Counterweight

[GaryM]

Having a new JD4100 with FEL, and not wanting to pay JD $200 for their metal box, a different solution was needed. I had read several posts about making your own weight and thought that there were excellant ideas.

Here's my version:
A Rubbermaid 22 Gal. storage tub, some 7/8 steel rod and some 3/16 plate. Also 4 eighty pound sacks of Quickcrete. It weighs about 360#. Heavier would be better, I think, but I couldn't find a bigger tub to use as a mold.

I love the tractor even though I only have 12 hours on it.

 

[Golfgar4]

That's a nice job! What did it cost in the end? Did you have any problem getting the tub off the concrete, or did you have it coated with something before you filled it?

 

[JonLeonard]

Excellent solution. To my newbie way of thinking anyway /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Alot cheaper than building a wooden box as a form too.

Jon

 

[Inspector507]

Jon,
But the box could be built to whatever size you wanted

 

[GaryM]

Yes, the box could be bigger, or I could have hunted for a larger tub. Lowe's had a spot on the shelf for a 31 Gal. tub, but none were in sight. I figured 360# would be good for now. I wonder how much concrete the JD ballest box holds. I only spent$3.47 for the tub. No release agent was needed. Just slit the plastic with a utility knife and peel it off.

I should have made the top link attaching point higher. If I raise the 3P too high I can bend the top link. I know that's the case because I did it already! Now has a nice curve in the middle.

 

[beenthere]

Does that mean you now have to add the cost of the top link to the total cost? At least you have a dedicated top link for your ballast weight now.

 

[rf33]

Was the small notch in the concrete at the front of the counterweight in the design specs, or is that a result of the reshaping of the top link? I think that with an angle grinder or an abrasive saw blade, you could probably get rid of that "feature". Just not raising the thing up all the way would probably be OK, but if you are anything like me, you will probably forget sometime again, and then you might just have two dedicated counterweight top links.../w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif

 

[mbsil]

Re: The notch in the front...

Before putting the cement in the tub, screw a small piece of wood block to the inside of the tub in front of the top link.

When the cement is dried and the plastic tub removed, you will have a nice notch in the cement where the block was.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

If the rod and top bracket is located closer to one side, rather than in the middle of the concrete block, then a notch is not needed for top link clearance.

http://www.mgsweb.com/tractor/hacker/trweight.htm

Andy.

 

[Ozarker]

Looks like about 12" from the top attaching point to the front edge of the weight. Just weld two new straps to the old ones and position the attaching point at the front edge of the weight.

If I can figure out how to post it, I did a modification of your picture to show what I mean.