Rear weights

[leabassett@sbcglobal.net 149]

Whats a good way to mount rear weight to a wheel horse? There is no real frame like a John Deere to mount brackets to. Lets face it the hitch on the back is a little cheesy compared to other tractors. 

[ebinmaine 67,632]

That depends on your comparison field.  

I've seen PLENTY of rigs that are clearly inferior in weight carrying capacity or the ability to pull weight. 

That's the main reason I got a Wheelhorse in the first place.  

 

That said,

There are several options for additional poundage for your Horse.  

1. Fluid filled tires.  

2. Steel weights. 

3. Concrete weights.  

 

Buy a top quality hitch from Lowell at Wheel Horse Parts and More. One of our own fine vendors.  

 

One can also make or buy a less expensive hitch off the fleeeeBay.  

I've done this. 

I do not advise that route.  

 

Once you have a good strong hitch in place you can build or buy a weight box and load 'er up!!

 

[Pullstart 62,913]

1 hour ago, leabassett@sbcglobal.net said:

Lets face it the hitch on the back is a little cheesy compared to other tractors. 

huh?

I’ve bent plows before I’ve broken hitches.

 

 

 

[Rob J. 1,942]

I recommend tire fill and steel wheel weights. Keep your weight around the axle instead of behind the axle. Cheesy? I’ll take a WH over any of them. Like Eric said get an axle mounted hitch and you’ll pull anything you need to just make sure you can stop. 😉

[leabassett@sbcglobal.net 149]

What I mean by cheesy is the wheel horse has a loose hitch that flops around  mounted to the rearend. My JD has a 3/8" thick piece of angle bolted to the frame with 5/8" bolts. For pulling they seam fine but for weight on them the wheel horse is low and there is not much "meat" for bolting to.

[Pullstart 62,913]

Meh.  I’ll let you know when I break my Horse.  I am pretty confident you don’t need to wait up for me 

[ebinmaine 67,632]

21 minutes ago, leabassett@sbcglobal.net said:

What I mean by cheesy is the wheel horse has a loose hitch that flops around  mounted to the rearend.

 

They're not ALL set up like that. 

You have the lighter duty Tab style hitch. 

I've had 200 to 300 lbs on my Tab hitch while pulling loads here. 

 

21 minutes ago, leabassett@sbcglobal.net said:

 

My JD has a 3/8" thick piece of angle bolted to the frame with 5/8" bolts. For pulling they seam fine but for weight on them the wheel horse is low and there is not much "meat" for bolting to.

 

The axle tubes are 2" square or larger. 

The lower rear attachment point is a 3/4" bore for a cross pin. 

That's not enough meat??

 

I have a home shop made hitch modeled after several others here on Redsquare including Lowell's.  

I've personally had well over 500 lbs ON THE HITCH pulling a load of firewood or gravel that weighed at least 1200 to 1500 lbs total based on cu ft. 

 

Given the proper apparatus I'd say a Wheelhorse does quite well.  

 

[ri702bill 8,339]

9 hours ago, Rob J. said:

I recommend tire fill and steel wheel weights. Keep your weight around the axle instead of behind the axle. Cheesy? I’ll take a WH over any of them. Like Eric said get an axle mounted hitch and you’ll pull anything you need to just make sure you can stop. 😉

I agree with both of Rob's comments - i"ll eleborate a bit.....

The BEST place to add weight in the rear is in and on the wheels, not hanging it on the frame or Unidrive. Why?// - because I'm the guy that gets to prematurely open the Unidrive up to change worn out axles, bearings, and seals. My C81 has fluid filled tires (30 lbs each), 2 link chains (20 lbs each) ans two castiron weights (a 75 pounder and a 20 - 95 pounds each.)

I have added close to 300 pounds for traction - NONE of it in the "wrong" place.

 

You need to be SURE you can stop with the added weight and the weight of a plow or snowblower. Inspect the brake drum, lining, and seal  An oily brake is just asking for trouble.

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by ri702bill

[Ed Kennell 38,227]

Filled tires, wheel weights, rear weights, and me in the seat  =  near a 1000 pounds on the rear tires.

 

 

 

[leabassett@sbcglobal.net 149]

20 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

They're not ALL set up like that. 

You have the lighter duty Tab style hitch. 

I've had 200 to 300 lbs on my Tab hitch while pulling loads here. 

 

So they have a different hitch than what I have. I just would like to add a 100 ish lbs to the back and the stubby hitch I have is not giving me much room.

[ebinmaine 67,632]

2 minutes ago, leabassett@sbcglobal.net said:

 

So they have a different hitch than what I have. I just would like to add a 100 ish lbs to the back and the stubby hitch I have is not giving me much room.

Best bet is to go heavy.  

I believe a decent alternative would be to use a clevis or slot hitch. 

 

 

[Chaz54 57]

14 hours ago, leabassett@sbcglobal.net said:

 

So they have a different hitch than what I have. I just would like to add a 100 ish lbs to the back and the stubby hitch I have is not giving me much room.

You could get a 2” receiver hitch mount that clamps onto the rear axle housing. 

[ebinmaine 67,632]

On 11/21/2023 at 7:32 PM, ebinmaine said:

top quality hitch from Lowell at Wheel Horse Parts and More. One of our own fine vendors.  

 

One can also make or buy a less expensive hitch off the fleeeeBay.  

I've done this. 

I do not advise that route. 

 

2 hours ago, Chaz54 said:

You could get a 2” receiver hitch mount that clamps onto the rear axle housing. 

 

Hey thanks for clarifying that. 

 

It's what I meant in my earlier post but I didn't write the size. 

 

 

[RED-Z06 2,221]

Its different kinds of tractors, different designs.  Most Deere offerings in the GT range had full frames that came to the back end, on many WH models the frame mostly ends at the front of the transmission.  This means that you are limited to fabrication, or using something that mounts to the transmission itself...either at the hitch pivot pin, or to the axle housings.  The Deere models allowed you to bolt stuff to the frame, its smarter..easier, but more complex.