Ballast Wheel Weights

[SIHunter]

Has anyone ever made a set of wheel weights. I need some for my tractor but don't want to spend the money for new ones at the dealer. Any insight at all is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[JerryG]

Here is a link to my wheel weights.

 

[BadDog]

I bought mine... Nothing special about them... they are just simple painted iron castings... not particularly well made but they seem pretty well balanced. One set bolts up to the wheel with two bolts per wheel and the other set bolts to the first set with another two bolts per wheel.

I have four weights... each one weighs 110 lbs. Rear tires are also CaCl filled.

You could probably weld together some scrap iron pretty easy to make some weights... just be sure you balance them well or you'll be seeing iron chunks fly off at speed. Not worth it in my opinion.

 

[JerryG]

<font color="blue"> just be sure you balance them well or you'll be seeing iron chunks fly off at speed. Not worth it in my opinion.
</font>
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Soundguy]

Yep.. wouldn't want to loose a piece of weight at a brisk 4mph cruising thru the pasture!!!

Soundguy

 

[BadDog]

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I was thinking of the trip down the road between my fields... closer to 30km/h... or 18mph ... with 2 bad dogs in hot pursuit

 

[JerryG]

30 would be awful fast. Mine is just rated to go a little over 17 mph. I think that 25 mph is the limit for ag tractors in the US. But, this is all side talk from the original question.
The things that I like about my weights are:
1) cost was only about $350
2) only one nut to take off to remove weights per side
3) each plate only weight 50 lbs so they aren't to heavy to remove
4) very easy on and easy off

 

[Soundguy]

I like the fornt weight plate carrier on my NH.. no mess.. no fuss.. and it is a great 800# bumper!

Soundguy

 

[CCWKen]

Geez! I've got better things to do with $350. Has anyone made wheel weights from concrete? I need some for the "Kenbota" and thought about casting some using an old wheel as a form. The mounting bolts would be cast in.

 

[JerryG]

If you think that is pricey, you should price them from a dealer. I am sure they could be made a lot cheaper especially for your size of mower. If you put some steel in the concrete it might be heavy enough otherwise I would think that it would be to light.

 

[Soundguy]

I have seen weights cast in concrete.. both for fronts and rears. Don't know why you couldn't do it. As jerry mentions.. fronts may need steel in them for extra weight.

Soundguy

 

[JerryG]

You don't know how much concrete weights per cubic foot? I did but you know how it goes and goes and goes. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[JohnSinVA]

There was a thread over on gardenweb on the garden tractor forums where the OP lined his wheels with cardboard and plastic to create a forum and poured the concrete directly into the wheel. The cardboard gave him some clearance to keep the concrete from rubbing against the wheel and taking the paint off. He also fixed some bolts into place in the bolt holes so the pour would capture them.

It wouldn't be practical to use a large tractor wheel as the form, but I'm sure one could make a form smaller in diameter and set pipe into place aligned with the wheel's bolt holes to allow for thru bolts.

 

[Soundguy]

I've got it safely wrote down somewhere for when bidding or spec'ing a job.. otherwise.. it's safer than trying to remember it. ( about 120#.. or thereabouts.. if the ole memory is correct. )

Soundguy

 

[JerryG]

I knew that there had to be a vast difference between cast (450 lbs. cubic foot) to concrete.

 

[BadDog]

Lead is heaviest... should be able to bolt up a container full of lead shot fairly cheap....

Also.. you don't *have* to bolt to the wheels... fix the weight somewhere else... bolt or weld on some nice heavy plate to the underbelly frame for armor and you'll get dual benefit...

A couple of other cheap ideas gleaned from the TBN forums:

Eat a turkey before using the tractor, they're good for at least an extra 10-20 lbs, and there are tons of them walking around (at least they are here). Donuts work well too, but I prefer protein to fat or carbs.

Duct tape your mother-in-law to the ROPS. Father-in-law too, if you need more weight. If using both, it's probably best to ensure they are back-to-back and head-to-toe for balance.