Help me design rear wheel weights!

[CJBOTA]

Ok guys, I 'm getting a new MX5100. I have access to heavy plate, a burning table, and a CNC machine. I am thinking about making my own custom rear wheel weights. I want to trick them out a little. The ones I have seen look like rings. I would like to burn rounds out 4" thick solid plate. Put spacers in so they clear the lug bolts. Drill thru holes for the mounting bolts. I would also put on a CNC machine and mill out about 3/16 " deep x as high as possible the letters spelling out the name of my farm. Of course, I will paint the weights Kubota Orange and the recessed letters charcoal gray.
You are probably thinking "don't this guy have enough troubles" why would he want to invent new troubles. Never have been quite able to figure that out.
Any concerns about doing this? 4" plate should give me close to 500 lbs. per wheel. Is that to much? I realize I will have to figure out how to mount them, but that should be possible. Is limiting access to the lugs a big problem?
I would appreciate your thoughts. thanks!

 

[slowzuki]

Its a tractor, you can buy the weights for cheaper than you can buy the plate. I know the urge to modify is great but why not work on a grapple or something useful?

 

[CJBOTA]

Slowzuki,
I'm kind of hoping the weights will be useful the first time I pick up a bucket full of rocks with the loader. If I was looking to save money I wouldn't have bought a new Kubota. My plate is left over remnants I obtained at scrap value. The power to operate the equipment is negligible. My time is free. (atleast this time of year)
Back to my original question. Do you think I can design and mount the weights in the manner I described? Thanks!

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Slowzuki,
I'm kind of hoping the weights will be useful the first time I pick up a bucket full of rocks with the loader. If I was looking to save money I wouldn't have bought a new Kubota. My plate is left over remnants I obtained at scrap value. The power to operate the equipment is negligible. My time is free. (atleast this time of year)
Back to my original question. Do you think I can design and mount the weights in the manner I described? Thanks!

I went through all this thought process also, I have a new this year BX25. Looked at the weight/balance and leverage factors. One problem if you load the FEL to Max you are straining the front wheel drive assembly. Do to the distance from the fulcrum of the FEL to the load that limits the lift a bunch. I found I could lift a big stump but the rear came off the ground, if I lift it with the BH ithe front end comes off the ground. Solution, I got one of those universal carrires for the 3PT when the BH is off the tractor (most of the time), strapped a 400# piece of green fir log on it (slide it on from a pallet). Now if I have a max+ load for the FEL I get enough balance due to both weights being extended well past the wheels (compounds the effect) to stay on the ground. Reverse, if I have a heavy strain for the BH I put the pallet with the log on my FEL fork attachment (which it bareley lifts in that mode) or a bucket full of wet dirt or gravel. The front stays in steering mode if moving the load with the BH curled around it. Great way to pull some pretty large stumps once the big roots are cut off. That way I only add the extra weight when needed nand keep the strain off the FWD. A lot cheaper too. Use that steel that way instead of wheel weights, or maybe you need some shop work to do this winter so then, have at it. The carrier is good for a lot of other things, lifts pallets with many times the ewight the FEL with forks will do.

Ron

 

[CJBOTA]

tractor seabee,
Those carry alls do seem handy and I have been thinking about getting one. I guess my only problem with that is hooking it up all the time. The wheel weights are always on. I do understand the compound effect getting it further behind the rear axle.
Another thing I like about wheel weight is that the weight goes directly to the ground. When weight hangs off the back the rear wheel becomes a fulcrum and the front end comes up easier. I would think by having the weight directly on the ground you don't lose as much front ballest.
What I have been trying to say about the plate and equipment is that I have a very unique situation. I am very closely connected to the owner of one of the largest heavy manufacturing companies in the mid-west. When I tell him what I want to do, he will probably say is 4" thick enough. We have scrap plate up to 16" thick.
My situation is not like buying something from Kubota. I am after the satisfaction of creating something unique on my own. ( with input from the TBN forum ) To be totally honest, I am totally hooked on the idea of machining the name of my farm into the weights. I just want to make sure I don't do anything that would cause damage to the tractor. I am also a little nervous about limiting access to the wheel lugs. When the tractor arrives I will be able to study things more closely.

 

[ford farm boy]

I have a mx5100 with kubota wheel weights three on each side (324lb.x 2) the book tells how much weight you can add . But 648 is not enough weight to balance the front loader full so I use a pallest on back for loader work about 900lb. To do all over I would fill the tires like the dealer tryed to tell me it would be about the same price .

 

[Verticaltrx]

500lbs per wheel is probably a bit too heavy for that size tractor. I'd stick to what Kubota recommends which is about 300lbs per side, IIRC. The other thing you need to consider is how you will get the wheel weights on and off? 500lbs is a lot of weight to get mounted up inside a wheel. That's the reason why most commercially available weights are 100-200lbs max, the amount one or two guys can lift and mount by hand.

Also, if your weights block the lug nuts you'll be having to take them off every time you need to get a wheel off.

Sounds like a neat project, but I'd make them 300lbs max. and have access to the lugs.

 

[TripleR]

Sounds like a really neat project; please post pictures of the finished product.

 

[hoddykubody]

Take a look at international harvester 1066 wheel weights . They are chamferred around the outside and have some nice cutouts . Make sure you use grade 8 threaded rod for attaching them .

 

[BeezFun]

Make spinners! You could have the name of your farm spin around when you're moving, comes to a stop so people could read it when you're not moving. You could hangout with the low rider Escalades. Except your spinners would weigh more than their car.