Oops - Counterweight

[BigEddy]

Not sure I should tell you this, but thought it might save someone else embarrassment.
After procrastinating, I finally made myself a great counterweight. Built in a 2" receiver hitch, with a recess for the pin, so there is a flush back without the insert in it. Looks great! Even built a trencher to mount in the receiver for laying sprinkler hose.

Only one problem.

When planning, I sized my forms to hold about 4.5 cu ft of cement which at 200lbs/ cubic foot is approx 900 lbs. My 855 has a 3pt hitch capacity (stated) about 850 lbs at 24" but as the center of gravity is only 10" behind the links and this is a counterweight, more is better and should work fine. Oops!!#!! My counterweight weighs more! Obviuosly! It won't come off the ground.

Don't know if the size is off, if the density is off, if the relief valve is set too low, or if I just filled the forms to much. But my advice to everyone is, 20% underweight won't matter - 1% over does! Plan smaller!

Now if anyone wants to pay $2/lb shipping costs, I have a beautiful counterweight available.

 

[Darren]

Time to rent a concrete saw.

 

[hazmat]

<font color=blue>Time to rent a concrete saw</font color=blue>

nah, jackhammer is much more fun /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[ronjhall]

BigEddy
/w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif What’s the loading cost if I come to your place and pick it up. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif
Maybe I had better ask where you live. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

 

[dkchandler]

BigEddy
Let's see a picture of this monster....

 

[Steven]

Maybe you can start cutting the corners off with a diamond blade for a 4-1/2 hand grinder. or get real creative and carve it into some thing like they do with chain saws. Let us see a picture so we can better explain possible solutions to your dilemma

 

[DDT]

Your 855 should pick it up. If not you can get a kit to make the 3 point lift 1100lbs. the older 55 seres max out at 950lbs(I think). I had a 755 & 855, both lifted a LP 48" primary grass seeder, it was all they wanted, but did it. about 900lbs + 100lbs of grass seed.

 

[BigEddy]

I've already taken a good chunk off my counterweight - essentially a combination of all the methods suggested. Saw cut around what I wanted removed, hammer drilled deeper holes all the way around, then cold chisel and sledge. I'm not willing to post pictures of this -too embarassing and looks pretty ugly now.

I was surprised I couldn't lift it, and I have the HD 3 pt already. But then again, I don't know what it weighed, just what the calculations said it should weigh.

Wouldn't have been so bad except the forms were on my driveway when I poured it, and now I have this big lump right in the middle of my turn around with no easy way to move it. Otherwise it could have sat longer.

Advice - aim for 75% of max weight, not 100%!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

If you want your equipment to last always use about a 75-80% of max rated load. That is one reason why you always want to buy a bit larger equipment than the job demands. Besides you will always find something else to do with your equipment after you get it

Ben in KY

 

[gerard]

For counterweight I'd just try and use what I needed to offset a full bucket load of material. Anything more is unneeded weight and, as mentioned, added wear and tear on the mechanicals. My 3 pt capacity is 900lbs, I use a boxblade with added weight (total weight about 500lbs) as a counterweight and even with the loader maxed out I've never felt light in the rear end so I figure that's sufficient capacity.