Ballast loader ballast

[Anonymous Poster]

I am buying a JD4100 with loader. What size bucket is best? Also what ballast is best? Liquid in tires, box, wheel weights? I will also have a 60" deck for summer. I want ease of use. How does the bucket work for snow? can I get away with this?

 

[TomG]

Some people use loaders for snow removal on pretty big drives. I don't find them great myself and wouldn't want to be without a blade or blower. Well, I wouldn't want to be without a loader for stacking the stuff either. My choice was a 3ph blower.

Can't help much with specifics for bucket size or weight. However, you might want to keep it light if a main use is mowing turf on fairly level ground. Wheel weights are hard to change, filled tires are impossible, and extra weight doesn't do turf any good. You might want to hang loose until you see how much weight is required to get the traction you need. Just be aware of the safety issues (you can read them in the archives). Upsetting your new tractor could be a lot more than just upsetting.

 

[RobS]

Carl, I've got a 790 with loader. Seems both have similar lift capacities. I was going to build a concrete weight like M. Simpson but ever since I got the box scraper it's been a fine weight. I did learn pretty early on that you need something back there!

Rob

 

[Bird]

Carl, I agree with the other guys. A box blade makes a good counterweight when using the front end loader. You may find that to be adequate. If not, you can add other ballast later. As for bucket size, personally, I want one at least as wide as the tractor, or a little wider.

Bird

 

[Anonymous Poster]

My loader ballast (a 500# Bushhog 7' grader blade or 66" Bushhog box blade) works very well with my 66" loader bucket. Chose the box blade the same width as the loader bucket, both wider than the tractor.

 

[DFB]

Carl, get the 53" bucket and tell 'em to throw in a weight box as part of the deal./w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I think I have settled for the 54" bucket with ballast box in back. The dealer I am using feels this is best? thanks for the help!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

compare the price of the ballast box versus an implement that you can use to do other tasks!!!!!!

 

[gerard]

Ditto on bagging the ballast box. I use my box blade as a counter weight and it works fine + often when I'm doing loader work I also need an implement on the rear. So far either my box blade, straight blade (7ft), or york rake (6ft) work fine as a counter weight when moving dirt. The heaviest stuff I've found yet is wet sand. For that I use the box blade with some extra weight piled on.

 

[Jag]

I have a box blade, that is short and heavy duty that I will use as a counterweight. It does not stick out like a bushhog. To the box blade I have welded two bolts on the back side and can mount up to six old tractor wheel weights that weigh about 100 pounds each. The weights where from a very old Ford that was being scraped and cost me next to nothing. I like this arrangement very much it lets me add the weight with only two bolts and at the back with nothing in the way. Also it is easy to carry and about the same level as the draw bar. With the box blade that is about 1000# that goes on and off the 3ph with no problem. Makes loader work or blade work a breeze..

 

[Thomas]

Carl,
What bucket size??
Since most FEL are to match the tractor rear wheel base {not unless you have little extra $$$ or know of a good welder} I think you have to take what comes.

Ballast?
I always like the ballast on the rear end or wheel weights. I never been a big fan on loaded tires, had tractors tires loaded on the farm and if you need tire repaired it extra down time.
That way if the ground is soft a can drop the extra weight etc..

Bucket in snow?
The first winter I try a bucket for snow removeal, and the second winter I purchase a plow and made plow frame that attaches to my bucket...and clean up time was cut in half also cleaner snow removeal job done all the way around.

A wider bucket {at least 12inches} for snow removeal would be nice,and maybe a tractor company etc... has one on the market for a compact tractor,but I yet to run across it /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gifand the price might /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif me.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>Re: I think you have to take what comes</font color=blue>

Thomas, you frequently do have some options on the bucket for a front end loader. I have the "standard" 54" bucket on my B2710, but a 60" "light material" bucket was an option.

Bird

 

[DFB]

Deere offers 3 buckets sizes for the 4100. 48" is standard

 

[Thomas]

Bird,
Your right about me expressing my views about a bucket for a front end loader,and it got me to thinking..oh no./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif
Maybe its do to living on a farm and having to operate Farmall H with a manure bucket that had a hand trip lever...which never work good in cold weather also the bucket never really did a good job./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif..but I guess it was better than useing a wheel barrow 100% of the time. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

In your view what would you consider the use of light material bucket?

My thoughts, sand..light brush..light snow.. etc...

When I purchase my B7100 there was no option on a bucket./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif Did you have an option when you purchase your B7100?


Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Bird]

Thomas, when I bought my B7100, nothing in the documentation that I saw said anything about there being any optional buckets for the B1630C loader (48" bucket), and it never occurred to me to ask.

When I bought the B2710, the sales brochure listed both 54" and 60" buckets with no information except the size (the 60" is also deeper and taller, but only weighs 7 lbs. more - reckon it's lighter or thinner metal?). The shop manual lists them as a "54" and a "60LM". So when the salesman asked which bucket I wanted, and I asked the difference other than the 6" width, he looked in one of his books and said the "LM" meant "light material" but he didn't know what that meant. I didn't pursue the matter further because I figured the 54 was what I wanted anyway. So I guess the simple answer to your question is "I don't know."/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird

 

[gerard]

Thomas,
I don't know about Deere but when I bought my 60 inch "general purpose" bucket for the 'bota there was also an optional "heavy duty" bucket that weighed 200 lbs more (and cost more). I assume the extra weight was a heavier guage steel all the way around.

 

[dmccarty]

Carl,

You are getting good advice and I'll throw in my ditto'as well.

Beside the FEL I have a box blade, a rotary cutter and a backhoe. The box blade and backhoe are the primary implements hanging off the 3PH. The box blade I have is Dirt Dog brand out of GA and to throw it in a catagory its a medium duty implement. It's built tuff but it was cheaper than other brands but not to cheap. It does the job so far.

Since you can push backwards as well as pull forwards with a box blade it might be a more usefull implement than the blade. But the box blade and the blade have the good points and bad but I figured for me the box blade was the way to go.

Another thing to consider is to use a hydraulic top link for your 3PH. I would assume it would be usefull for a blade. I KNOW it is a real must have for a box blade. You can adjust your boxblade without leaving the seat and while you are moving stuff around. Its a MUST have.

Also consider a 4n1 bucket for the FEL. You will have to be carefull with this because of the extra wieght of the bucket . The 4n1 bucket might take a good percentage of the lift out of your FEL on a smaller tractor. HOWEVER, the 4n1 is one of my most used implements. I was telling someone this weekend that without the 4n1 I think I would be only getting 50% of the capability out of the tractor. If you have anything to grab like wood, rocks, brush, etc., the 4n1 is the answer. The 4n1 can also be opened all the way so you have a "dozer" blade on the FEL. I use the "dozer" function to push stuff all the time.

However, if you do want a 4n1 bucket and a hydraulic toplink you will have to get the third SCV for the tractor and some other plumbing.

But again it really depends on what you are going to use the tractor. If you don't need to pick stuff up or push things often then you might not want the 4n1. If you have a gravel driveway to maintain then a box blade or blade is a usefull tool.

Ask the dealer about the new latch for the front of the JD FEL. I have a JD 4700 with a 460 4n1 FEL. JD is supplying, maybe after the purchase, a latch the holds the FEL L plate(my name for the gizmo) onto the front weight bumper. I'm assuming the FEL you are looking at works the same as the 460. The 460 has a L shaped piece of metal that locks over the front wieght bumper. There is a lever on the left side of the FEL that is used by the tractor operator to open and close the L shaped bracket over the wieght bumper. It is used to remove/attach the FEL to the tractor. The new latch fits over both the wieght bumper AND the L shapped bracket locking the two togther.

It really is easy to see and use but far harder to discribe. Just make sure they give you the latch. Even without the latch if everything is adjust the FEL is really secured on the wieght bumper. The latch just makes sure it ain't going anywhere.

The JD FEL is VERY easy to take off and and put back on.

Hope this helps...
Dan McCarty