3 Point Conversion for D17 opinions

We had several AC wishbone adapters laying about the farm when I was growing up. In fact I think some always were left on the implement when not in use.
I only occasionally see one in sales, seems like they should be more plentiful but maybe a lot of em got scrapped.

The real 3 point tractors had fixed most of the challenges of hooking up by the sixties. Deere tractors of the 50s already had pull out extensions on the draft arms that let you line up the second ball to hitch up an implement that had settled down unevenly then snap them back in place once you got all three pins in place. I think about all brands had similar features by the sixties.

I remember the snap coupler having its own challenges, the old sickle bar mower would sit in the weeds until late spring and it seems like you always ended up messing around a bit getting on and off the tractor to try and get the bell lined up right. It did not usually go quite like they show in the demonstrations.

Three point hitch geometry that keeps implement at a fixed angle over a range of depths/ heights is better for some attachments, just as the snap coupler pivot point under the tractor is advantage for others. As some mentioned, by variations in top link geometry, the three point setup was pretty versatile.

Slightly different topic, I recently picked up a modern 3 point landscape, box blade for my compact tractor. If you have not tried one I highly recommend for occasional dirt work. Hard to beat the variety of modern attachments that fit three point.

Snap coupler hitch did get a bad rap for the scenario where the snap coupler somehow lets loose while pulling a draft attachment. If the lift arm, latches do not release properly it can allow the attachment to come over the seat. Bad deal. I think some conversions could have possibility of this if they do not use the original lift latches.

Edited by Rick of HopeIN - 15 May 2020 at 10:10am

victoryallis wrote: Removing and reinstalling the drawbar on a 17 is a added pain enough imagine on a 300++ horsepower articulated tractor.  I’m amazed by the color blindness.

I'm not being color blind. The snap-coupler is faster and easier to hook up and the pull point is in front of the rear axle which gives the tractor greater pulling ability.

I just added a quick-hitch attachment and I can tell already that the pulling performance and lifting capacity have both diminished.

You make a good point about the weight of the drawbar. We have a stand that slides under the bail and all you need to do is pull the pins and undo the hook. Everything is kept at the right height so putting it back on is simple. Just back over it put the pins in and hook the hitch back in place, no lifting.

Most of my equipment is snap-coupler so I'm not removing and replacing the hitch very often.

FREEDGUY wrote: victoryallis wrote: Removing and reinstalling the drawbar on a 17 is a added pain enough imagine on a 300++ horsepower articulated tractor.  I’m amazed by the color blindness.  Why in the #$%K would you need to remove/reinstall a drawbar on your JD tractor ?? Pretty SURE "that" project would be easier than replacing an entire front axle assembly

I really didn’t mean to cause a feud here. 

At the end of the day, the market decides. Three point won out. My ag machinery books from the late 50s show that Deere had decided to go full in on three point hitch. I think they had been doing a little with it already but still had a lot of pull type equipment. Maybe they had decided to pay Ferguson early on, don't know.
Seems about the time that patents were running out, mid to late fifties; The D series had already been designed so Allis stayed with SC to use their existing implement line. Likewise IH would have had to do quite a tear up to switch from fast hitch.

The argument about line of draft to the snap coupler bell under the tractor was mostly marketing hype from the SC and IH Fasthitch days. They were a natural design progression from pull type implement designs.

As hydraulic draft control/ lift systems came into play it was actually better to have the parallelogram setup of the three point with it's adjustability/ control features integrated into the tractor. With larger, semi mounted plows a lot of the design considerations that drove the earlier systems had already changed. The Case Eagle Claw was a very minor variant of the three point if it is like what we had on an 1963 730. Our 1965 Case 730 had standard three point lift arms and any three point would fit either.

I grew up in the last years of moldboard plows in the Midwest. The pull type plows had been retired. Three point (actually using only the lower arms), semi mounted plows had taken over around us. Four of five bottom plows that just were a joy to run. Seems like we would check the depth early in the spring and never messed with em after.


Edited by Rick of HopeIN - 17 May 2020 at 9:12am

I hope you don't come to detest it as much as I did with the one on my series 4. After 20+ years I finally found a factory 3 point off a 170 and I sold the aftermarket. The factory 3 point made a real nice tractor out of my series 4 diesel.