50 gallon barrel for 3-point ballast (400 lbs)

[Sodo]

Good thinking design. You could also get a replacement second barrel with a lid on it, put a spout near the bottom and use to water tree seedlings or whatever. I did a few like that for my bucket loader and they are very handy.

Good suggestion, maybe just a siphon hose until I find another barrel. Can just set it by the tree and it gets a slow 55 gallons. Maybe just drill a hole and construct a small "expanding plug".

it's scary ... same faded paint on the loader cylinders, rims, and ROPS ... also looks to have similar issues with the finish on the loader joystick. I take it yours has been stored some outside ? Has the seat covering begun to crack yet ?
I'm closing in on 1700 hours ... mine are still the originals.

Scary - that a tractors main purpose is to serve the owner (not the other way around)? :laughing:
I bought mine at 900 hrs, faded, seat cracked, but its stored inside now. Had a hard time finding anything else, nothing any good to be found anywhere.

 

[rswyan]

Scary - that a tractors main purpose is to serve the owner (not the other way around)? :laughing:

Nah ... just that there are certain things that are common to both that haven't held up all that well. Admittedly, it's mostly cosmetics

Ours was bought new ... but it's been (well) used ... and it hasn't led a pampered life - but it does get maintained. Still sleeps under the stars most nights ... but that will probably change later this year, as I get further along on the barn.

I bought mine at 900 hrs, faded, seat cracked, but its stored inside now. Had a hard time finding anything else, nothing any good to be found anywhere.

They're good little tractors (IMO) ... assuming it was PM'ed regularly before you got it, it should serve you well for many hours/years to come.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Your 2910 is pretty close to my B3300 in size. My barrel is about 800 lbs and none too heavy. Did you go with water just for the reason that you can "make the 400 lbs go away" and 400 is all that fits in the barrel or because you feel that's all you need/want for weight? Like just about every other attachment that we use, either unhook somewhere out of the way or unhook on a pallet and move it with forks.

 

[Sodo]

I went with the barrel because:

1) I have it
2) easy to make it "go away" (move it without starting the tractor.)

and now, I have a way to transport 55gals of water too.

On the weight, (55gals water = 445 lbs) in what I do, gut feel is 400 is about the minimum and I'd prefer heavier. I know what zero on the rear is like, and 400lbs on the rear is better, but not enough to be "comfortable". I'd like 600 or 800 lbs. Filling my rear wheels, especially if theres a good way to do it (washer fluid?) may be the ticket. As I said before, not planning to go the "foam filled" $1000 route this time. $100 might be OK.

Anyone have a short synopsis of why washer fluid chosen ( good or bad? )

 

[rswyan]

Your 2910 is pretty close to my B3300 in size.

I assume you're talking to the OP (because of the references to a barrel quoted below) ... he actually has a 2710 ...

My barrel is about 800 lbs and none too heavy. Did you go with water just for the reason that you can "make the 400 lbs go away" and 400 is all that fits in the barrel or because you feel that's all you need/want for weight? Like just about every other attachment that we use, either unhook somewhere out of the way or unhook on a pallet and move it with forks.

I'd agree ... if I want the weight to "go away" then I'd just unhook ... a lot less time consuming than emptying (and then having to refill) a barrel.

Having a Quick Hitch on the 3PH, and having the ballast block set up to fit it, does make the unhook/hook go a little faster tho':

 

[Sodo]

RS I like your standpipes, effective to prevent sloshing! :laughing:

My water barrel remains full (especially if frozen). Pretty easy to unhook the 3-pt. attachment although not as easy as a quick hitch. Also I can unhook from the 2" receiver hitch.

445 lbs barrel + 30 + 15 of attchmts is about 500 lbs

OK let me revise what I wrote above. Tractor wheelbase is 65", and the CG of the ballast is 42" behind the rear wheels. This comes out to be (65/42*500=) 774 lbs ballast weight transferred to the rear wheels (some removed from the front) - so maybe I'm OK with 55 gals of water (full to the top of course) !

 

[rswyan]

RS I like your standpipes, effective to prevent sloshing! :laughing:

Yeah ... the 'crete moves kinda slow ... especially compared to water ...

My water barrel remains full (especially if frozen). Pretty easy to unhook the 3-pt. attachment although not as easy as a quick hitch. Also I can unhook from the 2" receiver hitch. I suppose 445 lbs barrel + 30 + 15 of attchmts is about 500 lbs, which comes out to be 600+ on the wheels so maybe I'm OK.

After shimming the PRV on my loader, I was able to (easily) pick up that ballast block with the forks on the loader and move it ... with only the box blade (around 500 - 600 lbs) as a counterweight on the rear ...

So yeah, for most stuff, you're probably fine ...

Still, like CDN Farm Boy states, for some stuff 800 lbs is none too heavy.

 

[MossRoad]

Windshield washer fluid won't freeze and shouldn't corrode your rims and is probably environmentally safer VS calcium chloride (salt water) that farmers used to use because it was heavy and wouldn't freeze, but it can corrode your rims and if it leaks out in one spot that spot is probably never going to grow anything ever again, as salt can't evaporate.

Check out Rim Guard as one possible alternative.
Rim Guard - Liquid Tire Ballast Product Information

 

[MossRoad]

RS I like your standpipes, effective to prevent sloshing! :laughing:

My water barrel remains full (especially if frozen). Pretty easy to unhook the 3-pt. attachment although not as easy as a quick hitch. Also I can unhook from the 2" receiver hitch.

445 lbs barrel + 30 + 15 of attchmts is about 500 lbs

OK let me revise what I wrote above. Tractor wheelbase is 65", and the CG of the ballast is 42" behind the rear wheels. This comes out to be (65/42*500=) 774 lbs ballast weight transferred to the rear wheels (some removed from the front) - so maybe I'm OK with 55 gals of water (full to the top of course) !

Don't forget that by transferring weight from the front to the rear you are lessening the effectiveness of the front wheel drive.... as with all things, there are trade-offs.

 

[Oldironken]

If you want more weight than the 445 lbs using just water gives, you could throw some heavy rocks or scrap iron in the bottom. Something that weighs more than a gallon of water but takes up less space. For my BX i use an old garbage can and 320 lbs of concrete, if i need more weight i'll throw some 60 lb sandbags on top