Ballast What are tractor weights made of?

Mosey · Nov 10, 2003

I have the factory New Holland tractor weights on my TC29D. They weigh about 30lbs each (not very big, about 12" long, 6" wide and 4" thick, sort of oval shaped). I have to take them off to mount the FEL and then I put them back on when I take the FEL off. They hang on the front and there's a bolt and nut to keep them from bouncing off. To make it easier, I'd like to weld the nuts to the weights, so I can take them on and off with just one wrench and not have to hold the nut in place each time.

So, what I'm getting at: Are these weights made of cast iron or weldable steel? Can I weld the nuts to these weights with an arc welder? I don't have a Mig welder. I have a set of torches and know how to braze, so what about brazing them on?

chim · Nov 10, 2003

I believe they are cast iron. You may find it easier to either find large square nuts that prevent themselves from turning, or welding tabs to the existing nuts to serve the same purpose. If something happened to the threads, it would be more difficult to deal with nuts fastened to the weights...............chim

Soundguy · Nov 10, 2003

I agree.. I think they are cast iron... I would try liek the other guy said.. a nut that had a keeper, or some sort of washer headed nut, that had striations on the contact area.. sort of like a built in lockwasher.

On the flipside, as the bolts don't have to carry the weight.. just prevent them from falling off, how about carriage bolts with thumb screw nuts..?

Soundguy

tc35dforme · Nov 10, 2003

Would some sort of lynch pin thingy work?? You could probably drill a bolt and put a hairpin clip through it.

I do wonder though why the manufacturer used a bolt and a nut instead of a pin...

Soundguy · Nov 10, 2003

Nice idea... Drill the bolt and use the clip.. or even use a premade pin that takes the hairclips.. or the real small lynch pins.. perhaps even onve with a chain so you can't loose it. That and a large flat washer behind the clip would be a great idea..

Soundguy

hazmat · Nov 10, 2003

Sight unseen, If I had to bet, it would be for cast iron. I like the pin/clip idea.

Mrwurm · Nov 10, 2003

Yep, I drilled a hole in the end of a long bolt and made my own pin to hold the front end weights on my old John Deere. No tools were needed to remove the weights.

PineRidge · Nov 10, 2003

Mosey if you are dead set on permanetely fixing the nuts to the cast iron they can indeed be brazed. Or you might use JB Weld epoxy. They fix cracks in engine blocks with the stuff. You can get a small tube of it at Home Depot. Warning: DON'T get it on the threads or you will have permanent weights on the front of your rig otherwise you will quickly learn how to use a cutting torch. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

dieselsmoke1 · Nov 10, 2003

Speaking from experience, I'll offer this advise:

I'm a little leary of the lynch pin concept. I think the purpose of the weight bolts are to not only keep the weights from falling off, but also to secure them tightly to prevent them from rattling till they self destruct. Not sure how your weights are made, however if they hang in a slot over a flat bracket, those little cast iron tabs on the back will break off if they're shaken long and hard enough.

Mosey · Nov 11, 2003

Thanks for all the responses. I'll have to ponder it for a while, since I hadn't thought of the rattling issue. I already have rattles in the pins that hold the ROPS in place, so I don't need any more rattles.