Rear Weight for FEL
 

A lot of you can make some nice looking as well as useful things. I'm not so good with nice looking, but I can usually make something work. Put that together with the fact that I save all kinds of "junk", and you get something like this.

3 brake drums and several brake rotors all held together with a couple bolts in a 7/8" bar. 470 lbs.

I don't know what you plan on doing, but I wouldn't put anymore on her! I'd load the tires and try to buy or get the weight on the tires and off the frame, lift arms and wheel bearings. It will work, just kinda hard on equipment. Least it's not like this picture

I will start by saying I don't baby equipment or tools. I use them and sometimes abuse them. That causes things to wear out and break faster. That is why I am a little picky about maintenance.

I won't argue against loading tires. In some situations I would do it myself. For right now I need to be able to quickly switch between a light footprint for some jobs and a good heavy counterweight when using the loader.

The main reason I generally don't like the idea of loading tires is because you lose most of the cushioning/suspension effect of only air in the tires. Shock loads (hitting a bump with no cushion) are much more damaging than steady heavy loads. Loaded tires in severe conditions is harder on everything than any other kind of weighting.

If you had 2 identical pickups, one with a 300lb weight in the front of the bed, and the other with 75 lbs of liquid in each tire, you would be shocked at the difference in the ride. The pickup with loaded tires would be breaking parts much faster than the other one.

Weights bolted to the wheels would be the ideal "semi-permanent" way of ballasting, but that isn't fast or easy to switch back and forth.

I didn't realize it was going to weigh that much when I put it together, but I'm not at all worried about hurting anything. It doesn't even weigh 1/2 of what the lift arms are rated for.

As far as wheel bearings are concerned, dirt and improper adjustment causes damage. Weight only causes them to wear a little faster. And yes, wear does lead to improper adjustment. A good preventative maintenance schedule will catch loose wheel bearings.

As best as I can count, the guy in the pic has 96 weights hanging on that poor little JD. At 80 lbs apiece, that's almost 7700 lbs. :bigeyes:

And I just scrapped a bunch of old truck disc brake rotors.....What was I thinking?

[QUOTE=Group_44;340556]And I just scrapped a bunch of old truck disc brake rotors.....What was I thinking?[/QUOTE

You were thinking you didn't want to break the rear of your cub

Rule number one - Never throw anything away. I have broken that rule a few times myself and then kicked myself later.

I suppose I don't technically belong on this forum because my tractor is a little bigger than most garden tractors. Maybe that is throwing a few people off. About 200-250 lbs max would be more suitable for a regular garden tractor.

I'm not the first one here to add weight to the back of a tractor.

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=36457

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=35539

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=28298 - Read post #8. Wheel bearings aren't such a weak link as some (in many forums) seem to think.

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=28705

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=28639

How bout a pic of the whole tractor?

:Forgot:

As a reference as to why I feel comfortable putting so much weight on the back, the loader can lift over 500 lbs. Without the weight, the back of the tractor comes off the ground. It's a little scary without that much weight back there.

http://www.tractordata.com/farm-trac...det-5234d.html

Here's a few pics of getting to use it for the first time - http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...596#post340596

Your absolutely wrong about loaded tires. You can't compare a pickup to a tractor when it comes to loaded tires.

Personally, I hate carrying weight on a 3ph. Hard on the hitch along with everything else. I have a hard time believing that there are times when you need a "lighter footprint" with that tiny tractor. I really doubt taking the weight off makes that much difference in say, a soft yard.

So many people boast on here how they can "make stuff work". That's great and all, but starting a thread on how you stacked a bunch of junk together to make a weight isn't really all that interesting...... or "neat". Don't be so shocked that people aren't more supportive. Build a nice weight bracket and paint it all up and then see how people respond.

The weights on that Deer are 100# each, not 80#.

Now paint that weight assembly silver and slap a Budweiser label on it
:beerchug:

Well I tried some of that magic paint. It's unbelievable how much better the weight works now. :biggrin2:

Seriously though, I do not expect anyone to say that anything I make is "pretty". I doubt that the other "people that boast on here how they can make stuff work" do either.

I would guess that most of them show their ideas with the thought in mind that it might help someone else. If someone else can use that idea and make it look real nice, that's great. If someone on a budget or limited time can can use an idea and make something work for them even though it isn't pretty, that's even better. I hope they don't get discouraged by derogatory remarks from some that just want to see the "pretty" ones.

I guess using a pickup isn't the best comparison because it has a suspension. On a tractor, the air in the tires is the only suspension it has. If anyone by chance has two identical tractors and only one of them has loaded tires, try the bounce test. I guarantee the loaded tires will be a lot stiffer. It is basic physics, air will compress, liquid won't.

As stated below, the manufacturer says it's okay to load the tires. I prefer not to, just as some of you have preferences on other things.

I checked the tractor manual (I know, you're supposed to read the instructions first) and it says when using a front end loader to put 400 lbs in a weight box with the center of gravity 33" from the center of the rear axle and 20" from the ground.

If the center of gravity of the additional weight is positioned closer to the rear axle and higher from the ground, more weight must be added.

Using those recommendations and measurements, my weight is almost an exact fit. I don't think they would recommend doing it if they thought it was hard on everything. I'm sure some on this forum could have spent more time and made this actually look nice.

It also says to add 86 lbs of liquid ballast to each tire to be properly weighted. As I said before, I won't argue against ballasting tires, but I do have a reason for needing a light footprint, and it has nothing to do with my yard. I am a pretty big guy, so I''ll substitute my above average weight for the liquid ballast. :biggrin2:

I have two identical tractors. One with loaded tires AND wheel weights, one without either. The loaded tractor rides ten times better. BTDT on tractors for years.

brake drums are good, but,,,,,

the red ones are 135# each, and the black ones are 50# each,,,

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...ps87ccf0d8.jpg

I have only ever used two of the black ones,,,, :bigthink:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...psbcc42544.jpg

They came back off, and I went back to the JD weights for ground clearance,,,

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6045edf7.jpg

Maybe some day I will find a need for 690#,,,,,, :confused2.gif"

Those do make your tractor look nice and neat. Another tractor would help on your abundance of weight problem. :bigthink:

I'd like to see some pics of your field cultivator. Maybe there is already a thread on yours and/or other peoples tillage tools. I built a 5 shank for my Case 446. I need to add a couple more shanks for this tractor.

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...psa6c4b1e2.jpg

I added weights to the front of the tractor because of the field cultivator,,,

(Trying to keep O.T.)

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...psa031812a.jpg

:biggrin2:

What brand is that?

That is a Brinly,,, but, I got its twin as a Honda,,, :bigthink:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...032640x476.jpg

Why,,, do you need one?? :bigthink:

The Honda has never been in the dirt,,,

:biggrin2:

I'm not looking to get one. I just like looking. I built my own. Like everything else, it's not pretty, but it works great.

It wasn't completely finished in these pics. The shanks are spaced 9" apart and put 9" wide sweeps on it. I found out one gauge wheel in the middle makes it wobble really bad. I put one on each side and it works perfect. If you take off the middle shank, it' a great row cultivator.

I'm going to add another shank or two on each side (maybe wings?) for my bigger tractor.

I don't think your cub will pull any more than your Case will. :bigthink:

It would be a good idea to look (try it) before I leap (make it too big).

I didn't know Honda made garden implements.