Finally, a bigger bucket (just in time!)

[Molerj]

Mark,
What type of rear weight box do you have on your tractor. Did you buy it or build it?
I have a 955 & I am in need of some type of rear weight.

 

[Mark_in_NH]

Ron,
Check with your JD dealer. I just bought a John Deere ballast box (green) for about $179, maybe a little less after they run the nimbers for me. I will pick it and my landscape rake guage wheels tomarrow or Thursday.
I am sure that those guys that can weld, might be able to make there own cheaper, but I can't.
The JD box weighs 88 lbs empty. Full of Portland cement it weighs well over 1000 lbs. I am going to start with 800 lbs of lead ingots in mine. The box on Marks tractor looks like it could be the same thing I just bought. I felt it to be well worth the money. My local NH dealer wanted $279 for a similar box only a little bigger.
I figure that if I can't do it with a half a ton of counter weight, then I probably shouldn't be doing it to begin with.

 

[markinMn]

Ron, Mark has given you all the info on my ballast box. It is made by JD and I paid $182 for it. It is 24 1/4" wide, 22 1/4" high, and 16" deep. It works really well. One down side is when in 2-wheel drive, and driving on icy roads, Handling isn't very good. I was all over the road and had to slow down to a crawl. Don't know why but, maybe the front-end was too light? I've filled it with 3/4" washed rock (pea-rock).........................suppose you could build one easy enough if you have tools and materials.................good luck.................mark

 

[Mark_in_NH]

Mark,
What did you fill your box with and what do you figure your end weight is ? Maybe I will find that 800 to 1000 lbs in mine will be to much. On the other hand, with the lead weights I can add or remove some as needed, and they were FREE which makes them a bargin at twice the price.

 

[markinMn]

Sorry, Mark. I got ahead/behind myself. I would think it weighs between 700-800 lbs. Free is the best part! I think it is enough weight , acouple of times with full snow bucket and dug under old snow pile, the loader wouln,t lift; neither would the back of the tractor. Does anyone else out there know if the tractor rear should have lifted or the loader Hyd should bypass ? I have a 4400 and 430 loader. Sure would like to know if this is normal or something is wrong?..........i hope iv'e answered your questions, Mark.................................mark

 

[Mark_in_NH]

mark,
As I recall on my loader, when I would do like you said, get under a frozen snow bank and my loader would not lift it, the loader valve would bypass. I would have to back off and take a smaller, easier bite. Now, I don't know if that is the way they all work or if it is just the way mine works due to model, age etc. My Tractor & loader are 14 yrs. old.
I am sure that there are other members here that can give you the right information on how there supposd to work.