sixdogs
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- Dec 8, 2007
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- Kubota M7040, Kubota MX5100, Deere 790 TLB, Farmall Super C
Using barbells to make implement weight brackets----with photos
The problem was that I needed weight on the front tongue of an implement that I transported. It is heavy--4,000 lbs-- in the back and fish-tails. Last year I strapped on two 55 lb or one 100 lb front end weights but they slid around and were a hassle to remove at my destination and more grief to put them back on. Even 55 lbs is heavy for me now.
So I stumbled onto a set of barbells with lots of weights---for $20!-- at a thrift shop and made a weight bracket that can hold the weight and is easy to add or remove whatever I want. It came out well enough that I'm going to make brackets for a couple other things I have. Plus, anyone could easily use this simple method for front end weights or maybe even small wheel weights if you had the holes centered.
I cut 11" off each end of the barbell and had a local shop punch a 1" hole in the center of a 5" x 7" x 1/2" plate to receive it. They also punched some u-bolt holes. I welded the stub a little shallow in the hole so it laid flat and put a little weld around the top of the plate as well.
After the plate is on, a round adapter plate (photo) goes on to keep the weights flat but it also spaces up for U-bolt clearance. Then you slide the weights on and use the locking tube with the small hand screw. I haven't used it yet but am confident it will work well. The 25 lb weights are easy to lift and the setup is simple to add more or remove at my destination. I also have 10 lb and even 3 lb weights but four 25 lb weights does the trick for me..
This is not difficult and is an easy and fool proof way to add weight and put it where you want it. It's not the quality or creativity of a 4shorts job but it works for me and was a cheap fix to a difficult problem. FYI.
The problem was that I needed weight on the front tongue of an implement that I transported. It is heavy--4,000 lbs-- in the back and fish-tails. Last year I strapped on two 55 lb or one 100 lb front end weights but they slid around and were a hassle to remove at my destination and more grief to put them back on. Even 55 lbs is heavy for me now.
So I stumbled onto a set of barbells with lots of weights---for $20!-- at a thrift shop and made a weight bracket that can hold the weight and is easy to add or remove whatever I want. It came out well enough that I'm going to make brackets for a couple other things I have. Plus, anyone could easily use this simple method for front end weights or maybe even small wheel weights if you had the holes centered.
I cut 11" off each end of the barbell and had a local shop punch a 1" hole in the center of a 5" x 7" x 1/2" plate to receive it. They also punched some u-bolt holes. I welded the stub a little shallow in the hole so it laid flat and put a little weld around the top of the plate as well.
After the plate is on, a round adapter plate (photo) goes on to keep the weights flat but it also spaces up for U-bolt clearance. Then you slide the weights on and use the locking tube with the small hand screw. I haven't used it yet but am confident it will work well. The 25 lb weights are easy to lift and the setup is simple to add more or remove at my destination. I also have 10 lb and even 3 lb weights but four 25 lb weights does the trick for me..
This is not difficult and is an easy and fool proof way to add weight and put it where you want it. It's not the quality or creativity of a 4shorts job but it works for me and was a cheap fix to a difficult problem. FYI.
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