Originally Posted by
Edward Weber
With respect, this is just not as clear cut as you make it sound.
The term "standard" is interpreted rather loosely from one manufacturer to another.
In my experience, I've seen the distance between lift arms range about 2", anywhere from 26"-28". This is not a good fit for "everything" IMO While most implement "might" fit, what kind of fit is another story.
With a fixed width on a quick hitch, some implements may have too much side play (slop) for my liking.
With a Pat's type system I know I have the flexibility to make everything fit snugly without introducing any additional side play (lateral movement AKA slop), no matter what brand or width. YMMV