quick hitch affect on top link length

murse72

New member
Aug 11, 2016
3
0
0
west Monroe ,Louisiana
recently got a M7060 and about to get a hydraulic top link. My neighbor has a warrior manufacturing cat2 quick hitch that does not fit any of his attachments, so I have asked him of he wants to sell it and he said he might. He has a M5400 but all of his attachments are cat1 with cat2 pins. Are warrior manufacturing quick hitches any good? I looked at it and it looks pretty well made. If I go ahead and get the hydraulic top link will I see any big changes after I add a quick hitch to the amount of length needed in the hydraulic top link ?
 

Boo

Member

Equipment
MX5800; BH92, BB2572, Forks 3048
Jul 1, 2016
123
4
18
HOLT, Florida
I added a quick attach to my tractor which moved everything back about five inches. Now, my top link is not long enough to do some of the things I want to do. Finding one that is five inches longer is not easy.

I've considered taking the QA off so that I can still do certain things. I think I might do that just because the QA has not necessarily been a good thing since most of my implements were not made to be compatible in the first place.
 

GWD

Member

Equipment
M7040, L48 TLB, BX2200
Jan 8, 2010
792
12
18
Northern California
First, those rigid frame quick hitches fit one size only unless they are specially made (expensive) with sliding lower attachment points. If you have homemade or attachments with non-standard dimensions, modifications to the attachments will be necessary.

Second, the top link attachment will sometimes work without getting off the tractor. Most of the time it won't but it depends on the attachment. Modifications can or have to be made.

Third, the top link will need to be 4". or so, longer so the geometry with the QH is the same. Your present one may be OK but measure to be sure.

Fourth, if you have PTO equipment, the PTO shaft to the implement may be too short with a QH. There are extenders that can correct this. Ag Supply sells them for around $20.

Fifth, the QH will extend the fulcrum point and cause the attachment to seem to be heavier. It is not a big problem on your size tractor.

My solution to these problems was a Pat's Quick Connect. I tried the original but was unsatisfied with the longer lift arms and the issues listed above.

Finally, I bought a Cat 2 weld-on Pat's, cut off the balls on the slide-out lift arms and welded the Pat's on. That cured all the problems and, in addition, the slide-out feature was saved.

The lift pins on Cat 1 implements can be bushed to fit the Cat 2 Pat's. They are a couple of bucks each.
 

L.C. Gray

New member

Equipment
L3400, RTV500
May 14, 2016
105
0
0
Stephenville, Texas
Finally, I bought a Cat 2 weld-on Pat's, cut off the balls on the slide-out lift arms and welded the Pat's on. That cured all the problems and, in addition, the slide-out feature was saved.
Ok, You're just the guy I've been looking for. I posted a thread asking for anyone who's done Pat's weld on, but no ones answered.

I'm strongly considering this. Have you had any instances where an implement wouldn't hook up on the Pat's and you needed the old arrangement?

I really want the telescopic arms, but finding them and imagining the cost has me thinking about Pat's weld ons.
 

Sammy3700

Active member

Equipment
L3800HST,524Loader,BH77,Landplane,Disk,Mowers and more
Feb 20, 2012
428
35
28
Red Springs, NC
My dads and I both have the Pats weld on and they are great. I bought new balls and flat bar and copied the Kubota bends and they are the same length as original. Then made a set of rigid stay bars for both.
 

GWD

Member

Equipment
M7040, L48 TLB, BX2200
Jan 8, 2010
792
12
18
Northern California
Ok, You're just the guy I've been looking for. I posted a thread asking for anyone who's done Pat's weld on, but no ones answered.

I'm strongly considering this. Have you had any instances where an implement wouldn't hook up on the Pat's and you needed the old arrangement?

I really want the telescopic arms, but finding them and imagining the cost has me thinking about Pat's weld ons.
Sorry I missed your post. Usually I visit a couple of times a day.

Anyway, the telescoping arm ends are insanely expensive. My M7040 had them as OEM so cutting off the balls and installing the Pat's was fairly easily done. Several of my attachments are home-made, unusual, Cat 1 / 2, or of different specs than standard. The weld-ons haven't ever been an issue hooking up. Just make sure you have the correct offset angle as OEM.

BTW, if you have the sliding lower arms, Pat's makes (or made) a hitch that replaces the whole sliding arm. I had them and sold them to a member on here. The only problem was that the sliding feature was lost. They are fixed but maintain the OEM geometry of the lower arms. From re-reading your post, that may not apply to your circumstance.

You might give Pat's a call to see if they still make them.