"old hand" , too confident

[coppersmythe]

I've never removed a fast hitch , but with all the things i've done ( split many ,completely taken several cubs apart ) i should handle it , no problem . bottle jack on some 4x4's ( first mistake ) . disconnected fast hitch , held it up with my motor lift (second mistake). I could not get the fast hitch out from between the back tires ( big ones ) . i did chock the front axle , so I took the right rear tire off ( wheel weight , third mistake ) . the tractor moved just 1/2" forward , enough to make the bottle jack lean a bit , which made the 4x4 shift forward more , because unseen to me , there was a chunk of the 4x4 missing , I didnt take the time to look at it closely before using it , much less even do it that way . precariously held up by the jack is an understatement stopped and took a few minutes to think about the mess i got myself into . i SLOWLY let the lift down with the fast hitch with carefully placed supports . then eased the motor lift around and gently looped it around the right final and raised it till safe . whew . removed the bottle jack and promptly put it in the garbage can . No shortcuts , if pressed for time , i will do it later . coppersmythe...........................

[Donegal Cub]

Someone up there looking after you However you stayed cool and averted trouble
Bernard
Donegal Cub

[Don McCombs]

The best way to remove and/or install a Fast Hitch is to dismantle it as you go. Why try to lift/support the whole thing, when you don't need to?

[Peter Person]

...or wedge the front axle, jack up the rear end, take the tires-wheels-centers off, and there's all kinds of room.
Did this at CubFest NE a few years ago.

[coppersmythe]

thanks for the advice guys , i have tried to go through the process in my mind for the next time , your recommendations sound well thought out . i used to sit in my shop , building my next project " in my mind " ( my wife swears i was just daydreaming ) . everything i made was custom , so each job was different . i made very few changes in the direction when it came to actually crafting the "item". this incident was a good lesson learned , and donegal hit the nail on the head . i have had a guardian angel on my shoulder all of my life coppersmythe ................................

Someone up there looking after you However you stayed cool and averted trouble
Bernard
Donegal Cub

[coppersmythe]

i forgot to mention the "best" part of the story . i had sold the tractor and received payment that morning . i was taking the fasthitch off before delivering his cub . i came close to giving a refund coppersmythe...........................P.S. do not get in a hurry and take shortcuts . they turn into longcuts , or worse , hospital cuts .