Author	[Modern View]
Tom Bond 08-25-2012 16:31:47 98.212.12.115 Report to Moderator	Going to use a Woods backblade to move some snow this season. How much weight can I safely put on top of the drawbar without destroying anything? Not even sure if it's a good idea but was going to fabricate something at the shop to either put weight in or to hang some weight from with bars to stabilize it to keep from swinging. I think keeping it in the short position like in the picture would work best. [Reply]   [No Email]
Keith Williams 08-26-2012 08:33:39 24.142.137.38 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Tom Bond, 08-25-2012 16:31:47   Tom, As far as weight goes on that drawbar... I used my 4000 (4 cyl 1964 so same drawbar) to haul manure. We had a NH 327T that held ~125 BU. I used to heap that thing up and I am sure I had well over 5 tons on it. Now I know not all the weight was on the tongue, but I remember that tongue flexing as I hit bumps. I would bet you could get 2 ton on it with no problems. HTH Keith   [Reply]  [No Email]
NoNewParts 08-26-2012 06:08:55 67.240.145.25 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Bern, 08-25-2012 16:31:47   Tom Bond said: (quoted from post at 23:14:50 08/25/12) Yes, that blade is 400+ lbs. easy. I was going to put 4 - 125# elevator testing weights on the bar with the clevis hoop on it but now not so sure it will do any good. I have plenty of clearance to get them either hung or build a platform for them. Hmmmm....Glad I'm working on this now when it's 95° outside and not waiting like I normally do. sure, load it up, it can take it. Whatever you build, bolt/strap it down good, so it can't flop around and 'lever' the hitch At the farm, we hooked an ancient single axle farm trailer to a similar MF135 with lots of added weight on the front of the tractor. trailer is so tongue heavy, took two guys to lift the tongue empty. then loaded it with lots of full totes of apples. no problem, no damage as for real snow, as the guys said, filled tires, wheel weights, chains, your weight....all of it :D moving snow with a 2-wheel drive anything takes chains and a LOT of weight. also, with heavy snow, you need to make the overall weight of the vehicle as heavy as possible. momentum plus weight = flying snow (ie, a 6000lb full size truck plows better than a little Jeep) edit, just wanted to add Tom, that moving snow breaks stuff, just the way it is. With your nice tractor, and a blacktop driveway, I might save for a 3-point snowblower instead. and use your blade for dirt work This post was edited by NoNewParts at 06:14:38 08/26/12.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Royse 08-25-2012 19:48:17 69.36.49.151 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Tom Bond, 08-25-2012 16:31:47   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see I'm not sure what elevator testing weights look like Tom. They will help, any weight helps some, on or behind the rear wheels. Behind may actually add more due to leverage, but will lighten the front. I have a set of 3 pt pallet forks I use a lot. Never spin a tire when moving loads, but I can sure do some cat walks if I wanna!   [Reply]  [No Email]
Tom Bond 08-25-2012 19:14:50 98.212.12.115 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to FarmerZeb, 08-25-2012 16:31:47   Yes, that blade is 400+ lbs. easy. I was going to put 4 - 125# elevator testing weights on the bar with the clevis hoop on it but now not so sure it will do any good. I have plenty of clearance to get them either hung or build a platform for them. Hmmmm....Glad I'm working on this now when it's 95° outside and not waiting like I normally do.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Royse 08-25-2012 19:11:41 69.36.49.151 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Tom Bond, 08-25-2012 16:31:47   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see I won't argue with that. Specially since we both offered loaded tires and pie weights as alternatives. I'm in central Michigan and plow snow with my N's. One with a front blade, one with a rear scraper. I have chains for both. I don't think I could add enough weight to get it done without chains. I have dug a 2 inch deep hole in the ground before I could get the clutch in. Not sure I'd want them on the asphalt. Not good for the asphalt or the chains.   [Reply]  [No Email]
RodInNS 08-25-2012 19:02:22 216.118.158.123 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Tom Bond, 08-25-2012 16:31:47   Keep adding until the bar really starts to bend. You'll have no worries of that. The front end will be in the air before the bar bends. I've had probably 2 ton on those bars. Rod   [Reply]  [No Email]
Tom Bond 08-25-2012 18:49:12 98.212.12.115 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to FarmerZeb, 08-25-2012 16:31:47   This is going to take some creative weight placement especially since the blade I have is a 96" HD Woods. Probably bigger than I need but couldn't pass it up for what I got it for.   [Reply]  [No Email]
36 coupe 08-26-2012 03:01:06 66.186.169.176 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Tom Bond, 08-25-2012 18:49:12   8 foot is too much for your tractor.Doing snow with out chains wont work.Adding weight to the blade will make the wheels spin out sooner.Back blade works nice moving gravel or dirt but flops on snow removal.   [Reply]  [No Email]
jgayman 08-25-2012 19:00:13 67.234.187.121 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Tom Bond, 08-25-2012 18:49:12   What does that 96" blade weigh? 500+ lbs I would guess.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Royse 08-25-2012 18:43:44 69.36.49.151 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to old, 08-25-2012 16:31:47   I'd be tempted to keep a tractor that pretty in the barn and hire the snowplowing out! Loading the tires with liquid adds a lot of weight without changing looks. Pie weights can be an option if you don't mind the looks. How are you planning on keeping the weight from moving around on the drawbar? A bar mounted up vertically would let you set some weights down over it, but the weights would have to clear your blade. I have "a bunch" setting on the drawbar of my Jubilee. I was told ~700 lbs, but I'm not sure I buy that as accurate, and I don't have a scale. The chain going around the barrel in this picture now criss-crosses in front of the barrel to help keep it from moving side-to-side. With my setup, you couldn't use the blade obviously. Mine is also counter balance for the FEL and is temporary until I get the 3 PT fixed.   [Reply]  [No Email]
jgayman 08-25-2012 18:53:33 67.234.187.121 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Royse, 08-25-2012 18:43:44   I think the important factor here is that a counter-balance weight for a FEL and weight for rear wheel traction are two different things. With a FEL you can load that drawbar all you want and the front end will not get light due to the load from the FEL. Not so when using a rear implement. For rear wheel traction you do not want to necessarily add weight behind the rear axle.   [Reply]  [No Email]
freds 08-25-2012 18:43:32 72.241.149.147 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Tom Bond, 08-25-2012 16:31:47   Spec in manual for 2000,3000, and 4000 standard drawbar 14 inches from end of PTO shaft is 1000 lb. maximum. Looks similar to yours.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Tom Bond 08-25-2012 18:17:08 98.212.12.115 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Greg Wolodkin, 08-25-2012 16:31:47   Yup. All I want is weight on the drawbar for traction to pull some snow with the blade. Old uses his weights for FEL counterweight. Am thinking of chains but most of my work will be on asphalt so I'm worried about destroying it with those on the tires.   [Reply]  [No Email]
jgayman 08-25-2012 18:31:21 67.234.187.121 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Tom Bond, 08-25-2012 18:17:08   "Yup. All I want is weight on the drawbar for traction to pull some snow with the blade. Old uses his weights for FEL counterweight. Am thinking of chains but most of my work will be on asphalt so I'm worried about destroying it with those on the tires. " I don't think weight on the fixed drawbar is going to be your best option for a rear blade. First off anything big enough to be effective is going to possibly be in the way of the blade, especially if you plan to rotate it. Steering could be an issue as the more weight you put on that drawbar the lighter the front end is going to be. Have you considered loading the tires? Shopping around for a set of pie weights would be another option. You will likely need chains as well. As long as you don't use V-bar chains you should be okay for asphalt unless you go crazy with spinning. If you spin with chains you're probably sitting on a patch of hard snow or ice anyway so you have plenty of time to quit before you eat down into the pavement. To avoid lightening the front end you are going to need something on the wheels. Either loaded tires or iron weights. That will get you started. Without chains you'll still run out of traction quickly if there is the slightest bit of ice. I've used a 72" blade on my 9N and NAA for years and without loaded tires and chains it can become very frustrating.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Ultradog MN 08-25-2012 17:28:23 70.57.147.96 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Tom Bond, 08-25-2012 16:31:47   I'm more familiar with the 3 cylinder tractors but I think that is the same drawbar as I have. I would have no qualms hanging 500 lbs on one. I use my tractor to move my camper in order to mow under it on occasion. I'm pretty sure the tongue weight on the camper is in the area of 600-700 lbs. You can see the drawbar flex a bit as you set the weight down on it but it doesn't hurt anything. Those drawbars are made out of some unbelievably good steel - like X10 or somesuch. It shouldn't be too hard to devise some kind of weight on it. Show us some pictures when you do.   [Reply]  [No Email]
old 08-25-2012 17:08:52 209.86.226.40 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Tom Bond, 08-25-2012 16:31:47   On the back blade I have on my 841 I have 6-85lbs suit case weights and a 150lbs JD-D wheel weight and it works just fine. I do that so as to be able to lift all I can with the loader I have. The wheel weight hangs on the center link hook up on the blade by the way which you can not see in the picture   [Reply]  [No Email]
George Marsh 08-26-2012 14:52:23 50.104.200.175 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to old, 08-25-2012 17:08:52   Sorry, I ment to say Old, you have the right idea. George   [Reply]  [No Email]
George Marsh 08-26-2012 14:40:14 50.104.200.175 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to old, 08-25-2012 17:08:52   Tom, You have the right idea. The greater the distance from the back wheels, the more weight gets transfered from the front to the back wheels. Make weights out of concrete. Weld pipe or angle iron to the blade and and cement blocks. To keep from removing rock, all a slag pipe. I'll never take mine off. Love it. George   [Reply]  [No Email]
Larharm 08-30-2012 07:19:52 97.122.238.7 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to George Marsh, 08-26-2012 14:40:14   thinking about adding the pipe to my rear blade. Mine is curved will this work looks like your is straight edge   [Reply]  [No Email]
JGayman 08-25-2012 17:40:51 67.234.187.121 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to old, 08-25-2012 17:08:52   What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Are you simply wanting to add weight to the tractor to improve snow traction for pushing snow with the rear blade?   [Reply]  [No Email]
old 08-26-2012 11:18:46 209.86.226.19 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to JGayman, 08-25-2012 17:40:51   On my 841 I have a heavy duty loader and I use it to move 6X6 round bales of hay. The rear tires also filled with fluid and I learned the hard way that with out all the weight and the fluid in the tires the loader and the bale of hay would lift one or both of the rear tires off the ground and believe me it is no fun to have a rear tire come up off the ground when loading a trailer with hay   [Reply]  [No Email]
George Marsh 08-26-2012 15:00:04 50.104.200.175 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to old, 08-26-2012 11:18:46   Old, I have a Tonka toy loader/hoe. Made ballast out of concrete. Used wheels off an electric jeep and 5 gallon buckets. Each weight is about 75 pounds. Extend 450 pounds and see what happens. This works great when I'm loading gravel. The gravel is loose and front wheels want to go down. This transfers weight to the rear wheels. Works sweet. Need to remember to pull the weight forward or I go for a thrill ride. George   [Reply]  [No Email]
old 08-26-2012 15:49:08 209.86.226.27 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to George Marsh, 08-26-2012 15:00:04   I have 2 barrels full of concrete one is 35gal and the other is 55gal and neither one compares to the back blade and the weights I have plus the blade can be used for work and the barrels are just there and can not be used for much else then an achor   [Reply]  [No Email]
Ultradog MN 08-25-2012 18:01:04 70.57.147.96 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to JGayman, 08-25-2012 17:40:51   He mentions the purpose in his post - counter weight for a FEL. Looks like it would be effective.   [Reply]  [No Email]
JGayman 08-25-2012 18:12:29 67.234.187.121 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to Ultradog MN, 08-25-2012 18:01:04   Oh.. ok. I did not see that. I only saw mention of a Woods backblade.   [Reply]  [No Email]
36 coupe 08-26-2012 03:07:17 66.186.169.176 Report to Moderator	Re: Drawbar Weight in reply to JGayman, 08-25-2012 18:12:29   His first post says move some snow,Without stabilizer bars he may stick an angled blade into a tire.   [Reply]  [No Email]