Ballast How to add Ballast with 3pt in use?

[Baby Grand]

A warning David: any time that you are applying enough lift on the loader to lift the rear wheels, DO NOT attempt to move the tractor/load. I was lifting a log that had buried branches that were unknowingly anchoring it. When I tried to back the load out, the rears lifted and the front drive exploded. In a split second, I broke a bunch of gears, bent both axle shafts, and even damaged some ball bearings. It was an expensive lesson in my tractor OJT. Doing my own labor, it cost me $2000.

When the rears come off the ground, that smaller front drive is doing all the effort. Compare the size differences between the front and rear axles and think what you are asking of that front drive when the rear drive leaves the ground.

Short Game has set me up nicely. This is a case when more weight on the implement is going to give you better results than more weight on the rear axle. As stated by Short Game, you want to get a lot of that weight off of your front axle to protect it from damage and to distribute the traction proportionally (say roughly 30% front 70% rear?). Adding weight to the rear axle will do nothing to help this. It will help you get more traction at the rear, but your front axle will be bearing just as much weight as before.

By adding weight to your implement, as far aft as you can reasonably place it, you will be lifting weight off the front axle and adding weight to the rear axle. If adding more weight to the stump grinder is not practical, then Roy Jackson's suggestion is another path that would help.

 

[RaydaKub]

The quick hitch would add more weight behind the wheels AND move the existing weight of the grinder a few inches back, thereby adding more leverage for the weight that is there already. But if it is still lifting, you'll need something else hanging on the rear end. This could be almost anything from a ballast box, box blade, or even some chains wrapped around the grinder. You must need chains out there to do logging anyway, right?

 

[IndyIan]

When I get my box blade I am considering getting 2 sets of posts welded on and then stack sections of an old house radiator on top of them. Then I can add or take weight off easily for straight loader work. Maybe add something like this to your favorite 3pth implements?
You might also just have to watch what you are doing with the loader as they seem to be a bit overpowered if anything. Picking up anything really heavy and then shaking it, is going create alot of forces. Maybe next time just roll the stump around on the ground to get the dirt off?

 

[Short Game]

When I am doing the heavy FEL stuff, the box blade is my constant companion. It has a heavy winch on it and I also store extra chains at the rear of it. It helps greatly. But, that same box blade was on my 27HP Cub Cadet when I broke that front drive. I'm certain that the loader on my 41HP LS could not have come close to lifting the rear. Such is the difference in loader strength. The little CC was far superior in that department. I think that CC 417 loader was the same as a Woods 165. At any rate, even though the CC had heavy foamed tires, the box blade made it markedly more stable and way less tippy. I used that loader to dig out some pretty large trees. Always a tough job.

 

[JoeL4330]

The OP mentioned bogging down in the mud, already ...what kind of tires? More weight with current tires may make things worse. There are flotation tires that, well, float ...and chains which, well, dig in and "clean" better ...and the combination may work best. I have loaded Galaxy turfs and chains that work for me. And, sure, you can always add more weight and you can try and wait for drying out ...

 

[SSdoxie]

Adding more weight to the tractor tires would be failry permanent, make floating over the bogs more difficult. Adding a QH is not much weight and would require adding brackets or other weights to it.
How about getting suit case (hang on) type weights, weld some brackets on the stump grinder and hang them on there. That way you can remove when desired or rig them to another attachment.

That stump grinder doesn't weigh near enough for that tractor. Bobcat calls or 1110 Lbs. on 3 pt plus loaded tires for correct maximum ballast on the CT450 (DK50).

 

[Ford tractor]

I would get some heavy duty mud chains for the tires. That will add 150-200 pounds per tire and increase traction.

 

[bigbull338]

when i bought my new tractor the salesmen said the fel would be enough ballast when i had something heavy on the rear.such as shredding a disc mower or 3pt notill drill.an the dealer knows i never take the fel off.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

Roy is right, again. I do a fair amount of gravel work with my driveway. It is somewhat of a PITA but, when I am loading my bucket, I have the ballast box on.(roughly700lbs.) When I have all the gravel moved and "flattened out" by using the bucket in reverse, at that point I swap out the ballast box for the rear blade.

Tractors are not always problem solvers. I am strong believer in proper ballast. You are asking for trouble if you are not a "believer."

 

[murphy1244]

Yes, I am told Kioti does sell wheel weights, the dealer said cost is 600.00 thou.