Ballast Will upward force on bottom of ballast box damage 3pt?

   / Will upward force on bottom of ballast box damage 3pt? #1  

dirt ditch

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Was using the 790 yesterday to remove more tree limbs from the ice storm we had a while back. Several limbs are broke, but still attached to the trees 15 or more feet above the ground and just hanging there. I have been pulling them down by hooking a 20ft chain to the drawbar and a 4x4 block of wood between the chain and bottom of my JD ballast box. This worked slick until I tried a limb that was attached to the tree far better than it looked. When trying to pull the limb, the tractor spun the tires. Shifted up a couple of gears and with a very short run at it the tractor bucked, the tree shook, the limb stayed attached. The tractor bucking got me to thinking about the upward forces I was placing on my 3pt arms running the chain under the ballast box and up to the limb. I guess my ballast box weights 800lbs or more (it is loaded with500lbs of iron weights and X amount of railroad spikes). So, I was wondering what anyone else thought. Any suggestions?
 
   / Will upward force on bottom of ballast box damage 3pt? #2  
The 3pt. floats, i.e. you won't damage it by putting "upward force" on it. Be careful with that limbing method...
 
   / Will upward force on bottom of ballast box damage 3pt? #3  
The ballast box should be free to move up with the chain if it needs to.
 
   / Will upward force on bottom of ballast box damage 3pt?
  • Thread Starter
#4  
The ballast box was raised all the way, so if I lower it half way It should be OK. We do our best to be safe. These are 6 inch diameter limbs or less. I have some bigger limbs that I will not even try this way.
Thanks
 
   / Will upward force on bottom of ballast box damage 3pt? #5  
With what you are doing there are a lot of ways to get smacked upside the head! :eek:
 
   / Will upward force on bottom of ballast box damage 3pt? #6  
I know everybody is saying it is fine, but there is a limit. If you push it past the stops at the top, you can break it. I was up at the dealer and they were working on a 5425 that a guy was backing into a stump at the top of the 3pt range and it cracked the top of the case.

It might be fine, but if it goes wrong - could be ugly expensive.

D.
 
   / Will upward force on bottom of ballast box damage 3pt? #7  
I AGREE WITH DDIVINIA A COUPLE YEARS BACK I WAS PUSHING A TRUCK ACROSS THE BARNYARD WITH MY BOX BLADE. I WENT THROUGH A DIP IN THE GROUND AND THE TRUCK FRAME GOT UNDER THE BOX BLADE, WHEN THIS TRIED TO LIFT THE TRACTOR IT PUSHED THE 3PT ARMS HIGHER THAN NORMAL. AFTER THAT MY CONTROL & DRAFT LEVERS DIDN'T WORK PROPERLY. THE 3PT WOULD JUMP UP & DOWN ERATICLY. AFTER REMOVING THE SEAT AND ROCKSHAFT/TRANSCOVER I COULD SEE THAT I BROKE A PIN THAT CONNECTS THE DRAFT CONTROL TO SOME INTERNAL HYDRAULIC VALVES.THE PART WAS NOT EXPENSIVE BUT IT TOOK SOME TIME TO DIAGNOIS AND FIX. SOOO BEEE CAREFUL. FRENCHIE
 
   / Will upward force on bottom of ballast box damage 3pt? #8  
If it is hit to hard, the stop can break. Then the dog bone rod gets cocked and busts the cylinder or cracks the housing. I don't think I would put to much upward pressure on it. I have seen to many busted lift assemblies.
 
   / Will upward force on bottom of ballast box damage 3pt? #9  
Well now.... this thread has got me thinkin' about backin' into a big snow pile with the back blade down!

I usually try to watch my speed and I typically lift the 3pt upward as the blade climbs the pile.

Might be better to just leave the 3pt at the down setting and allow the blade to push upward with the snow and the slope of the pile. 'Course need to move slowly and avoid pushing the arms up past the stop.

Good stuff here and keeps rechargin' my 'ol "common sense".

AKfish
 
   / Will upward force on bottom of ballast box damage 3pt?
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Well, I did not get to work on limbs Sunday (dang Super Bowl anyway :p ). Now armed with information from all the great members of this web site, and my original concerns I will remove the ballast box before pulling off any more limbs, then replace it when using the forks to remove them. Pulling off the small branches we could not quite do by hand did not bother me. The tractor did not even know they were there. Which just built up my confidence, so I was surprised when a somewhat larger limb did not come down, but I had the good sense to stop before tearing something up.
 
 
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