Negotiating for a New Holland

[Golfgar4]

Wouldn't suitcase weights work as well as wheel weights? They're a heck of a lot easier to take off on and off than wheel weights /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif!

 

[DVerbarg]

Suitcase weights are convenient but have the drawback of not being easily useable when a rear implement is being used. But then they also have the drawback of not being easily added and removed ...

Wish I had wheel weights when giving the FEL a real workout. Have a box on the back at the same time but would like a few hundred extra pounds to give the wheels more grip to avoid spinning. Besides situations like this the suitcase weights would be a good idea (maybe even that hunk of concrete that attaches to the 3pt that a few here on TBN shown in various threads)

 

[John_Mc]

Re: Suitcase vs wheel weights

Suitcase weights on the rear would certainly help the traction, and let you lift more with the FEL, but there are a couple of drawbacks:

1) As others noted, suitcase weights can get in the way of a rear implement. I like to keep my box blade handy when doing earthwork with the FEL. It beats having to go back and pick it up later. The box blade can act as some of the rear ballast, but in some situations, it isn't enough. A rear blade will probably not be enough weight to make full use of your FEL. Also, once you lower the blade, it's not acting as ballast anymore.
2) There was a thread here some time ago about the dangers of carrying around a lot of weight on your three point hitch. I believe if you are driving on rough ground, it can bouce the 3 pt around and eventually damage some internal parts (going from memory here, there are others who are much more knowledgable than I on this subject, and many people have good success with the "box o' cement" on the back.)

You could always try using an implement on the back as ballast, and then add wheel weights or fill the tires if your traction wasn't what it needed to be.