Front cargo/ballast box

[Bluelick]

I have been carrying wood with my "new to me" carryall on my 1984 B7100 HST-E. I have found that I can only put about half the wood the carryall will hold on it before it starts to lift the front of the tractor. Plus side, I have been learning about how to steer using the brakes! Aside: It's oddly hard to do this with the brakes and hydro pedal both operated by the right foot. I've been carrying a stick to push the hydro pedal while braking. Awkward.

Anyway, back to my question. I know I could put weight on the front but it seems that if I could make a reasonably good sized box that would mount on the front, then I could fill it with wood also, and not be carrying excess weight when the carryall is not loaded. And I could haul more wood in one load.

Anybody done this or seen something like this? Of course, those with FEL's already have this option, but an FEL is not in the cards for me, and I don't need anything to go up and down, just a fixed box, but it needs to be big enough to hold enough wood to provide the needed counterweight.

Thanks!

 

[art]

Go for it! We have farm customers that build rock boxes for when they are fitting the fields to carry the rocks off the fields.

 

[jas67]

LOL! I used to have a B7100HST (and an older B7100DT before that). Great little tractor! Maintain it well, and it will outlive you.

Both my B7100's had FEL's, but the later HST one had an aftermarket quick-attach Woods FEL. I never realized how much counterweight the empty FEL until I started moving pallets of firewood with the carryall on the back, and tried it one time with the FEL off.

Anyway, back to your question; a front cargo box is a great idea. If it were me, I'd obtain, or have fabricated a front weight bracket, and then a box that can hang on that. That way, if you want some weight on the front w/o the extra length of the cargo box, you can hang normal front weights on it.

Also, I don't know how much snow you get in KY, but if you get snow, you might want to get a front blade for it. The blade will double as a counterweight.

 

[Jeff F.]

I had the same problem with my BX2660 when I moved my 4 place enclosed trailer last year. I made a front box that slides on the front where the attachment goes for the snowblower. Now I can fill my carrier on the back and place weights, chainsaw and supplies in the front. Just for carrying those things you need it. I might put a chain hanger on the box yet, so I dont have to dig for the chain inside the box.
Jeff

 

[Bluelick]

I've been puzzling over this for several days now and a plan is beginning to take shape, I'd like to know what you all think. I'm thinking about fabricating a way to mount a Reese-type receiver on the front. Then I can just stick in one of those cargo carriers they make to go on the back of a vehicle. The one's I've looked at are rated for 500 pounds, so that should do nicely. Then I could remove the carrier easily and use the receiver to mount other things, like a winch or a trailer hitch to move my boat around. Anybody done something like this? Thoughts on the best way to mount the receiver? Above or below the front frame member?

Here is the kind of carrier I'm considering:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200442143_200442143

Thanks!

 

[jas67]

I've been puzzling over this for several days now and a plan is beginning to take shape, I'd like to know what you all think. I'm thinking about fabricating a way to mount a Reese-type receiver on the front. Then I can just stick in one of those cargo carriers they make to go on the back of a vehicle. The one's I've looked at are rated for 500 pounds, so that should do nicely. Then I could remove the carrier easily and use the receiver to mount other things, like a winch or a trailer hitch to move my boat around. Anybody done something like this? Thoughts on the best way to mount the receiver? Above or below the front frame member?

Here is the kind of carrier I'm considering:

Wel-Bilt Steel Cargo Carrier | Receiver Hitch Cargo Carriers | Northern Tool + Equipment

Thanks!

I like your idea.

 

[Bluelick]

Hey Jas67,
Nice pile of wood on the carryall in your picture! What model tractor is that and do you have anything on the front for balance?

 

[Bluelick]

I've spotted this receiver at Harbor Freight:

5000 Lb. Capacity Step Bumper Receiver

It's even on sale for $21.99. I think I can hang it on the front frame extension with some J-bolts. I'll let you know how it goes.

I also spotted this "step" that should make a nice front bumper when I'm not using something else:

27" Hitch Step with Pin

If I manage to get this working, I'll post some pictures.

 

[jas67]

Hey Jas67,
Nice pile of wood on the carryall in your picture! What model tractor is that and do you have anything on the front for balance?

B7100HST. It has a Woods Dual 145 FEL.
I've since replaced it with a B7610.

 

[Bluelick]

OK, made it through Christmas and finally got back to this project! I got the hitch receiver mounted today. I started by making some blocks to fit inside the front frame extension that would keep the bolts from being able to shift around.

I used 1/2" grade 8 bolts, but the holes in the hitch receiver were 5/8", so I sunk bushings into the bottom side of my wood filler blocks to take up the space.

I used a bracket I had left over (from another hitch installation on a car I no longer have) to clamp across the top of the frame extension. The wood blocks might not have been necessary but seemed like a good idea.

Here is a side view:

I then assembled and mounted the carrier I got at Harbor Freight, which is supposed to be rated for 500 pounds, so with that full of wood it should make a decent front counterweight to my carryall.

By then it was cold and dark, so I'll have to try it all out another day!

One nice thing about the hitch receiver is that now I can easily mount a variety of other useful items there, such as a winch, a trailer ball, etc. Oh boy, more toys!

Happy New Year to all!

 

[Ductape]

Handy !

 

[Bluelick]

I finally got to use the new rig, even though it was only to move a load of wood to the porch from across the yard. Worked like a charm. I was able to put almost twice as much wood on the carryall as before, and loaded up the front carrier to what seemed like a reasonable capacity, just heaped up a bit but not so much I needed to strap the load in, although I might have put a strap on it if I was going farther.

I backed up to the porch and unloaded the carryall first, then turned the tractor around to unload the front carrier. I could definitely feel the difference with the weight on the front after unloading the carryall, but when it was all loaded up it felt nicely balanced.

Sorry I didn't get a picture, I'll do that next time. I also didn't measure the stack on the porch (it was a week ago so it's more than half gone). I'd guess the total load was a pile about 24-30" high and 8 feet long of firewood cut 16-20 inches long, give or take.

 

[Bluelick]

I am finally getting around to posting some pictures of the carryall and the front carrier loaded up. My stove can handle 20" logs so I cut the sections on t the carryall at twice that length. It seems to be working pretty well although I'm still working out the best way to load it up. Next load I might try putting the logs crossways on the carryall to keep the weight from being as far out behind, may be able to get more on the carryall that way.

 

[JB4310]

I like it, versatile. Plus it adds the ballast you need. I like receivers on everything anyway, was thinking about mounting one up front like yours. Thought it might come in handy for my long handle tool carrier contraption.

I also have a cargo carrier so I'm sure I could think of something to put in it out front.

JB

 

[Bluelick]

I had used this setup last winter to move wood from the stack to the porch, but this weekend was the first time using it to actually bring firewood in from the woods (I'm running behind this year). It worked well. I was pleased to find that I can cut the 40" logs in half while they are still on the carryall, saving me from having to cut them on the ground, bent over, and also letting me handle them one or two times less.

Next thing I'm considering for the front receiver is a winch that I could easily put on or take off, I think that could be very handy. I'm thinking that a small winch could be bolted onto the Harbor Freight vice mounting plate (link below), anybody done that?

Hitch Mount Vise Plate

 

[JB4310]

I've not done it but I have seen them just like that.

9000 Lb. Capacity Hitch Receiver for Winch

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/receiver-mounted-winch-766782/

Most winches are mounted on some kind of receiver hitch platform these days.

JB