Weight box or rear blade?

   / Weight box or rear blade? #1  

wetstuff

Silver Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
151
Location
Salisbury, Maryland
Tractor
J-D 1070, Furgeson F-40
I could have attached this ? to my plow mount post, but thought it general enough to open a new inquiry.

Without chains ..running front/back Turf tires.. would it generally be better to add weight when pushing snow or add the scraper blade on the back.

The J-D weight box is full of concrete - weight unknown? ...the blade has some weight to it itself, eh?

I am sure many of you have already dealt with this. This is my first opportunity. Thanks.

Jim
 
   / Weight box or rear blade? #2  
For me, the answer would be how useful the blade will be vs. the compactness of the ballast box.

That blade can restrict movement but can be handy to gather snow.

I suggest you decide how one or the other works for you. Hopefully you will get enough chances to try them both out. :D
 
   / Weight box or rear blade? #3  
I could have attached this ? to my plow mount post, but thought it general enough to open a new inquiry.

Without chains ..running front/back Turf tires.. would it generally be better to add weight when pushing snow or add the scraper blade on the back.

The J-D weight box is full of concrete - weight unknown? ...the blade has some weight to it itself, eh?

I am sure many of you have already dealt with this. This is my first opportunity. Thanks.

Jim

I have a 4210 with the factory FEL and a 72 inch Frontier RB, tractor has FWD but no tire loading, turfs, I never use chains. Concrete weighs about 120 pounds per cubic foot, not sure how big your weight box is or how full though. My RB weighs about 280 pounds, hangs off the 3 point a lot further than a weight box would. I use the RB for about 80 percent of the snow removal I do. our 700 foot driveway and five of my neighbors driveways, prefer to push snow off at an angle rather than scoop and dump with the FEL.

A weight box is useless for moving snow except as a traction assist, the blade will be a much bigger aid than just weight in the back. Hope this helps.
 
   / Weight box or rear blade? #4  
Should have included this pic with my reply, sorry...
 

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   / Weight box or rear blade?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks JDG .. the box is about 7cuft - topped off with concrete, so about 800lbs. The blade I have is probably 200+- ..but the lever arm should increase its effective weight on the rear axle. The tires are reportedly filled with calcium. Yatta-Yatta...

I was trying to make a mental calculation of which may be more valuable in time-of-war: added traction or added scraping.. All speculation 'till the white stuff piles up.

We missed a small Nor'Easter this past weekend and XmasDay appears to be bringing rain/snow.. so who knows? Last year I had Ferguson with balding tires and a back blade; this year an Abrams Tank by comparison. Maybe it will scare the storms away.

Cheers all - have safe holidays.

Jim
 
   / Weight box or rear blade? #6  
I would use the back blade or box blade and put weighs on the blade. Best of both worlds. I have enough weight added to my box blade so that the whole thing weighs about 1100lbs.
Marshall
 
   / Weight box or rear blade? #7  
Hi folks:

I have a 2305 with FEL and 60" 3PH RB. Using both implements I clear snow AT LEAST twice as fast going forward and reverse. When I need to carry almost a yard of wet snow I'm sure loaded rear tires and the i-match help.

-Bill
 
   / Weight box or rear blade? #8  
Thanks JDG .. the box is about 7cuft - topped off with concrete, so about 800lbs. The blade I have is probably 200+- ..but the lever arm should increase its effective weight on the rear axle. The tires are reportedly filled with calcium. Yatta-Yatta...

I was trying to make a mental calculation of which may be more valuable in time-of-war: added traction or added scraping.. All speculation 'till the white stuff piles up.

We missed a small Nor'Easter this past weekend and XmasDay appears to be bringing rain/snow.. so who knows? Last year I had Ferguson with balding tires and a back blade; this year an Abrams Tank by comparison. Maybe it will scare the storms away.

Cheers all - have safe holidays.

Jim

My tractor has a smaller engine than most of the mid-size 4000-Ten series so the only time I lose traction is when I am going forward and scraping snow with the RB and the wet stuff builds up enough to cause drag and ceases forward motion. Don't laugh at this idea, but the cheapest. most effective way to add weight to an implement is to go to a thrift store like Goodwill and buy used circular barbell weights, either all metal or plastic coated type. They usually sell for about 20 cents a pound and are easy to mount and stack. To mount them I use half inch carriage bolts run thru a section of grey PVC EMT pipe that fits the center hole of most weights.
 
   / Weight box or rear blade?
  • Thread Starter
#9  
JFG.. "Don't laugh at this.." You kidding; that's brilliant; ready made, easy on the hands and prep'd for mounting. Cool.

jim
 
   / Weight box or rear blade? #10  
I see it this way....When you have light snows, 4 or 5 inches, by all means... use the blade to clear the snow.

When you need to move a lot of snow, 6+ inches, and when you have to pile up and move it back....by all means, use the weight box.

I love me some ballast in a box. And the tractor does, too.:thumbsup:

The ballast box is one of my favorite attachments because when I got it on I am doing some heavy work, for one. And, it increases the performance of the tractor soo much that it impresses me.:thumbsup:
 
 
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