Ballast - Any merit in this idea?

[kenlip]

Or, line up a stack of the rotors and stuff a tube down the middle of them...

Aaron Z

Thanks, Aaron.

The block, in its current design, is 41"W x 17"D x 25"H. This allows for three stacks of rotors, as per the attached drawings. I can't fit in three full-height stacks because the bars inside the block would be in the way, but I can fit in quite a few.

I can't fit a tube through the centre rotors, because the upper link components will be in the way.

If I space the lower bars at CAT-1 (26") they will coincide with the holes in the rotors.

I could go to CAT-2 spread (32") which would allow the tubes to pass through the centres of the rotors. If the block is 41" wide, that would leave only 4.5" ((41-32) / 2) of concrete on the outside of the bars. Is that enough?

The rotors will take up a lot of the volume of the block, which means there is less concrete. I was thinking that the concrete in the rotor holes might be necessary for adequate strength of the block. Am I being too worried about the volume/strength of the concrete?

Ken

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Gosh I'd think 4.5" would be more than enough. The volume taken up by the rotors might require some rebar gymnastics to tie everything together though.

 

[kenlip]

Re: Ballast - Any merit in this idea? (Here is what i did)

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/327912-custom-3-point-attachment-2-a.html?highlight=

The CW stays on the tractor 90% of the time. Only time it comes off is for PTO work and specialized usage.

It is filled with so much steel bars I have painted the concrete to slow the rust bleed.

If yours is a CAT 2 hitch, you could probably do the same and get at least +450 kg block to fit in a Quick hitch.

My tractor is CAT-2. I was planning on around 800kg for the CW. Would one leave this on the tractor 90% of the time, or would that be too much weight? The only attachments I have at the moment (and probably for quite a while in the future) are the FEL with bucket and forks. The other use for the tractor is to bring the trailer up to the top of the property, because my car can't handle the trailer up the steep hills on the property, that run from the public road to the top of the hill.

Ken

 

[kenlip]

Folks,

Another option for me is to leave out some or all of the rotors.

According to my calculations, the anticipated weights are approximately 830kg/1,820lb with the rotors or 680kg/1,500lb using concrete only.

Perhaps, for the extra 300lbs, it is not worth the hassle of trying to fit in as many rotors as possible.

Your thoughts?

Ken

 

[WranglerX]

Quick Hitch "standards"....




Also 1 cubic foot of concrete weighs approximately 150 pounds...

Dale