rear weight

[hagman]

There are probably older threads out there that deal with this question but as a relative "newbie" I haven't seen them. Has anyone made anything that replaces a ballast box on the rear 3 point? You all have much more experience than I do with improvising attachements.

Hagman

 

[Birdhunter1]

Take a barrel, cut holes in the side and insert a drawbar that mounts to the lower arms of you 3-point hitch, find some kind of way to attach your top link to it then fill the barrel with conrete.

 

[RonR]

I just leave the box blade or tiller on the back.

One less thing to own / store.

Ron

 

[fabrej]

Here is one I built. It has 4 80# bags of cement in it. It fits well in tight spaces where a blade or mower won't.

 

[Timber]

This is the Ballast drum I made. I don't know what you have for a tractor or what you use it for. This Ballast drum is 800+ pounds. I do a lot of Fork work with my tractor, I palletize everything. Personally I don't use a top link for my Ballast drums and I like them as close to the tractor as possible. I do need to make a lighter drum too and I will cut the top 3rd section off and do it the same way. As long as you draw bar is above center you don't need to use a top link on your drum. My 800 pound drum has a lid and I keep all my chain in the top of the drum

 

[browns40]

A buddy of mine has an old train wheel he'd intended to modify into a mooring for his boat, but the guy who cut the axles left one side with only about a foot of axle left on it.

As such the conversion to a mushroom style anchor is more than he wants to go through.

My box blade works great, BUT if it didn't That would be the ultimate low CG counterweight IMHO... I still covet the wheel... maybe I'll make it anyway...

Lots of great ideas/builds on here... I like yours Timber, but does it ever swing on you?

 

[Timber]

No I have never had it swing or rock. I keep the turn buckles tight and it cradles in nice between the 3 point arms. When I want to pull something with it I run a cable sling through the eye I have bolt through the draw bar and around the drum. I put a chain through the loops and away I go. The 800 pound wt is perfect and it doesn't make the tractor any bigger so it is easy to maneuver around with the forklift on it

 

[Zoombah]

Timber - where are the turnbuckles you speak of and what function do they perform?

 

[Timber]

The turn buckles are on the lower control arms of the 3 point hitch that keep you implements swinging into your tires

 

[Soundguy]

There are probably older threads out there that deal with this question but as a relative "newbie" I haven't seen them. Has anyone made anything that replaces a ballast box on the rear 3 point? You all have much more experience than I do with improvising attachements.

Hagman

Here's mine.

It's an old cattle molassis feed tub, ( free after the cow was done with it ), a spare drawbar bolted tot he bottom of it, a piece of flat stock for a toplink connection, some assorted bolt/nut/washer hardware, and a few bags of concrete mix... minimal cost altogether. Took an hour to assemble... and if i ever ditch it, I remove 2 nuts fromt he bottom and slide my drawbar off...

Soundguy

 

[Timber]

still have that thing Scott LOL

 

[California]

Here is what I use. Loaded oversize tires plus a concrete block on the back edge of the box blade. Real simple, not very compact.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...240-ym2000-pictures-842567-img_6482-ropsr.jpg

 

[CTyler]

I use my BB most of the time for balast and sometimes the BH. There was a thread some time ago about making a ballast box. Basicaly it said make it multifunctional with storage. Things like a box on top throw chains, chainsaws, gloves etc... Put a couple pieces 4" plastic pipe in it for shovels, rakes, etc.. Put a hitch on it to tow a wagon or log splitter. Add a couple hooks to it as well. There were a lot of ideas on what to do and pics of a really good one. Why make just a concrete block or barrel?

 

[Soundguy]

Why make just a concrete block or barrel?

Cost and complexity / design.

The simple 'barrel o' concrete with a toplink connection and draft link connections can be made for pretty much the price of the concrete for many farm users.

Add in storage boxes, and tool carriers, and implement / trailer hitches starts adding : cost, design complexity and logistics, and more planning.

I made my 'just a concrete barrel' in about a half an hour using 2 wrenches a drill, and a hoe to mix the concrete in the tub. I bolted everything up to the tractor and assembled in place. At the end of half an hour I had hundreds of pounds of cheap ballast, and was washing my tools off. My cost inthe project was the bags of concrete... everything else was misc hardware and surplus items on my farm.

If I want chains to go with me.. they can set in the loader bucket, or on top of the weight.

If I want tools to go with me.. they can set in the loader bucket, on the weight.. or if I need a shovel, it's already been shown that a 2" piece of PVC with a cap on one end, and a few zip ties or a band clamp can add that 'carrier' to a rops or loader support pretty quickly,

As for towing a trailer? well.. that brings up 2 ideas.. 1, If I'm towing a trailer.. do I need the weight box? the trailer is adding some rear weight.. etc. and 2, Depending on design of the 3pt weight, you may still be able to use your swinging drawbar.

With my 3pt weight lifted less than half way, my swinging drawbar bracket on my 660 is free and clear to accept a trailer ball .

Just because some people don't want a 'swiss army knife/gerber/multitool' 3pt weight.. doesn't make a standalone weight a bad idea. There are many implements with a single purpose. That would be like criticizing a 2 bottom plow because it did not have a trailer hitch ball on it, and a tool box, chain carrier, and a place to put your shovel... etc.

Soundguy

 

[kwm]

This is a weight box I put together for my bx. I bought the hitch and added the 12" steel tube filled with concrete. It weighs a little over 300lbs. I didn't want to go to heavy because of tongue weight on the trailer but by using a longer steel tube the weight adds up quickly.

 

[scott_vt]

No I have never had it swing or rock. I keep the turn buckles tight and it cradles in nice between the 3 point arms. When I want to pull something with it I run a cable sling through the eye I have bolt through the draw bar and around the drum. I put a chain through the loops and away I go. The 800 pound wt is perfect and it doesn't make the tractor any bigger so it is easy to maneuver around with the forklift on it

I will second that statement, I have used mine for the past couple of years and that thing doesnt swing anywhere !http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/data/531/18786DCP_0247.JPG

 

[CTyler]

Cost and complexity / design.

Just because some people don't want a 'swiss army knife/gerber/multitool' 3pt weight.. doesn't make a standalone weight a bad idea. There are many implements with a single purpose. That would be like criticizing a 2 bottom plow because it did not have a trailer hitch ball on it, and a tool box, chain carrier, and a place to put your shovel... etc.

Soundguy

How many times have you dumped the stuff in your bucket forgetting it was there? Or started to get a load of dirt, rock etc.. and buried it? Don't say none either...LOL! I know better....been there done that

You can make it as simple or complex as you like.

I made absouletly no critisism, just asked a question. There isn't anything complex to sticking in a couple 4" pieces of pipe or only filling a barrel 3/4 full so you have a storage area on top. Both of those require almost zero thinking and about $10 worth of pipe.

 

[Soundguy]

Having only had a front end loader for a couple year... so far I havn't dumped any tools /YET/ though as you point out.. I'm sure the day is coming.

Now.. if you had asked me how many gas cans or tools I had run over.. well then.. now.. there is a story...

Soundguy

 

[sandman2234]

Dog food dishes catch it around my house. I finally started using the wifes old pots that she is throwing out. Dogs don't care what they eat out of, as long as they get to eat. Sometimes a dog dish can make a mess out of a tire.
David from jax

 

[Soundguy]

For that reason I use those 'fortiflex' black rubber? feed bowls. They look like bias ply tire material.. black rubber with cords. You can run them over flat, and they pop right back up.. I can personally atest to that.

My dogs have them, pigs have them, and so do the horses.

Soundguy