rear weight

[Zoombah]

Okay Timber and scott_vt ... any thoughts on how to get 1,000 - 1,200 pounds of ballast using something similar to the barrel full of concrete idea? I like the idea but could use something heavier.

 

[deerhunterf350]

Okay Timber and scott_vt ... any thoughts on how to get 1,000 - 1,200 pounds of ballast using something similar to the barrel full of concrete idea? I like the idea but could use something heavier.

Zoombah ,

I used a 55 gallon barrel , which I believe calculates to about 7.5 cubic feet , and concrete weighs approx 150 lbs per Cub Foot. So that is around 1125 lbs.

I measured the height that the Drawbar needed to be at and cut holes in the side of the barrel, slid the Drawbar through. Then made uprights ( for the Top Link ) which I welded to the Drawbar. Called the Local Concrete Company, and asked If I dropped off the Barrel would they fill it, let it set for a couple of days to cure. And what would the cost be. Their response was sure not a problem, and NO CHARGE.

They used to be on the out skirts of town and would dump all the over mix after a truck returned from a job out in the back area to build up and level an area. Now the town has grown up around them and it is perfectly level in back, they still dump the overrun but after it builds up, they have to use their loader to scoop up the waste and haul it off site. So they said it may take a few days until we have an overrun, but we will call. And since someone has paid for it already, you are taking the waste off our hands, so FREE.

So check out your local concrete yard, maybe you can get the same deal.


If you do this, and pick up the Filled Barrel. When you get it home, please be reaLLLLLy careful when you use your light in the @$$end Loader to unload the barrel from the Truck or Trailer. Talk about pucker factor when you lift the barrel, go to set it down and it wants to lay on its side, so someone tries to push the barrel to keep it upright as you are setting it down. That extra little weight of them pushing on the barrel, just lifts the rear end clean off the ground.

 

[Timber]

You can also add chunks of steal into the cement or lead. That would bring up the wt

 

[patrick_g]

I thought I might make a barrel weight for the 3PH but haven't yet. I tend to use my HD 6 ft box blade (1300 lbs) as a counter weight. I also have all the wheel weights Kubota authorizes on the rear wheels. Still, with pallet forks or FEL bucket I can raise the rear wheels into the air. This acts as a safety device. The rear wheels going into the air tells me when I try to lift too much. The box doesn't really stick out too much since I have TNT and rotate the box up close to the tractor so I don't catch it on the ground when going nose high. I also have a 6 ft HD brush hog that makes great ballast but it does interfere with close in manuvering considerably. Pat

 

[Camo]

I just installed my new FEL, and was playing around with it, and took the garbage down my concrete driveway today that weighed less than 50lb, and got a good scare when I touched the brakes to get a set of rear tires howling and skidding! I kept it upright, and faired out ok, but darn near filled my shorts!

 

[Hookblock]

Just a different approach, I got a used bridge bearing pad off a job. It fits tight to the tractor and weighs over 600#. And it was free. On my 4310 it works good with the bucket or forks. And isn't hard on my lawn. If I had to do it again I would use concrete, I like kwm's idea, only bigger for my tractor.

 

[Camo]

Well, I got my rear ballast weight in progress. I used a CAT 1 drawbar and fabbed a frame to my top link to be placed in an approx. 55 gallon plastic drum. Just yesterday I partially filled the drum with nine 80lb bags of Quickcrete 5000, which is a structural high strength concrete. Now I'm actually listening to it cure....Yes it is making little noises.

720lb of concrete, about 35lb of steel, plus water if that count to get 2-3" above the frame for the top link. I figure I'll add sand the rest of the way for more weight if needed.

 

[dvan1966]

720lb of concrete, about 35lb of steel, plus water if that count to get 2-3" above the frame for the top link. I figure I'll add sand the rest of the way for more weight if needed.

Whats the 3pt on your B5200 rated for as far as implement weight?

 

[Camo]

Whats the 3pt on your B5200 rated for as far as implement weight?

Well we have been having this issue with me finding my owners manual, so I've been winging it on this weight........Well JUST before I got online here, I found it......My max weight on the 3 point lower arms is..........400lb! . Now my wife is having a blast giving me jabs about our nice new useless ballast weight.......

So what would a well built 800lb ballast be worth if I was to sell it? I'd like to advertise it locally and get it out of here, as I get madder at myself everytime I look at it!!!! Think $200 is a fair price?

 

[Bedlam]

wow 400? I'm not at ALL familiar with Kubota sizes. but it seems like it should handle more.
Look at Timbers setup 800 lbs and the size tractor he is using. I would assume that yours is a lot smaller??
Again I am completely unfamiliar with this..
I'm hoping maybe your wrong on the amount rather than wrong for making it. No possibility to take the top off it and reduce it?
Nice job tho if that helps..

 

[dvan1966]

:My max weight on the 3 point lower arms is..........400lb!

Thats what I thought it might be, my 6200 is rated at 400lbs.

 

[Bedlam]

another thing to consider is the amount that "hangs" out past the arm. I make one this last winter, and it entirely is out behind the ball pin part. and it makes a difference. i can feel it is heavier out that far.

 

[Soundguy]

Dang.. 400#.. I guess ya gotta have custom made aluminum implements so you can actually do something....

soundguy

 

[Camo]

The scut implements are available, thank goodness. I am now working on using a piece of railroad track that came with my house as a base for the next ballast weight. I'm planning it to be a ballast weight/ drag that will be capable of accepting barbell weights in due time so I can add or subtract as needed. Picture will be up soon, as I have topsoil coming, and need weight soon.

 

[Soundguy]

( just not too much weight! )

soundguy

 

[TheKid]

I'm planning it to be a ballast weight/ drag that will be capable of accepting barbell weights in due time so I can add or subtract as needed. Picture will be up soon, as I have topsoil coming, and need weight soon.

Here are a couple of shots of the weight box I made for my BX that uses barbell weights.

 

[ampsucker]

seems like the ideal weight box would:

a: allow you to adjust the weight for the task at hand, at least within a decent range

b: provide a low center of gravity without interfering with ground clearance

c: be short enough to not affect maneuverability

d: be within the 3-pt hitch load limit

e: have the option of doing double duty carrying some tools, chains, etc.

also, for what it's worth, i think the backhoe on the bx weighs about 800 lbs and the 3 pt lifting capacity is 1210 lbs at the hitch and only 680 lbs 24 inches behind the lift points, so factor that in for this model when designing.

 

[Camo]

Well, I went back to the plastic drum design after all, but smaller. The barrel and frame was around 35lb before the three 80lb bags of Quickcrete 5000. Three days of curing, and it is on! Works very well. May need air in the rear tires.

 

[trctrman]

I bought a $89 carry all & set a 55 gallon drum on it. Strapped it down with HD ratchet straps & filled with water. Carry all, drum & water came up to about 470 pounds (I also have my rear tires filled with an alcohol/water mixture). Another thing I did, after I cleaned the 55 Gallon drum out real good, was put a spicket in the small bung hole. With the drum full and fully raised by the 3 pt, I attached a hose and was able to get a ptretty good flow going to water some trees I planted on the other end of my property where there was no access to water. Another reason I did it this way is so I could roll the drum off and still use the carry all for other things when I needed it.

 

[patrick_g]

Having only had a front end loader for a couple year... so far I havn't dumped any tools /YET/ though as you point out.. I'm sure the day is coming.

Now.. if you had asked me how many gas cans or tools I had run over.. well then.. now.. there is a story...

Soundguy

Show me a guy who has never dumped tools or similar out of his FEL bucket and I will show you a guy who either (a.) doesn't have a FEL or (b.) will be doing it later.

I like the Swiss Army version rear weight as it costs so little additional time and $ for such a huge increase in utility, especially just putting in some scrap pipe as holders for tools and leaving a little space on top for chains etc. What I don't understand is why people WASTE! so much valuable concrete when rocks and scrap metal and such can comprise the majority fill material (essentially for free) and then for the neat appearance you can cap the load with concrete leaving the odds and ends out of sight and out of mind but securely bound together by the concrete that flows down and around the "stuff" you put in for fill.

Pat