Counterweight / Rear Ballast on the Cheap

[Snowmobileaddict 403]

Since finishing up my loader build last year I've been thinking about setting up some affordable rear ballast to complement the wheel weights that I picked up on craigslist recently.  The concrete filled plastic coated wheel weights came up for sale from a local seller and I bought them in very clean shape for $70. 

For additional rear ballast I had been thing about repurposed free weights or weight plates that show up from time to time at the local thrift shops.  In the last 2 weeks, my plan came together quite well.  I found a 2-piece 1" weight bar that had spin on nuts at each end for $9.99.  Then a few days later I found (2) 25# cast iron weight plates, and (2) 25# concrete-filled and plastic coated "orbatron/DP" weight plates.  The cast iron weight plates were 40-cents a pound (so $20.00 for 50#) and the plastic coated concrete-filled plates were a dollar a piece.

To mount this securely to back of my 522xi, I decided to use a spare towing drawbar that I had laying around.  The drawbar has a 2.5" drop or 2" rise, and had a 1" hole.  This fits the 1" weight bar perfectly and serves as the vertical "spindle" that holds the weight plates.  I used one of the spin on nuts from the weight bar to lock it down to the drawbar and snugged it up by hitting the nut with a drift and a 3# hammer.  After it was mounted,  I trimmed the extra bar off with the sawzall that stuck out through the bottom of the drawbar and nut.

Here is how it all came together.  Total cost so far for the hitch-mounted ballast was $32.  The wheel weights were $70.  I hope to pick up another (4) 25# weight plates soon.  Just like the Goodwill mantra, "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" these odds and ends from the local Goodwill sporting goods shelf will see a new life in the name of yard maintenance!

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2017 by Snowmobileaddict

[DennisThornton 4,771]

Nice!  I need more info about that hitch though!

[Snowmobileaddict 403]

On ‎5‎/‎22‎/‎2017 at 10:09 PM, DennisThornton said:

Nice!  I need more info about that hitch though!

 

Haha.  People always ask what's up with that wonky hitch... I have a Toro "Quiet Collector" dump-from-the-seat bagging system for my 522xi and that vacuum, mounts up with a heavy duty rear quick attach mounting bracket that looks something like a rigid upside-down 3pt hitch.  A couple years ago I welded up a custom receiver hitch that bolts onto the rear vac mounting bracket with (4) 3/8" bolts.  When I do fall cleanup, I just remove the receiver hitch.  Here is a photo of the tractor with the receiver hitch and without and with the vac, and here's my thread from when I first found the bagger system : 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2017 by Snowmobileaddict

[Tgtack 779]

Nice, I think one could do something similar with either the drawbar or slot hitch. I was also thinking about putting in bags of recovered range lead. I could probably load 75 to 100 lbs in the tool box under the seat. I keep several Caldwell cordura nylon bags full of lead for use with my lead sled when shooting long distance. Could just drop those in the box when needed.

Edited May 23, 2017 by Tgtack

[Snowmobileaddict 403]

Another jackpot at the goodwill today! 50 more pounds of cast iron ballast for $12!

 

Edited July 3, 2017 by Snowmobileaddict

[Uncle Buck 246]

I am not a fan of putting all that weight on the machine. That added weight puts accelerated wear on the bearings on the rear end. It is very tempting to add the additional weight that way I will admit but should be avoided if possible if you ask me. The better choice in my mind is fluid filling the tires (never calcium like big tractors) and adding your extra weight to the rims, on both the inside and outside of the rims, front and rear if needed. That keeps the added weight on the tires and rims and not on bearings and shafts on the machine. The benefits are the same without putting undue wear on the machine.

 

I will acknowledge that WH made the tombstone weight for the front of the machine and as such I offer no argument for accessories designed by WH for their equipment. I certainly mean no offense and hope none is taken with my comment here.

[Forest Road 594]

57 minutes ago, Uncle Buck said:

I am not a fan of putting all that weight on the machine. That added weight puts accelerated wear on the bearings on the rear end. It is very tempting to add the additional weight that way I will admit but should be avoided if possible if you ask me. The better choice in my mind is fluid filling the tires (never calcium like big tractors) and adding your extra weight to the rims, on both the inside and outside of the rims, front and rear if needed. That keeps the added weight on the tires and rims and not on bearings and shafts on the machine. The benefits are the same without putting undue wear on the machine.

 

I will acknowledge that WH made the tombstone weight for the front of the machine and as such I offer no argument for accessories designed by WH for their equipment. I certainly mean no offense and hope none is taken with my comment here.

 

 

I have a 522 Xi w a loader, approx 1100 hours. Loaded tires and wheel weights just aren't enough. I run a minimum 300lbs of ballast. No problems in the 5 years I've owned it. Same goes for my 314h. I have a similar ballast box w 300+ lbs and my 270 on the seat. Any less and she's getting stuck.

 

Id be willing to bet the grass collector when loaded weighs a few hundred lbs. 

[Snowmobileaddict 403]

"Sprung" and "unsprung" counterweight has been discussed A LOT on this board. 

 

The bagger I have easily weighs 175# empty.  Add another 60# or more when its full of leaves and ready to be dumped.

 

I'll add that I only run these repurposed weights out back when I'm using my front end loader attachment which was a Wheel Horse officially marketed attachment and clearly indicates in the owners literature that 280# of counter weight in a rear mounted ballast box is required.

 

Considering my FEL only gets used maybe once per year for a couple of hours and my transaxle fluid is always right on the money, I'm not convinced I'm doing any harm.  However to each their own.

 

Anyone considering rear mounted weight, wheel weights or fluid loaded tires should read the thread linked below.  The specs for a SINGLE needle bearing that supports a 1-1/8" axle sure opened my eyes.

 

 

Edited May 24, 2017 by Snowmobileaddict

[cleat 7,029]

Actually, the manual for my diesel cab tractor states that having an attachment on the 3 point hitch is recommended when using the loader and actually takes some stress off of the front end.

 

Cleat

[Uncle Buck 246]

15 hours ago, cleat said:

Actually, the manual for my diesel cab tractor states that having an attachment on the 3 point hitch is recommended when using the loader and actually takes some stress off of the front end.

 

Cleat

That would stand to reason with a loader.

22 hours ago, Snowmobileaddict said:

"Sprung" and "unsprung" counterweight has been discussed A LOT on this board. 

 

The bagger I have easily weighs 175# empty.  Add another 60# or more when its full of leaves and ready to be dumped.

 

I'll add that I only run these repurposed weights out back when I'm using my front end loader attachment which was a Wheel Horse officially marketed attachment and clearly indicates in the owners literature that 280# of counter weight in a rear mounted ballast box is required.

 

Considering my FEL only gets used maybe once per year for a couple of hours and my transaxle fluid is always right on the money, I'm not convinced I'm doing any harm.  However to each their own.

 

Anyone considering rear mounted weight, wheel weights or fluid loaded tires should read the thread linked below.  The specs for a SINGLE needle bearing that supports a 1-1/8" axle sure opened my eyes.

 

 

I would tend to agree with you. I will admit that all of my machines are old school WH before Toro and honestly my thoughts and comments were coming from that mindset, which is totally different than late model machines like you are speaking of where there are big grass baggers hauling great weight routinely on the back of the later model machines. Clearly the later model machines had to be engineered from the factory to handle those additional weights. As I said, please forgive the fact that my WH mind tends to get stuck on the old stuff and I can make incorrect observations regarding newer and better engineered later model machines.