When choosing a pick-up hitch, quality and function is important to determine before purchasing. With pick up hitches, there are several different versions available to customers including hydraulic, mechanical, telehandler and vertical.

This article goes over in brief the different pick-up hitch options.

Hydraulic Pick Up Hitch and Mechanical

Nowadays, hydraulic pick up hitches are designed for maximum efficiency and complete ease of use. Usually the best are hydraulically operated Push Back Hitches so that you can operate the hitch without leaving the cab of the tractor. This kind of hitch allows you absolute visibility of the hook and trailer ring from your seated position and as a result, the attachment and detachment of the trailer is simple and fast. Much of the same should apply for the mechanical version.

Some specifications you should look out for:

• Does it eliminate the need for manual lifting entirely

• What is the maximum ground clearance rate and how much clearance do you need

• Can the tow hook lower below ground level to hitch to equipment that has sunk into the soil

• What are the safety features

• What is the static load capacity (for better quality versions, the capacity can increase the capacity by up to 300%)

• Does it fit on all tractors models

• What kind of material is it made from? It should be high strength and wear resistant

Telehandler Pick Up Hitch:

The Telehandler pick up hitch is literally one designed for the specific purposes of a Telehandler. Much of the general requirements are the same as for the hydraulic or the mechanical versions. Whereas the pallet forks are the most common form of attachment, the pick up hitch can be a very useful one to have on site as well. One point of note however is to make sure the hitch is suitable for different wheel sizes and also that it can fit various different models of the Telehandler.

Vertical Pick-Up Hitch:

Again, for this type of hitch, you should never have to leave the cabin. Some additional points of note are:

• The unit is designed for the forestry industry where 100% ground clearance is necessary so the hitch must be above the lowest point on the back of the tractor

• Have a look at the latching and locking system, it should be easy to use and to maintain

• The strength of the material of the hitch must be very strong

Supplier requirements:

When you're trying to locate the right supplier in the uk for your pick up hitch, there are a number of fundamental requirements in choosing the right one. Make sure to thoroughly investigate the supplier before you consider purchasing or renting from them. Sometimes, it might be worth paying that little bit extra for the peace of mind of a higher quality service.

Here's a check list of things to go through when approaching a potential supplier:

• What kind of support service is available to you should there be a malfunction or if you have an operational question

• Does the supplier have a range of spare parts available for the product you'd like to purchase

• What's the suppliers history like and how strong is the client base

• (optional extra) do they provide an engineering design service for custom built solutions