3 pt hitch conversion advice

I'm looking for advice/recommendations on converting my 1949 JD MT to a 3pt hitch. So far I've seen 2 conversions available at similar prices, both use a plate bolted in place of the belt drive for the toplink (have to dismount my belt drive) one uses the existing drawbar and liftlinks and bolts to that. The other involves removing the drawbar entirely. Both result in a fixed distance between the draft arms. Has anyone converted their MT's to a 3pt? If anyone is familiar with these 2 conversions and has an opinion or recommendation I would appreciate hearing from you.

I had one of those 3 point that bolted up to the drawbars and attached where the belt pulley goes. It was adequate for using a light weight blade. I never tried it with a brush hog or anything else. No way to level. I have also seen MT's converted using a 40 rear end this is better but more expensive. Russ

This the set up on "Rusty" our 51MT.

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We plan on attaching a Bush Hog ATF 720 finishing mower on this tractor.

We have one of the "flat" plate attachments on "Sparky" our 51M, but do not completely lift the mower with a top link.

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Many years ago I looked at an MT with a rotary cutter.

Since the Touch-O-Matic was not working, was not able to determine if the mower could be lifted off the ground.

Hope this helps and good luck with your 3pt set up.

I have an M that had a three point designed and
built by a local weld shop many years ago. (Not
sure if what I describe will work for an MT but it
might give you some ideas. Sorry I don't have
pictures; they are worth 1000 words...) It
involved removing the pulley like you describe for
the 3rd link bracket. After removing the factory
drawbar, they bolted plates to the inner sides of
the drop housings which have a heavy angle
(4x4x.25 I believe) welded between them with the
flats on the bottom and front. The lift arms and
stabilizers are then pinned to brackets welded to
this angle. They made links that bolt to the
rockshaft arms and connect to the lift arms using
turnbuckles like a regular hitch. The hitch is
then fully adjustable for leveling and for width.
It works well, looks clean, and nothing on the
tractor had to be permanently altered as it is all
bolt-on. A 4' bushhog and 5' tandem disk (around
500 lbs each) is about all it will lift, though.
Even if it had the hydraulics to lift more the
front end would be up in the air.

I built one for our M and completely removed the bottom draw bar assembly. I made two lower links that go all the way forward and attach where the draw bar did, with containment brackets that allow the to spread enough to hook up but not swing around too much. One side has a turnbuckle and the other side a chain. I made a top link bracket that allowed me to leave the pulley intact. At the time I had access to some very nice shop equipment which made this possible. I do not have a picture and the tractor is up at the cabin in the back corner of the shed, and I won't take in out until it dries up a lot, then maybe I could get some pictures. Good luck