3 point hitch

I am interested in putting a three point hitch on my 1948 H. I may try to construct one.Anybody has some plans???

I hava never seen plans for a 3pt.go measure some ,write down the measurments,draw pictures(ie:make your own!).make a material list,buy the steel,GO FOR IT!.I've made 5 3pts this way.(I dont do "the paper work" any more,just shoot from the hip)You CAN do it!

there are detailed standards for 3 point beyond what is published on this site and others. following those additional standards promote implement interchangability, proper function and ease of use, and will help stabilize the tractor and implement in operation and transport, and hopefully require less modification to implements out of the box.

I often wonder if new tractors aren"t designed from the hitch forward

ASE and ISO 9000 require a subscription or per use fee to access those standards. Sometimes they pop up on ag university sites or may be found in books for ag type education.

retrofitting an antique tractor will usually require a compromise between making it fit and getting it close to spec.

If you want to learn and all that (and try make the best hitch yet), go for making your own. If convienience is your cup of tea, you"ll find a saginaw or other pre-made for sale type hitch will be much easier. I don"t like the looks of the saginaw or others--it looks like a scrap yard bolted on back. However if i needed a 3 point and fast, i"d still get one.
someone made their own hitch for an M a year or two ago using plates that bolt to the axle housings and duplicate the rear case bolt pattern of the 400 thru 560--i think so they could use a fast hitch rockshaft. It looked pretty neat, almost factory.

good luck
karl f

Unless you really want to make your own. Saginaw County Tractor makes great 3pt"s for farmalls. I have 2 like them a lot.

http://www.saginawcountytractor.com/farmall

I bought one for my C a few years ago (not a saginaw), and ended up taking if off and selling it. Never could make it work right, it either raised too high, and would not drop to the ground, or would not raise high enough. It had solid flat steel bars to the rockshafts, which flexed and were always in the way. One thing I have noticed on tractors that were not designed for 3 point is that the hitch points are usually too far back. Now I just use either mounted implements designed for the tractor, or pull type implements. Everyone likes the Saginaw, but the 'Cross' 3 point I had was not good for much of anything, and I had to remove the drawbar to put it on, which effectively made the tractor worthless. 3 point did not work right, no drawbar, and 3 point was in the way of putting mounted implements on.

I have a Saginaw on my C, it works fine, not in the way of the drawbar, has its own cylinder, does not use the rockshaft.

I agree with Karl. Those Worksavers and Saginaw hitches look like Ag School freshman projects. The problem with both is they use mild steel and not enough of it.

I am selling a used Worksaver tomorrow. I had to straighten two parts of it.

Having said that, Worksaver has line drawings and parts illustrations if you want to get some ideas.

I build my own hitches for tractors that have never seen anything more than a drawbar. I have fast hitches on a 650 and W-400. I use as many row crop IH parts as possible. That usually means the rockshaft, wishbone (bail), and lift links. These are engineered parts and they hold up. I suggest that you go to a few tractor shows and see how the mfgs do it. Then go to a salvage yard and buy some parts.

Below is my W-400.

<a href="http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/Wardner/?action=view&current=W-400133.jpg" target="_blank"> </a>

<a href="http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/Wardner/?action=view&current=W-400113.jpg" target="_blank"></a>


650 w/two lift cylinders

<a href="http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/Wardner/?action=view&current=Limitorque018.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

Here is the picture of the hitch Karl is talking about. You would need to get the pieces from a 350 I think since the H rear end is narrower than the M rear end this hitch is on. One thing I'm going to do is get the rest of the fast hitch pieces and put them on. The sway control is not quite firm enough with this setup. My 856 fasthitch to quickhitch works great so I'm going to do the same on my M

The Saginaws might not meet your approval but I have one that has stood the test of time for over 30 years, often lifting heavy implements for 12 hour days, and the only thing that has bent or broken is one stabilizer bar that I let get in ground while backing up.

Agree. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Saginaw, except for the possiblity of the mount to the rear axle housings. Those things have to be kept tight. I don't know if I would want to pull a plow with it (I have no proof), as that type of load should have the main pulling point below the tractor, ie the swinging drawbar hitch. But, that is immaterial to me as I haven't pulled a plow since the 50's.

Swinging draw bar can be used with Saginaw.

I meant that fast hitch, at least some of them, have the major pulling point underneath the tractor. The fasthitch connection underneath my 460 had gotten loose before I bought it and needed a major welding job. That has to be kept tight also. I have a Saginaw on my SH with the U-drawbar and swinging part, works fine.