Cheap Wheel Weights

Iplayfarmer · Mar 9, 2006

Anyone have any ideas for some cheap wheel weight? I can get the OEM weights for my Iseki, but they're not cheap to begin with, and they've got to cost a fortune to ship.

I've filled my box blade with snow all winter without much of a problem, but now that I'm trying to grade dirt and gravel I lose traction whenever I let the blade down.

I'd kind of like something removable, so I want something other than liquid in the tires.

Soundguy · Mar 9, 2006

Make some forms outta cardboard.. cast them with concrete and a piece o' rebar for strength.. add some long carriage bolts with the heads burried deep in the mix, but sticking out, to bolt up to your rims... leave room for lugnuts if on the outside.. or turning radious if on instde fronts..

Cast concrete weights were more common in the 'old' farming days. i know of at least one tractor ( steam? oil fired?).. that was designed to have a cast concrete ring in the rear wheels for weight.. etc... it was in an issue of farm collector.. or antique power.. big sucker..

Soundguy

JerryG · Mar 10, 2006

Here is what I did and it was a lot cheaper than OEM.

HGM · Mar 10, 2006

( Make some forms outta cardboard.. cast them with concrete and a piece o' rebar for strength.. add some long carriage bolts with the heads burried deep in the mix, but sticking out, to bolt up to your rims... leave room for lugnuts if on the outside.. or turning radious if on instde fronts..

Cast concrete weights were more common in the 'old' farming days. i know of at least one tractor ( steam? oil fired?).. that was designed to have a cast concrete ring in the rear wheels for weight.. etc... it was in an issue of farm collector.. or antique power.. big sucker..

Soundguy )

Good suggestion Chris... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifI like it and will look into it for my YM2000... What do you think, 100# per side? You mentioned inside the front tires, why not outside /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif?

Bedlam · Mar 10, 2006

I tried to find the previous post Where someone took the wheel off and laid it flat on the ground,placing plastic in it, to make a "form" that contoured to the wheel. Then as the other poster said use bolts through it to make it removable. Then pour concrete into the form and let sit till hard.I haven't used this method, but like it. Seems like it would be a tight fit
Hope this helps.
Al

scott_vt · Mar 10, 2006

Mornin Jerry,
Just curious how much your weights ended up being? I remember the picture just not what they weighed /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

scotty

JerryG · Mar 10, 2006

I have 200 lbs. on each side for 400 lbs. total. It all cost about $350 with the plates. When I needed them, I didn't have a welder at the time so had to have someone else make the attachment plates which ran the cost up.

Iplayfarmer · Mar 10, 2006

I'm liking the concrete idea. Especially the part about using the wheel as a form. My only concern is that I'd end up with the concrete as a permanent fixture on the wheel.

So how much does concrete weigh and how much weight should I put on the rear tires? It's a little 18hp tractor that currently weighs in under a ton with FEL and tiller.

Soundguy · Mar 12, 2006

( What do you think, 100# per side? )

100 in the front is fine.. twice that in the rear though.

( You mentioned inside the front tires, why not outside ? )

I actually referred to both.. as in.. leave room for the lugnuts if you mount it out.. or room to clear the spindles on the inside.

Lots of front weights are mounted to the inside, on the fronts.. ford s are like that. though many are ont e outside as well.. etc.

Soundguy

Bedlam · Mar 12, 2006

Let me add about the concrete wheel weights. The reason for the plastic between the wheel and the concrete, it to allow it to be removed. Its just a form barrier.You want to make some bolts or holes that you would use to "attach" it to the wheel afterwards. And as stated, also us a can of some sort to make a center . Allowing you access to the wheel lugs.Myself, If the lugs were tight, and you didnt make the inside hub, you shouldnt worry . You could alwasy take the concrete weights off to get the wheel off. Which you probably would want to do any way to reduce the weight of the wheels with removal.Perhaps using a piece of 1/2 pvc pipe or the like, to form the holes for the bolts would help.Ill try to find the previoius post about it and post it.
Allan