A quick hitch, also called a quick coupler, lets you swap buckets and attachments without knocking the pins out every time. There are three main types, and the difference between them is how they lock the attachment on: by hand, with a spring latch and a safety pin, or hydraulically from the cab. Here's how each one works, what HSE says about using them safely, and how to choose.
What Is a Quick Hitch?
A quick hitch pins to your excavator's dipper and link in place of a bucket, and stays there. It then picks up each attachment by the attachment's own pins: a hook takes the front pin and a locking mechanism holds the rear pin. Once it's fitted, swapping a digging bucket for a grading bucket or a ripper takes minutes.
Quick Hitch Types at a Glance
| Type | How it locks | Leave the cab to change? | Hydraulics | Our hitches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manual | Front pin hooked from the cab, rear pin inserted and locked by hand | Yes | None | Manual quick hitch, 1–8 tonnes |
| Semi-automatic | Spring latch locks the rear pin, then a safety pin is fitted by hand | Yes, to fit the safety pin | None | Springlock quick hitch, 2–8 tonnes |
| Hydraulic | Locks hydraulically from the cab, with locking that holds the attachment if pressure is lost | No, but you must still check it's locked | Supply to the hitch | Miller GTS, 1–6 tonnes; Miller Powerlatch, 6–27 tonnes |
Manual Quick Hitches
A manual hitch is the simplest and cheapest type. You hook the attachment's front pin from the cab and curl it in so the rear pin holes line up, then get out, slide the rear pin in and lock it. There's nothing hydraulic to fit or maintain, so it suits mini diggers that change attachments now and then. Our manual quick hitch fits 1 to 8 tonne excavators.
Semi-Automatic Quick Hitches
On a semi-automatic hitch, the rear pin locks for you. Our Springlock quick hitch uses a spring-loaded latch: hook the front pin, curl the attachment in and the latch closes on the rear pin. You then fit the safety pin by hand before you start work. It suits 2 to 8 tonne excavators and needs no hydraulics.
That safety pin matters. HSE's industry guidance on quick hitches records four deaths in the construction industry from December 2006, all involving semi-automatic quick hitches, and says the common theme through these fatal incidents was a missing retaining pin or bar. There have also been incidents with manual and automatic hitches. Fit the pin every time.
Hydraulic Quick Couplers
A hydraulic coupler opens and closes from the cab, so you can change attachments without getting out. It needs a hydraulic supply from your excavator: many machines come piped for a hitch, and if yours isn't, it will need an installation kit.
- Miller GTS, for 1 to 6 tonne excavators: low profile and lightweight to keep as much breakout force as possible. It complies with ISO 13031, the international safety standard for quick couplers on earth-moving machinery, and its locking holds the attachment if hydraulic pressure is lost.
- Miller Powerlatch, for 6 to 27 tonne excavators: a pin-grabber coupler with Miller's patented Automatic Blocking System, which stops the attachment being released by accident through a hydraulic failure or an operator error.
A hydraulic coupler still has to be checked. HSE's guidance says operators should be instructed not to use the machine unless they are satisfied that the quick hitch is secured in place.
What HSE Says About Quick Hitch Safety
HSE warns that "a quick hitch may still operate for some time without the retaining pin in place and then suddenly, without warning will swing open or fall completely off." If that happens while you're lifting over or near someone, the result is likely to be fatal. Its guidance includes these points:
- Have a system for checking the pin is in place before work starts and every time a different attachment is fitted.
- If you can't see the hitch from the cab, for example in poor weather, check it from the ground.
- Keep loose pins and clips attached to the hitch so they can't be lost, and paint the pins and the area around the pin holes so it's obvious where the pin goes.
- Never replace a pin with a large bolt, wire or anything else.
- Don't let anyone work below the bucket, for example ground workers in an excavation.
Before every job, crowd the attachment in, lift it clear of the ground and check it's locked on.
Check Site Rules Before You Buy
Some principal contractors set their own rules for quick hitches. Balfour Beatty, for example, prohibits manual and semi-automatic quick hitches on all its sites and only accepts fully automatic systems with a secondary locking arrangement. If you work on contractors' sites, check their plant requirements before you choose a hitch, and ask us for the locking details of the coupler you're considering.
Which Quick Hitch Should You Choose?
- Occasional changes on a mini digger: a manual quick hitch is the lowest-cost option.
- Regular changes on a 2 to 8 tonne machine with no hitch supply: the Springlock quick hitch saves lining up the rear pin by hand, as long as you fit the safety pin every time.
- Frequent changes, or sites with strict hitch rules: a hydraulic coupler, the Miller GTS for 1 to 6 tonnes or the Miller Powerlatch for 6 to 27 tonnes. Check its locking meets the site's requirements first.
Getting the Fit Right
A quick hitch has to fit your machine and every attachment you want to pick up. We'll need your excavator make, model and operating weight, the dipper pin and link pin diameters, pin centres and dipper width, and the pin diameters and pin centres of your buckets and attachments. Our guide on how to measure an excavator for a new bucket shows how to take them.
Any hitch moves the attachment a little further from the dipper, which costs some breakout force, and its weight comes off what your machine can lift. A low-profile, lightweight hitch keeps both to a minimum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a quick hitch the same as a quick coupler?
Yes. Quick hitch and quick coupler are two names for the same thing.
Do I still need to check a hydraulic coupler?
Yes. HSE's guidance says operators should be instructed not to use the machine unless they are satisfied the quick hitch is secured in place, whatever type it is.
Can I use a bolt instead of a lost safety pin?
No. HSE says ad-hoc replacements of pins with large bolts, wire or other substitutes should be forbidden in all circumstances. Get the correct pin before you use the hitch.
Will a quick hitch pick up all my buckets?
Only if the hitch suits each attachment's pin diameters and pin centres, which is why we ask for them. The Miller Powerlatch's pin-grabber design picks up a range of pin centres: see the Powerlatch specifications.
Ready to choose? Compare all our excavator quick hitches, or send us your machine details and we'll recommend the right one.
