Anyone built there own weight box for a three point?

[cook96cbra]

Here's mine. You can see it was/is pretty simple: Old 55 gallon drum cut in half, some scrap metal lying around to weld to a draw bar (the only thing I had to purchase other than the Quikrete).

Before adding the concrete I threw in old barbell weights that were lying around and some section of chain so I could pick it up and move it around with the front loader without too much trouble.

I like that. Simple and easy...

 

[MF RED in MT]

Here is the weight I just built. I was looking to get the center of gravity as far out back as I could so that when I use the FEL I'm getting weight off the front wheels rather than only adding weight to the back wheels which is the case with filling the rear tires.

I can just back the tractor up to it and the drawbar slides right onto the two pins in the front. I did it this way because I always have a rough time hooking the 3PT up to things (probably because I am a new tractor user) .

I designed it using Google Sketchup and I was shooting for 500 lbs (Quikrete is about 133 lbs per cu.ft.). One deviation from the plan is that for the top link piece I used some misc lift link I found at AgriSupply. I embedded it in the concrete and it works fine.

My biggest regret is that I lined the MDF form with plastic so the MDF wouldn't breakdown from the moisture in the wet concrete. I didn't realize that it was going to look so much like a wrinkled prune . Maybe I'll name it Yoda.

Thanks for the great weight box idea, :thumbsup:. I just purchased the redi-mix concrete and already have the steel and pins to cast into the concrete. I plan on using 3/4 inch plywood to frame the weight box, and will leave it attached after pouring the concrete. I am going to extend the top of the plywood about 10 inches and then add a plywood hinged top to store chains and straps, etc... KC

 

[Defective]

I plan on using 3/4 inch plywood to frame the weight box, and will leave it attached after pouring the concrete. I am going to extend the top of the plywood about 10 inches and then add a plywood hinged top to store chains and straps, etc... KC

Paint that plywood well with an alkyd (oil-based) paint before you build the form. Thin the paint heavily for the first two coats. Then a thick third coat. Once you've built the form, give it another coat.

You DON'T want that plywood to weather...

 

[JRP]

I went to a junk yard and got a block of iron about 8" x 8" x 30" long. This I drilled and tapped and bolted a 3" angle iron to, and made a bracket for the 3 pt.

Since then i filled my tires and no longer use the block. If you get near Bay city Texas I'dd sell the block for $40.

 

[MF RED in MT]

Paint that plywood well with an alkyd (oil-based) paint before you build the form. Thin the paint heavily for the first two coats. Then a thick third coat. Once you've built the form, give it another coat.

You DON'T want that plywood to weather...

Thanks for the tip, :thumbsup:. I am planning to coat the plywood with log oil on the inside and outside before pouring the concrete. It will be stored inside of the garage along with tractor and attachments when not in use, . KC

Also, I plan on drilling some holes in the plywood at the top of the concrete, so water can drain out of the storage area when I put wet chains and stuff back into the storage box area, :thumbsup:.

 

[SpringHollow]

I just took a metal drum, cut it to size so that it would fit between my 3 pt arms. Then i drilled a hole through the bottom the size of a metal rod for the bottom links. Placing the drum open end up, i inserted the solid metal bar, pounding it into the dirt the appropriate distance. Then i filled it with concrete and made sure the top end of the bar was centered while it dried. Simple and works great. You can roll it around to mount it or get it out of the way.

Ken

 

[Harvest Moon]

Cast iron radiator. 475 pounds with hardware. Combined with loaded tires, it does the trick for my L3400. It's great in tight spaces.

 

[Hozen]

I made mine from "stuff" I had laying around: two pieces of RR rail, 100#; remains of a 3-pt boom, fillled with lead, 75# (the rest of the boom went to my loader boom); two suitcase wts., 200#; & two old concrete wts., 220#. grnspot110

Wait, wait, wait... Do I spy two IH suitcase weights painted.... GREEN?!

 

[hawkeye08]

Cast iron radiator. 475 pounds with hardware. Combined with loaded tires, it does the trick for my L3400. It's great in tight spaces.

Hook some hoses up to that thing and make it look like a cooler for your hydraulics. Good conversation starter for city folk that want to comment on your tractor...:laughing:

 

[jcims]

Cast iron radiator. 475 pounds with hardware. Combined with loaded tires, it does the trick for my L3400. It's great in tight spaces.

Steampunk ballast!

 

[FredH]

Used a old 40 gallon galvanized water tank turned on its side for my 6' king kutter disk . Positioned it so 1 of the side holes was on top and other was near bottom , thus able to fill or drain , ( lose ) weight as needed .

40 gallons x 8 lbs. per gallon = 320 lbs + weight of tank + weight of 10" x 4" x 1/4" I Beam that it sat on .

Work's Great as I am able to simply adjust weight for differing moisture contents of soil during the season . Less weight in spring and early summer when soil is still pretty moist and keep adding as summer continues and soil dries out .

Fred H.

 

[bp fick]

These are great ideas. I have been garage sale shopping for work out weights to make a counter weight, but have struck out. I guess either no one up here lifts iron, or they all do and don't want to sell them.

I want something beside grabbing an implement.

 

[Don87]

These are great ideas. I have been garage sale shopping for work out weights to make a counter weight, but have struck out. I guess either no one up here lifts iron, or they all do and don't want to sell them.

I want something beside grabbing an implement.

The barrel idea is the cheapest, most readily available way, but lots of great ideas here to choose from..........pick your poison.
Edit: So far, (since I filled my tires with Rimguard) I haven't had to add the barrel to the back. Granted, I've only been moving dirt, but my machine is handling fine, and the front tires are not "squatting" on me.

 

[frwinks]

this simple drum set up has kept me out of a lot of trouble this summer:laughing::laughing:

10' boom carryin a 10x10 22' chunk of green hemlock...rubber side down

 

[Iowachild]

this simple drum set up has kept me out of a lot of trouble this summer:laughing::laughing:


10' boom carryin a 10x10 22' chunk of green hemlock...rubber side down

Any more pictures of the post and beam project?:cool2:

 

[frwinks]

sure do.. my build thread is well due for an update :ashamed:

 

[Spencer]

Here is a link to the one I built over six years ago. It's held up very well, not a single issue with it. If i had to do it over again I don't know what I would change. I've been very happy with it.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...-purpose-rear-ballast-project.html#post431888

There is quite few pictures I posted. It was nice to go back and read the thread again. Even nicer to see the comments from old friends.

 

[cook96cbra]

Resurrecting this thread because there's some good ideas here!

 

[chopped]

Resurrecting this thread because there's some good ideas here!

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[OZisKTB]

I added a cement cylinder to ride on my box blade as my weight box. My 3720 needs 1200# for safe operation with the 300CX loader. Too hard to find or make that big a box. My Frontier box is just over 500, and I filled a 12" Sonotube with rebar and concrete for an additional 400+ lbs. it has chains connected to the center rod that keep it on the BB. With the moment sitting on the back of the BB, I think I have enough counter weight. Seems to be working, will update in a few months.