Rear Wheel Weights and adding a Counterbalance

ScottNC

Member
Common tale; two wheel drive plus loader equals poor traction. Can't buy a rain-free week to to dry the ground and allow the finish of skidding firewood logs and can't get enough tire bite in the slick to cut in place and haul wood in the loader either.

I'm thinking of making a three point mounted weight of about 1500 pounds and am looking for ideas. A modified oil drum or box filled with concrete would be a pretty straight forward build... but I don't think one that'll fit between the lift arms will be heavy enough.

Wheel weights would be nice if affordable and near to home, what weights will fit an 885 David Brown beside the (non-existent locally) DB weights?
 
I made a three point counter weight from a 55 gallon plastic barrel and filled it with concrete. Hopefully my picture will load. Mine has been modified to fit a
second tractor as the three point will not go down far enough to set the barrel on the ground for removing from tractor. The cross shaft in the barrel that goes
in the lower three point arms is a common 3 point draw bar available at any farm store sized to fit your Category I or II hitch. Note: 1. that I added a hitch
out the back and added some bars on which to hang additional weights if/when needed. Additional suit case weights on these bars are more effective for weight
transfer than wheel weights. and 2. The cross bar in the barrel is in the front third of the barrel, not the middle. This allows the tractor draw bar to be
left in the original position. If one moves it in it must be moved back when using a PTO implement. Don't ask how I know. The more forward positioning of the
cross bar in the barrel allows for more weight transfer as the rear axle serves as the fulcrum in the set up. If my description without a picture, in case the
picture will not load, is unclear feel free to email me and I can send a photo that way. Hope this helps.
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I made one out of 1/2 of a plastic 55 gallon barrel. I welded up a frame and put it inside the barrel, and
then filled it with concrete and as much scrap iron as possible, as iron is much heavier than concrete. It
probably weighs 6-700 pounds. I have a drawbar sticking out the back so I can skid wood or pull trailers
when in use. Make sure the top link bracket is high enough and far forward, I had to modify mine after
using it once. I also wish I would of used a blue barrel instead of white, as the sun has caused it to
crack. I would also leave the sides of the barrel stick up aways so you could haul you skidding chains in
it. I very seldom use mine as our JD 4600 has FWA.
 
I have 2 of those barrels filled with concrete and NEVER use them. But I do keep a heavy duty back blade ON the 3 point with 6 85# suit case weights on the blade part plus a 150# wheel weight on the center link part of the blade. I found that blade set up works better the a barrel plus you have the blade to do work with also where as a barrel is nothing more then weight. I have not had that blade off of that 841S Ford in over a decade. I move 6X6 round bales with it in the 1800# range plus I move gravel and dirt with it
 
As far as wheel weights which is the way I'd go just measure the holes center to center on the wheel centers and then you can probably find some wheel weights to match up.There are some
generic type weights around that will fit a lot of different tractors.Also old Massey Harris weights are pretty adaptable to a lot of different tractors and can usually be had pretty reasonable.Another option is a 3pt bale spear and spear a round bale to add weight when you need it or you can hang weight on the spear or put add some weights on a 3pt drawbar.
 
At a consignment auction, a pair of 500 lb inner weights brought $25.00 each. You could a slipped a 3 point
draw bar thru them and went to work.
 
All good ideas.

Did the math regarding the 55 gallon barrel full of concrete; One barrel has the volume of approximately 30% of a cubic yard. At 4000 pounds/yard that's about 1200 pounds of concrete. Better than a jab in the eye with a sharp stick but I could stand another 400 or so pounds.

Thanks for the ideas!
 
The weight factor is why I do as I have been doing. The back blade sits back a long ways and the 6 85 pound suit case weights on the blade adds a lot of weight and leverage. The add the 150 pound wheel weight at the center link mount of the blade again adds a lot. Plus you also have the blade you can use to spread out what you dump out of the bucket
 

Take the loader off? Ran 2wd loader for years, loader was off tractor when not needed.
 
Ten of these weights add up to 1100 lbs. plus a mounted disc plow provides all the weight I need for what I use the tractor for. clint

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