Farm Equipment - Snap Coupler versus 3 point

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Snap Coupler versus 3 point

Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15454
Printed Date: 04 Feb 2025 at 12:43pm
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Topic: Snap Coupler versus 3 point

Posted By: Jim from the UP
Subject: Snap Coupler versus 3 point
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2010 at 10:02pm

The snap coupler equipment was fairly easy to hook up on the WD, D17 Series 1 and D17 Series IV I owned. However, the IV had a heavy drawbar and was awkward to reinstall after getting done with the SC equipment. So, I moved up to an AC175 with only 3 point equipment. I am not impressed with the process of hooking up 3 point equipment. It takes me 3 or 4 times getting on and off the tractor and sometimes backing up an extra time or two to get lined up.

Why not have something like skid steers where one lines up the attachments and then makes 2 clicks? At least with the SC, one would simply back up the tractor until the spring snapped and then put the arm connectors in place.

Replies:

Posted By: D-17_Dave
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2010 at 10:07pm

Your trying to reinvent the wheel. The Snap Coupler is obviously a better setup for not only hooking up but for drafting also. Now they have fast hitches for 3 point systems if the attachment is supported properly. But to fight this argument is pointless now. That silly 3 point won out and now we all have the same problems of sveral times on and off the tractor to hook up unless we have a helper.

Posted By: Dave in il
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2010 at 10:37pm

Your lift arms will extend making hooking up to a 3pt implement a one shot deal. Get reasonably close, then on the top of each lift arm is a lever that can be lifted allowing the ball end to be extended. After hooking the lift arms to the implement, back the rest of the way up until they lock in their original position then hook up the center link.

You might need to clean and oil things to get them working if they haven't been used in a while. Series IV D17 through 190 XTs (including your 175) all had this. So do the bigger tractors for that matter.

Or there are "quick hitches" but those are a PITA and make hooking to the draw bar or getting to the back of the tractor difficult. Quick hitches are only needed on other poorly designed tractors. In you haven't seen a quick hitch look at any green & yellow tractor with a 3pt and it probably has one. LOL!

Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2010 at 6:42am

I totally agree that the Snap Coupler is Much better than the 3 point. It is a better hook up and leads the implement from in front of the rear axle much better than the 3 point. However, it came out like the John Deere hitch, the IH two point, and all the others much too late. There was too much 3 point equipment out there and the customers just did not want to reinvest in new implements even though snap coupler was better.

Ladies and Gentlemen Harry Fergeson won. The three point is the hitch.

Good Luck!

Bill Long

Posted By: firebrick43
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2010 at 8:26am

Bill, yes Harry Fergeson won, but not for the reason you think. When JD was designing their new series tractors (4010) they new they needed a mounted hitch that was better than what was on their 40 at the time. (This was mid 50's right before the 4/5/6/7/820s came out)

The company actually approached IH and wanted to purchase the right to put the fast hitch on their tractors as well. IH thought they would come out on top if they didn't let them produce it so JD choose the 3 point for the sole reason that the patents had expired so there would be no wrangling to produce it.

As we all know, the 4010 and especially the 4020 became the sales leader of the time and with 4 of the 6 (Ford, Massey, Case eagle hitch was close enough, and now JD) the 3 point became standard.

Posted By: RMD
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2010 at 9:27am

The other part to this is that 3-point implements are cheaper because most of the hitch mechanism is on the tractor; not so with Snap-Coupler -- takes a lot more steel to make a Snap-Coupler implement.

Posted By: Ryan Renko
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2010 at 7:53pm

I did some garden plowing this spring and after cleaning the plow, I headed to the barn. I was really amazed how from the drivers seat I could unlatch the arms and simply press down on the snap coupler lever and DONE!!!! It seems like a great system. Ryan

Posted By: Hurst
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2010 at 7:59pm

I just wonder how the geometry would handle larger loads. It seems like it could be upgraded to hold more power, but I still would be a little weary of a snap coupler with 200+hp at the wheels and a large subsoiler or the like. Otherwise, it was definitely a great concept by Allis.

Hurst

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1979 Allis Chalmers 7000
5800 Hours

Posted By: Chris (swIA)
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2010 at 8:57pm

The snap coupler would have been better at higher horsepower also. I have seen a couple of center links snapped while pulling large chisel plows or rippers. The snap coupler puts the load under the tractor similiar to the drawbar drawn implements. A lot of the larger equipment today uses a pintle hitch which is not unlike the snap coupler eye. I think that if the tractor could pick it up, the snap coupler could handle it.