# JD Quick Hitch on a NH?



## seanb02 (Sep 11, 2016)

Hey folks, I've got a couple New Holland T7.270 tractors, and would like to know if a John Deere category 3 quick hitch will fit on them? New Holland relies on the universal aftermarket quick hitches that aren't very robust for long term usage with larger implements. John Deere seems to have some really nice heavy cast units, and I've got a line on one of those to purchase. But before I pull out the credit card and have it shipped to me, I would like to confirm that it will fit on the NH tractors. The balls in the lower links are a standardized width, but I don't know about the clearances around the ball itself since the T7's seem to have very large arms. 

The quick hitch I am interested in purchasing is a used one off a 7xxx tractor, I don't know the exact model but am assuming that all JD cat 3 hitches are essentially the same.

Can anyone confirm this will work? Or maybe get some measurements of the clearances around the lower pins on your JD hitch and I can check the arms on my tractors? Thanks for any assistance with this!


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Although I can't actually answer your question most agriculture tractors have 3 pt hitches & pto shafts that are industry standard sizes/dimensions so implements can easily be attached to different brand tractors. Most problems with 3 pt quick hitches I've witnessed is getting QH center link attaching point lined up correctly with implement centerlink attaching point.


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## seanb02 (Sep 11, 2016)

Tx Jim said:


> Although I can't actually answer your question most agriculture tractors have 3 pt hitches & pto shafts that are industry standard sizes/dimensions so implements can easily be attached to different brand tractors. Most problems with 3 pt quick hitches I've witnessed is getting QH center link attaching point lined up correctly with implement centerlink attaching point.


Thanks, I'm going to see if I can find another farm locally to me who has a JD hitch I can measure just to double check. It would be an awfully expensive mistake if for some reason it doesn't fit. I will feel much better if I can get 100% confirmation before placing the order.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

You're welcome. I agree better safe than sorry


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## ACDII (Oct 1, 2021)

What you need to know about the JD QH is that the top link is not removable so if an implement is not iMatch ready, it wont fit. Unless all your equipment is new and QH ready, you should look for a QH that has a removable top hook with a top hook loop. 

Speeco makes robust QH that have this type of loop and is what I use. It is a Cat II type so bushings are needed for Cat I pins. If all you have are Cat I implements though, instead of a QH you could use these instead. A lot easier to remove than the QH when you have that one piece of equipment that will not work with a QH. Mine is 18 YO and not much was QH ready back then, but I made do with it for everything except a 4' rough cut that doesn't have the clearance for the lower hooks.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

ACDII said:


> What you need to know about the JD QH is that the top link is not removable so if an implement is not iMatch ready, it wont fit. Unless all your equipment is new and QH ready, you should look for a QH that has a removable top hook with a top hook loop.
> 
> Speeco makes robust QH that have this type of loop and is what I use. It is a Cat II type so bushings are needed for Cat I pins. If all you have are Cat I implements though, instead of a QH you could use these instead. A lot easier to remove than the QH when you have that one piece of equipment that will not work with a QH. Mine is 18 YO and not much was QH ready back then, but I made do with it for everything except a 4' rough cut that doesn't have the clearance for the lower hooks.


Op is looking at a cat3 quick hitch


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## ACDII (Oct 1, 2021)

IH 1586 said:


> Op is looking at a cat3 quick hitch







__





3-point hitch dimensions






salesmanual.deere.com





Here are the measurements for the OP to check against his tractor. Regardless of class, same holds true for all. Check to make sure your implements are compatible with the QH and that the top hook can be removed to accommodate them.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

The dimensions underlined in green aren't the same


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## seanb02 (Sep 11, 2016)

Problem solved. Sent a guy up north since we got rained out of the fields. Pulled a lower link and top link off of one of the tractors for him to test fit the clearances around the eyes. Have the hitch in my shop now, a couple of the bolts are sheared off where the top bar attaches to the sides, but should be easy enough to extract. Doesn't appear to be from overloading, more likely from someone trying to take it apart and snapped them off. Approximately 7hr round trip drive, probably cost about the same to pick it up as truck freight would have been to ship it here, but at least I've got confirmation that it will fit now. 

Much heavier duty than the universal one we've been using for the last 7 years or so. Have had to cobble that one back together a few times over the years. Manufacturer list weight is around 180 lbs, I can just pick it up by myself. Can't even drag this JD one around without help, so must be around 300 lbs. Actually I've got a JD Cat 2 QH that weighs about as much as the Worksaver Cat 3 QH does. 

Heavier is better with the big stuff we attach to these tractors. Between a 14' Maschio rototiller and a JD 6 bottom rollover plow, it will certainly be getting a workout. Haven't come across any others that are built like the JD quick hitches are, all the others seem to be more or less identical to the Worksaver style.


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## seanb02 (Sep 11, 2016)

Tx Jim said:


> The dimensions underlined in green aren't the same


Regular Cat III vs Cat III Narrow is the difference there. Cat III N is pretty much Cat II using Cat III sized pins.


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## seanb02 (Sep 11, 2016)

ACDII said:


> __
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> 
> 
> ...


I've actually referenced that document many times when making some one off implements so I know where to weld up the mounts for the pins, I've got it printed out and stapled to the wall in the shop. But my original problem is that there is no standardized dimension for the thickness of the arm surrounding the eye where the pin goes through. JD quick hitches are mostly enclosed in this area with a slot for the lower arm to slip into. 

If the area of the arm surrounding the pivot ball is too great of a diameter it would bottom out in the slot before the pin could be slipped into place. The universal hitches are more open in that area to accommodate a greater range of sizes.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

seanb02 said:


> Regular Cat III vs Cat III Narrow is the difference there. Cat III N is pretty much Cat II using Cat III sized pins.


I realize the different measurements between draft links on Cat lll N & Cat lll & you inquired about the later which is wider than the others. Are you seeking QH for Cat lll or the narrower version?


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## seanb02 (Sep 11, 2016)

Just for clarification in case anyone is interested in the clearances I was originally trying to find out in reference to whether the JD hitch will fit a NH T7 tractor. See in the images below where the end of the lift arm fits into the slot on the quick hitch, there is not much clearance at all due to the thickness of the arm around the ball where the pin goes through. The JD hitch is very closed in around this point, which means it may not fit on some tractors. In fact the arm off the T7 actually just barely rubs, so anything bigger certainly would not go in far enough to allow the pin through. Hope this is helpful to anyone else who may have the same questions I did.


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