting pins between the notched side of the hook and the hook side frame. I haven't been able to find the link to the modification which had pictures, however, if I do I'll post it here....maybe another MTF'er remembers seeing it as well.

Tim
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OK...I finally found it...follow RockGod's instructions and pics in this thread:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ting/243130-john-deere-harbor-freight-qh.html

Tim
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D
I got mine 2 or 3 years ago and it does not have these problems. Just goes to show to stay away from Chinese junk...
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W
Rockcawl, get someone to weld a block to the back of the hooks then drill the proper spaced wholes in it. Worked for me. I have the same one. Cheap but works for now. Mine is showing some signs of poor chinese craftsmanship. But i have beat the snot out of it for 3/4 years. I took the bolts on the top link hook and run longer ones thru a peice of angle, welded the heads to keep the in the angle then drilled for a clip pin. Really helps with hookong up and no fumbling with bolts, nuts, locks and wrenches.
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saskman49
rockcrawl said:
These are still on sale, $63.99 as frencht posted above. I just got mine. Typical cheap Chinese quality. It's built of larger tubing than the JD iMatch hitch, yet it's lighter (thinner tubing). The pins are all way undersized and sloppy in the holes. The tabs on the lower pins touch the draw bars and don't go in far enough to get the clips in without some coaxing with a hammer. One of the bolts that holds the upper hook is of lower grade than the other. The bottom hooks were flame cut or plasma cut with a torch that needs a new tip, the cuts are not perpendicular to the surface of the plate plate they were cut from, I'm not sure if this will be a problem. I haven't tried to hook up to an attachment yet. The release levers are somewhat difficult to operate, one more than the other. The offset is 4.5", I'm not sure what it is on the Deere but I don't think it's as much. With tax and shipping it cost me a little over $90, plus whatever the new pins and bolts are going to cost. I kinda wish I'd spent $300 and got one from Deere, but I'll use it for a while before I make a final decision. For all I know the JD iMatch is made in China too, but I've used one and it's a whole lot nicer than this.
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Boy for 90 bux I would sure be willing to put up with those few little issues. Which can easily be rectified with an angle grinder with a cut off wheel and a welder plus a bit of time with a rotary rasp on the lower hooks. For all the time tractor guys spend doing other little projects this seems like a walk in the park. If I could have found one last summer while we were stateside it surely would have followed me home but instead I had to pay $249.00 for a Speeco on sale which I do not regret either.
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saskman49 said:
Boy for 90 bux I would sure be willing to put up with those few little issues. Which can easily be rectified with an angle grinder with a cut off wheel and a welder plus a bit of time with a rotary rasp on the lower hooks. For all the time tractor guys spend doing other little projects this seems like a walk in the park. If I could have found one last summer while we were stateside it surely would have followed me home but instead I had to pay $249.00 for a Speeco on sale which I do not regret either.
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I agree, I was just pointing out that you don't get $300 quality for $90. For me it's not a big deal, but not everyone has the tools, skills, or time to make the modifications needed to turn it into a useable piece. You said it yourself, all the time spent doing other little projects, the last thing you need is another one on the list.
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One more thing, the latches on the lower hooks are too short. The bushings can rise up out of the hook nearly 1/2". Not a problem if you're just carrying stuff around, but imagine how much an 8' blade will float on there.

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