Let's see some homemade 3 point ballast!

[WranglerX]

Ok, 8 cubic feet. My math was correct when I formed my box, along with the weight. It's just that I typed in the wrong figure (4) in my original comment on this thread. Does that suit you now?

Easy big fellow.... Only wanted to point out the error...

Dale

 

[destroyaYO]

Why are these needed?

 

[WranglerX]

Why are these needed?

With some tractors specially with hydrostatic drive the brakes are in board in transaxle, if you have a lot of weight in front end loader and the balance is offset making rear of tractor light you lose braking capacity and on a slope you may be out of control.... IF you are in 4WD you have some front braking but then front wheels tend to be pivot point and tractor will try to flip you out over hood....

Manual for my front end loader states you add the weight of load in bucket (max like 850 pounds) to tractor weight plus ballast weight and operator weight, and at least 25% of that weight needs to be on rear tires for safety reasons...



THis is a scan from my Massey Ferguson DL95 FEL manual... It explains it better than my writings...

Dale

 

[aczlan]

I painted mine yellow because every year some of my loader works involves being on a secondary public road and I want high viability for my tail other than just a SMV emblem.

I would add a adhesive SMV emblem to it, looks like you should have room above the receiver.

Aaron Z

 

[Oldoak]

I would add a adhesive SMV emblem to it, looks like you should have room above the receiver.

Aaron Z

Great idea too, along with SplitHoof's suggestion about adding a lightbar to the trailer hitch. I am just getting started.

I had that in mind, but it has been so rainy, damp and dreary, I really wanted the paint to thoroughly cure on the concrete block and a few sunny days with low humidity before trying to stick the adhesive SMV emblem to it. It's been tough weather pattern this Summer.

 

[newbury]

Why are these needed?

I use rear ballast for traction and to keep my rear wheels on the ground when I have a load of gravel in the bucket. And I put ballast in the bucket when I've my backhoe on the rear.

 

[SplitHoof]

Why are these needed?

Reasons for ballast:

1) To stop soiling the seat when using the grapple
2) Better than fluid in your rear tires because it moves the fulcrum point of your tractor toward the rear to prevent undo stress on front axle
3) To safely get full use out of your FEL
4) It’s a safe, inexpensive and quick way to add compact weight to your tractor for traction

Those are just a few reasons that I have noted since building mine. You can use less weight if it’s sticking out away from the back of the tractor to move your pivot point towards the rear axle. If the weight is up close to the rear axle, I don’t think you get all the benefit for fel work.

Well worth the effort to put one together for yourself!

 

[DavidL61]

Finished the ballast. 11 80lb bags of cement. I should have mounted the receiver a little lower, but it will do.

 

[SplitHoof]

How does your tractor feel with it? Especially since it’s not so close to the rear. I prefer it that way just curious what you have noticed so far with FEL use.

 

[aeblank]

Using cad, mine calcs out to 1164lbs.
Yours would be 880, plus some steel and the barrel, so maybe 900...

I wonder why mine is so much more. I guess the dimensions of a steel barrel are that much more? Surprising...

Anyway, good job. Looks just like mine, and I sure like it. I've borrowed the drawbar off of it a couple different times.

 

[aczlan]

Here are a couple of the one that I made the other week.
We had someone here pouring a floor in the barn, so I had to bring a little extra to put in the barrel.
Not sure what it weighs, it's a 35 gallon plastic barrel with a removable lit. It has a handful of disc brake rotors (4?) and some steel framework in it.
It also has a full set of worn out tines from a 60 inch Kubota rototiller .
I left a little bit of space at the top for chain storage, there is a 2in receiver at the bottom and I may put some grommet mount lights in the top.
Its purpose is to either be on the back of the B7500, or on the front of the L3830 if we need extra weight up there (such as when moving round bales).







Aaron Z

 

[CalG]

Winter is coming.
I fitted up the front mount snow blower (BX3750D) on the B7200. It's been a project getting up the subframe and pto drive.
New shear bolts for both auger and fan today. The old ones were bent and a BY^^ tch to get out.

The area to be cleared is tight around back. I'm thinking of taking off the three point lower lift arms and hanging weight off the draw bar.
I did this for the Bolens using a length of PTO shaft with a bolt welded to one end. The foot long piece of shafting fit in the place of a trailer ball and sticks straight up. A stack of exercise weights slides down over the shafting. Neat and tidy, close in to the back of the tractor. Hardly out past the wheels. I can get about 150 # on this way without difficulty. That's enough to provide meaningful traction, and offset the blower weight out front. (Might have added #400 to the rear axle if my eyeball math is right.) But I could like more "tonnage" .-0)
It's always a trade off. Easy and simple, or "better" but more difficult. I should find more of the "big" weights. I could hit the gym!

Hmm I've got three "suitcase" weights that won't be needed with the blower out there. Maybe a bit of fabrication is in order... ;-)

 

[DavidL61]

How does your tractor feel with it? Especially since itç—´ not so close to the rear. I prefer it that way just curious what you have noticed so far with FEL use.

Just installed it last night and haven't used it with the FEL yet. The ride seems more solid with the ballast on. The ballast is to replace the weight of the back hoe that I took off. I'll let you know how it works out with the FEL.

 

[Johnv656]

Here ya go. 1600+ pounds


View attachment 555805

What are the dimensions on that block if I may ask?

 

[aeblank]

What are the dimensions on that block if I may ask?

Gotta be lots of steel in that to be 1600lb... I have a 55gal drum and solidworks tells me that it's like 1200 or so..

 

[cat fever]

What are the dimensions on that block if I may ask?

If you look at post #26 you will find all the answers.:thumbsup:

 

[dennis103]

I had this on 3 tractors now. 21HP New holland, 4310 John Deere and now a Gr L6060. I keep adding weight and paint. Not sure how heavy it is, the center is filled with old wheel weights. The wings are so I can pick it up with my forks.

 

[Mustangjames]

Home built for my subcompact. 500lbs of sand

 

[Tony H]

Nice. How did you keep the chainsaw sheath from compressing with the concrete?

 

[Tony H]

I do like the relaxed hydraulic idea that Lynn has. May drop down legs in case of emergency.