5240 3-pt Ballast Recommendations

[ptsg]

Until ... The front seals start leaking ... And the bearings start grinding ... And the axle fails! Or the tractor rolls over!!!

There is a very good reason that Kubota (and all other manufacturers too!) recommends in there manual to have BOTH filled tires (and/or wheel weights) PLUS rear ballast (which goes on the three point!) when using a front loader.

I'm guessing you didn't watch either of the videos I posted in post #18?

View attachment 5249106

The more weight you want to lift with the Front End Loader (FEL) the more weight you need on the three point ... Tire/wheel ballast is mainly for TRACTION, and yes it also serves to lower the center of gravity ...

Notice how all the pictures of actually using the loader show rear ballast hanging off the three point?

View attachment 5249109

That's is from this manual ... Which is the loader the OP has!

View attachment 5249110

Just because the back tires don't come off the ground, does not mean that one has sufficient rear ballast, that is not the litmus test ... The scales don't lie. (Watch the videos!)

Not only is rear ballast needed for proper and long life of the front axle components, it greatly reduces the risk of tipping over sideways, which can be detrimental to ones health, or LIFE,!

Exactly. I don't get how so many people miss basic physics.

They really should run a tractor without power steering, doing loader work with and without 3 pt counter weight, then tell which one was easier to steer. Maybe that way they would understand the effect of a counter weight.

Filled tires or wheel weights doesn't count as counter weight and it's barely enough to load a full bucket of dirt into a dump trailer. Not very stable either. In some tractors, is not even enough for that.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Exactly. I don't get how so many people miss basic physics.

Exactly, it seems it's some kind of unwritten conspiracy or something that I'm unaware of ...

It seems from my perspective that most people don't even open there manual and read it ... While the dealership that sells a new loader tractor to a new loader tractor owner/operator can wash there hands of the matter legally once they hand the new owner the owners manual, they really should at least mention it to them, and possibly even get a bonus sale of a extra appropriate attachment or Ballast Box ...

At least the OP is aware of the need for rear ballast and is seeking advice here!

In my opinion if the tractor either comes with, or has a backhoe (BH) as an option, that weight is sufficient for using the loader, look at the above screenshot of the manual for the approximate weight of a BH for that tractor ... While it's possible to add weight to the BH, it's not quite as easy or convenient as the three point system ... Most people want to add a few hundred pounds and think it's good enough, the second video will show otherwise ... !

My SCUT'S little BH only weighs 651 Lbs ... But adding steel in the bucket, and a couple of chains across the platform, adds weight ...

To offset the 50 gallons of water in the tire up front ... And the stabilizer levels it side to side to get the last little bit of water out!

 

[ptsg]

Exactly, it seems it's some kind of unwritten conspiracy or something that I'm unaware of ...

It seems from my perspective that most people don't even open there manual and read it ... While the dealership that sells a new loader tractor to a new loader tractor owner/operator can wash there hands of the matter legally once they hand the new owner the owners manual, they really should at least mention it to them, and possibly even get a bonus sale of a extra appropriate attachment or Ballast Box ...

At least the OP is aware of the need for rear ballast and is seeking advice here!

In my opinion if the tractor either comes with, or has a backhoe (BH) as an option, that weight is sufficient for using the loader, look at the above screenshot of the manual for the approximate weight of a BH for that tractor ... While it's possible to add weight to the BH, it's not quite as easy or convenient as the three point system ... Most people want to add a few hundred pounds and think it's good enough, the second video will show otherwise ... !

View attachment 5249131

My SCUT'S little BH only weighs 651 Lbs ... But adding steel in the bucket, and a couple of chains across the platform, adds weight ...

View attachment 5249132

To offset the 50 gallons of water in the tire up front ... And the stabilizer levels it side to side to get the last little bit of water out!

View attachment 5249133

The only time I do loader work without counter weight is when loading my 3 way dump trailer, since I'm going to pull it with the tractor once loaded.

Otherwise, there is always something attached in the 3pt to provide counter weight.

Last fall, I had to spread about 16 tons of gravel that required a fairly long drive as I didn't have the dump trailer at home. For counter weight, I loaded my carry all box with gravel, which ended up being right at 1500lbs including the box.

It worked beautifully. The front tires didn't even bulged with a full bucket and the loader suspension took all of the shock loads out of the front axle.

I don't think people realize that machines built to lift heavy stuff (skid steers, loaders, forklifts) have the counter weight built in the machine but all these machines do, is lifting stuff, so theyre built from scratch with that in mind. A tractor is not that.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Ideally I would be able to add or remove weight depending on the weight in the FEL

This is far from the cheapest, but certainly the easiest to have it's of adjustment ...

Category 1 3 Point Hitch Receiver Drawbar With Dual Weight Bracket | Heavy Hitch - Compact Tractor Attachments

Upgrade your tractor with our Category 1, 3 Point Hitch Receiver and Dual Weight Bracket. Supports up to 8 suitcase weights. Made in the USA.

heavyhitch.com

Then the weights aren't cheap either ...

 

[JRH02]

This is far from the cheapest, but certainly the easiest to have it's of adjustment ...

Category 1 3 Point Hitch Receiver Drawbar With Dual Weight Bracket | Heavy Hitch - Compact Tractor Attachments

Upgrade your tractor with our Category 1, 3 Point Hitch Receiver and Dual Weight Bracket. Supports up to 8 suitcase weights. Made in the USA.

heavyhitch.com

Then the weights aren't cheap either ...

Yeah, that's really pricy.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Yeah, that's really pricy.

Yeah, but probably the most compact way to add rear ballast, and a lot of variables to how much you can add ...

If the OP was to make a recessed type one like I did in post #18 which keeps the weight tight against the back of the tractor, but also allows for more weight outside of the lower arms, which most ballast boxes have the weight centered between the arms, so my way is very compact ... If instead of putting the vertical pipes in like I did, the OP could maybe make a couple of squares of concrete the set on top of the base ballast box if they wanted to add more weight ...

 

[dodge man]

It used to be about $1 a pound for weights, it’s more like $2 now.

 

[hojolabo]

New member here, I've read many of the threads discussing 3-point ballast and believe I have a good idea of how much it should weigh, but I'd like recommendations. I'm planning to build my own box using a plywood form. Ideally I would be able to add or remove weight depending on the weight in the FEL, but that isn't in the cards right now.

The tractor is a L5240 HSTC with 854 loader, R4 tires loaded with Rimguard. I'll be using the factory bucket or EA Wicked grapple. The LA854 loader weighs 1,300lbs, the bucket weighs 300lbs. Estimated total weight of everything is around 7k lbs. My primary "concern" is moving logs over fairly hilly terrain.

My plan to construct a very low and wide ballast box, and I'd like to keep the weigh fairly close-in to the rear axle to reduce the chance of swinging weight. I'm shooting for around 1,300 lbs. Thoughts?

Well! You could put on 3 pt sway control chains for starters, or adjust the ones you have?
2nd, I put on a rear box blade, close to tires as you want, then just added angle iron to accept 4x8x16 solid concrete blocks as needed.
It worked 4 me with my 1910 2wd with a Woods FEL w/ 60" bucket. I even attached forks to the bucket and loaded it with logs, no problem. The box blade is a handier tool than a cement weight. Marketplace has them as well as ebay. JMO

 

[warrior_garden]

My ballast box is about half way finished. So far it's cost about $50 in steel. The rest is scrap wood. I'm making it setup for a Category 2 hitch. I'll need to buy concrete (which would be necessary even if I bought a ballast box). I'll put up pictures later.

Regarding the alternatives - no way I'm going to spend $1500 on the farming equivalent of paperweights (suitcase weights). I also don't want something like a box grader with 30 concrete blocks stacked on top of it. Other options like picking up firewood, logs, etc would be unwieldily or enormous to adequately offset the front.

 

[warrior_garden]

Oh, and it will be quick hitch compatible. So in future, if I want to, I can push the weight further back / add more leverage.