Weight box custom options

[MrJoe]

A welder friend owes me a favor so I am going to have him make a rear weight box for my Case DX24E. Anyone have any ideas for some other usefull design that does more than be a box to hold weight? What have you said to yourself when you look at yours? "Man, if I was doing this I'd do it this way" /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Any ideas are for our personel use only, no commercial use involved. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Joe

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I considered adding a trailer hitch to the back of my weight box. I didn't do it, but I could see times when it would be useful.

One thing I am very glad I did add to my weight box is a set of wheels to roll it around the garage floor. Now when it is off the tractor I can roll it into the corner of the garage.

If you ever take your tractor on the roadway, consider adding a SMV emblem on the back of the weight box. I will be adding one to the rear of mine the next time I get over to the tractor dealer. If you buy one, get the new versions. Some states are now mandating the newer versions of the SMV signs that have greater reflective properties (they look the same until you shine your headlights on them) and you can be fined if you have the old version.

Another thing I did not add, but could see as useful, is a set of hooks to attach a chain or tow strap to. I was working in the woods last weekend clearing out a new path and leaving broken limbs and trees that all had to be pulled out. I keep a tow strap in the toolbox of the tractor, but with the weight box on the hitch, getting the tow strap onto the tractor under the weight box was a pain, it would have been easier if there were a couple hooks welded to the box.

 

[PineRidge]

Joe how about a way to incorporate a few of those tools that you will be needing out in the field on top you your ballast but still within the weight box itself. Maybe add a hinged top to keep it all dry and protected from the elements, with some drain holes in the bottom in case you ever need to pressure wash the inside of it.

 

[DocHeb]

As mentioned above, add wheels, or put a 6" piece of 2" receiver stock vertically on each corner, so you can slip in the wheels when you need to, and take them off when you don't need them.

Add a 2" receiver out the back side to attach a trailer ball, a towing hook, a small step platform, a vice, a winch, a small boom pole, a quick add-on small rake.

Fill the lower 2/3rds of the box with concrete. Leave the top third open to carry the chainsaw, bar oil, gasoline, gloves, chaps, hardhat, axe, lunch, water jug, hammer, extra lynch pins, chains, trailer ball, a towing hook, a small step platform, a vice, a winch. Make a lid to close down over it all to keep it dry, and safe when you lock it up while the tractor's outside.

Add a couple 3 foot pieces of 3" Shedule 80 iron pipe vertically. Close the bottom with mesh. Use them to carry shovels, rakes, sledgehammers, big persuader pry bar. If you make it with 4" pipe, I bet you could store a lot of chain in a pretty small footprint, and you can store your small boom pole vertically also.

Weld a piece of angle iron off the side so you can scrape your boots when they really get caked with mud.

Put a bracket on to add suitcase weights for those times gravity needs some help.

Weld a quick-tach plate to the box so you can use it with your quick-tach FEL, for the times you need counterweight for heavy 3-pt implements.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

That's quite a list DocHeb. Nice job. Seems pretty complete.

Perhaps he also needs a diving board and a wet bar, and maybe a suds bowl to wash his greased jeans and a little hidden pipe that leads to a plastic container burried in the concrete so he has a place to pee when he's out in the field. Oh, and a place for the dog to curl up and maybe a little nook for the wadded up hammoc just in case he has to "work" in the woods for a while. I'm just say'n . . .

Cliff

 

[ronjhall]

Chris
I have the second and last items for my weight box.
I was going to add a tool box on the top of my box.
I like your idea of putting cement in the bottom of the box. Which allows more storage area.
Attached is a link to a picture of my 2" receiver. Click Here.

 

[keeney]

I built my concrete weight block with tapered sides so it fits up close to the tractor, almost entirely between the lower arms. Only sticks out 6 inches past the arms, and even those outside corners are chamfered.

If I could afford it, I would make the weight part out of iron or steel. It will be much smaller and allow you to concetrate the weight as low as possible. Some scrap plate torch-cut to be stacked reasonably close-fitting in the bottom of the box and held in with a couple bolts would be great. It would also leave the most room for using the top of the box for tools/storage.

Consider making the 3-pt geometry and clearances compatible with a quick hitch. However, this may be somewhat incompatible with making it fit closely between the arms.

My weight block is the heaviest thing I have to connect to the 3-point and it is the most troublesome. It tend to leave it outside, out of the way since its mostly concrete, it doesn't rust. But that means it gets parked on uneven ground sometimes, and getting it back on can be a pain.

- Rick

 

[Trev]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( A welder friend owes me a favor so I am going to have him make a rear weight box for my Case DX24E. Anyone have any ideas for some other usefull design that does more than be a box to hold weight? What have you said to yourself when you look at yours? "Man, if I was doing this I'd do it this way" /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Any ideas are for our personel use only, no commercial use involved. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Joe )</font>

You might want to consider a rear dirt scoop rather than a weight box. You can fill it with whatever (I use sand tubes) for the weight, but you can also use it to do various other things, like moving material, digging, etc.

Just a thought.

Bob

 

[DocHeb]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Seems pretty complete. )</font>

Yeah, but I didn't include things like the expresso machine that could run off a wired-in 120v inverter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

I bought a bumper-mount Reese hitch from Wal-Mart for $19 and bolted it to the bottom of my weight box. The ball mount goes on & off by means of a single hitch pin. I aslo use it with the ball itself off and a clevis in it's place for pulling with a chain. I wouldn't recommend a chain hook on the top of the box as your center of gravity will be heightened.
Just a thought.