Do I need counterbalance weights

[davidak]

I need a little helpful info.

I have a CK30HST with both a FEL and Backhoe attached.

My questions is do I need to but counterbalance weights on the back
of the tractor when I remove the backhoe and just want to use the FEL.

And if I need weights where is a good place to get a set up for both front
and back of the tractor. I live in Washington State.

Thanks fro your time and any help anyone can give me on this subject

 

[LD1]

I need a little helpful info.

I have a CK30HST with both a FEL and Backhoe attached.

My questions is do I need to but counterbalance weights on the back
of the tractor when I remove the backhoe and just want to use the FEL.

And if I need weights where is a good place to get a set up for both front
and back of the tractor. I live in Washington State.

Thanks fro your time and any help anyone can give me on this subject

Short answer is yes.

You shouldnt need front weights though. The FEL is sufficent and required for proper backhoe use. In otherwords, their is no reason you should operate the backhoe without the FEL. The fel is used to raise the front wheels orr the ground and stabilize that end of the tractor. kinda like the outriggers do in the back.

If you take the BH off, and still plan on using the FEL, weight out back is almost a MUST. First thing you can do is load the rears. It is sorta free weight that doesnt have to be carried by any part of the tractor. IE: it adds no weight to any part of the tractor like 3PH, axles, castings, etc. I would do this unless trailering is a concern and the added ~500-600lbs will put you over the ability to trailer the tractor.

On top of that, most of us here use either a weight box on the 3PH (wether homemade or purchased) or a heavy implement like a bushhog, boxblade, or tiller. Rarley do people use wheel weights on a CUT. Because even with them, weight is still required out back for heavy FEL work. Because while weights and loading tires may be sufficent to keep the rears on the ground, they do nothing to "unload" or take weight off the front axle. So overloading the front axle becomes the main concern.

So basically, load the rear tires for starters. And when you take the BH off, throw on your heaviest implement and you should be good to go.

 

[greg_g]

I'm in the process of buying a new John Deere 3720 w/loader, same approximate size category as your CK30. I opted for a ballast box instead of filling the tires. Main reason is that the liquid ballast is essentially permanent, and that I don't want tire grooves worn into my pasture roads and woodlot tracks. JD sells several sizes, the one I got will hold 910# of sand (more, if you use concrete) - and cost only $210. For another $100 you can add an extension for additional capacity. Anyway, I need only mount it on the three point hitch when I'm doing loader work, dismount - and park it when I'm not.

//greg//

 

[easygo]

+1 on what LD1 said.

If you use the loader without the backhoe attached to the tractor you will very quickly find out why you need the weight on the hitch. You will have no traction in the rear and in some cases one or both rear wheels could lift off the ground. I would guess that you will need about 700-800 lbs of ballast on the rear. The cheapest way to achieve this is to buy a draw-bar ($30) and install it in a 30 gallon garbage can or box of any kind. Make an attachment point for the top link and fill the thing with concrete. There are a great number of posts here about different solutions, ideas regarding rear ballast. If you have no time or desire to build such thing a ballast box can be had from any dealer for around $200-300.

Here are a couple of threads just to get you started.

www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/11266-rear-weight-box-real-cheap.html

www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/38561-multi-purpose-rear-ballast-project.html

 

[davidak]

Adding weight is kind of what I thought.

Thanks for the info and help.

 

[RHP]

There is a concrete company in Mount Vernon that makes 3pt. hitch counterweights in different sizes. I have one of their counterweights, and if I remember correctly, it was reasonably priced. I forget their name, but a call to Brim tractor could probably send you in the right direction. Stop by and see mine if you'd like to- I'm in the phone book.

 

[Ken45101]

My B21 manual clearly states that if I remove the backhoe, it needs to have replacement weight added to the rear.

Ken

 

[Redbug]

Why not just use your box blade as your weight? Maybe add a few add on weights onto that to make it heavier.

 

[TripleR]

I'm in the process of buying a new John Deere 3720 w/loader, same approximate size category as your CK30. I opted for a ballast box instead of filling the tires. Main reason is that the liquid ballast is essentially permanent, and that I don't want tire grooves worn into my pasture roads and woodlot tracks. JD sells several sizes, the one I got will hold 910# of sand (more, if you use concrete) - and cost only $210. For another $100 you can add an extension for additional capacity. Anyway, I need only mount it on the three point hitch when I'm doing loader work, dismount - and park it when I'm not.

//greg//

Rarely will liquid in the tires be sufficient and you would still need additional weight. We put fluid in our tires, but still put a counter weight for maximum utility. We can park our tractors when it is muddy, so ruts aren't a problem.

 

[greg_g]

Rarely will liquid in the tires be sufficient and you would still need additional weight. We put fluid in our tires, but still put a counter weight for maximum utility. We can park our tractors when it is muddy, so ruts aren't a problem.

Yeah, but there's nothing much you can do about gates. You have to go through them, muddy or not. I had a neighbor with loaded tires, and he wore some serious ruts accessing and egressing his field/farm gates. So bad in fact, that I got my4wd ATV and 4wd Jeep stuck on his property more than once. High centered in tractor ruts every time.

//greg//