Counterweight box

[aarolar]

Building this counterweight box for when the loader comes in should weigh right around 1 tonn hopefully. Should I paint it before or after I fill with concrete?

 

[davedj1]

I would paint it before or at least tar the inside or something to protect it. What are you putting it on that you need 2000 lbs of weight? Must be a big tractor!

 

[ovrszd]

Doesn't matter. By the pics it appears that you extended the 3pt brackets into the box. So, the metal box could rust completely off and the 3pt brackets would stay intact. All the box is doing is giving you a form to pour your concrete in. You could have actually made it out of plywood and then peeled it off when the concrete set up.

I'm concerned as Dave is. 2000lb of 3pt counterweight is a bunch. I use approximately 1500lbs on an M9540.

 

[aarolar]

Doesn't matter. By the pics it appears that you extended the 3pt brackets into the box. So, the metal box could rust completely off and the 3pt brackets would stay intact. All the box is doing is giving you a form to pour your concrete in. You could have actually made it out of plywood and then peeled it off when the concrete set up.

I'm concerned as Dave is. 2000lb of 3pt counterweight is a bunch. I use approximately 1500lbs on an M9540.

3pt on my MX4800 is good for 2300lbs 24" back so 1 ton should be fine. And I figured the more the merrier my tractor is only 2wd.

 

[ovrszd]

3pt on my MX4800 is good for 2300lbs 24" back so 1 ton should be fine. And I figured the more the merrier my tractor is only 2wd.

Yeah, that's what a person would think. But reality is if you load the rear too much you will lose all steering.

What are the measurements of your box?

 

[s219]

I wouldn't even bother painting the inside if you're pouring concrete in. The concrete should passivate and protect the steel from rust. At leas that's what it does to re-bar.

 

[ovrszd]

Forgot to add, my M9540 3pt capacity is 6500lbs but I certainly don't want that much counterweight.

 

[Stimw]

Be aware that you can break a tractor in two!
With Backhoe attachments you need a sub frame to keep this from happening.
I will leave my tiller or 5' brush cutter on my tractor for ballast.

 

[aarolar]

Yeah, that's what a person would think. But reality is if you load the rear too much you will lose all steering.

What are the measurements of your box?

34x25x24 with about 200lbs of steel. I can always go with less concrete and add more if I feel the need. It'll just leave me with extra space at the top for storage I had already planned for about 4" to hold chains and saws.

 

[aarolar]

I wouldn't even bother painting the inside if you're pouring concrete in. The concrete should passivate and protect the steel from rust. At leas that's what it does to re-bar.

I may paint it about a foot down maybe so the paint goes down behind the concrete simply for looks.

 

[aarolar]

Back up a second guys I have a 5' rotary mower I built out of 7ga top to bottom that I'm guessing weighs around 1200lbs and hangs back 7' behind my tractor that I lift with no problems seems that a counterweight not slung that far back would need to be heavy to achieve the same effect.

 

[Deere Dude]

Building this counterweight box for when the loader comes in should weigh right around 1 tonn hopefully. Should I paint it before or after I fill with concrete?

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I would weld a bar from the riser flats near the top but below the surface, to the flats going near the rear of the container. Either that or else weld a bar from the riser flats near the top to the rear a foot or so and cement it in. The way it is now I would think where the top link hooks up might tear loose with all that weight in it.. But that is just me.

 

[motownbrowne]

You could try sand instead of concrete. It's easier to adjust how much is in there.

I have a similar tractor to the OP's. I wouldn't mind trying 2,000# of counter weight. 1500 might be enough, but when I'm lifting pallets of wood or feed, the back gets pretty light with less than 1000#.

Of course, with 2000# back there, you would be pretty light up front if you don't have a load.

 

[aarolar]

I would weld a bar from the riser flats near the top but below the surface, to the flats going near the rear of the container. Either that or else weld a bar from the riser flats near the top to the rear a foot or so and cement it in. The way it is now I would think where the top link hooks up might tear loose with all that weight in it.. But that is just me.

It's gonna get more bracing before concrete but I don't want to add too much so as to make mixing the concrete difficult.

 

[aarolar]

You could try sand instead of concrete. It's easier to adjust how much is in there.

I have a similar tractor to the OP's. I wouldn't mind trying 2,000# of counter weight. 1500 might be enough, but when I'm lifting pallets of wood or feed, the back gets pretty light with less than 1000#.

Of course, with 2000# back there, you would be pretty light up front if you don't have a load.

Good to hear, the counterweight will be used for heavy lifting only I'm not going to keep it strapped on all the time. Mainly for moving large logs or pallets full of firewood.

 

[jimmysisson]

Also consider a chain or links so it doesn't weight the 3-point cylinder once you get it raised. No need to run it w the weight all on the hydraulics.
Jim

 

[Xfaxman]

Also put some PVC pipe in to haul shovels or other long handle tools.

 

[aarolar]

Also consider a chain or links so it doesn't weight the 3-point cylinder once you get it raised. No need to run it w the weight all on the hydraulics.
Jim

Nice thought I'll look into that.

 

[aarolar]

Bought 15 bags of 80lb quickcrete and a quart of Kubota Orange this morning going to start there and see how it ends.

 

[check 6]

My box, total weight including concrete is just approximately 500 lbs and balances nicely on my B series. Welded a receiver hitch at the bottom and as others have suggested mounted PVC for holstering rakes and or shovels