Ballast box (chained?)

[mdhughes]

I just bought a L3901 with a front end loader that will be delivered on Tuesday and I was wondering if anyone chains there ballast boxes up to take the weight off the hydraulics? A friend of mine does this on his older Ford tractor and I was wonder if this is a common thing. I will be making my own three point ballast.

 

[olthumpa]

I put another pin under the top link on the tractor and chain it there -takes most of the stress off the 3pt hitch..

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Leave it attached to the hitch. Safer and sturdier on the hitch then swinging from a chain.

If the tractor is not in use then lower the 3pt to the ground. If your using the tractor then it can stay on the hitch all day without problems.

 

[mdhughes]

Eric, I think you miss understand. He leaves the ballast connected to the three point, but chains it up to take the weight off the hydraulic system.

 

[MattyNH]

I don't chain my ballast box up..Your not gonna hurt the hydraulics..I will have to say though I do lower the box to the ground when not running..

 

[gpreuss]

I agree with Eric on this - you are not going to hurt a thing, but set it on the ground when the tractor is shut down. At least half the reason for this is to prevent 2 neighbor kids from coming out of nowhere, and have one of them lower the ballast on the other's foot...
Welcome to OTT and the forum. We look forward to hearing more from you. Hope you like the tractor.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Having a ballast box sitting back there would not be any different then having any tractor attachment on the hitch all day. Like a grading box or any heavy attachment.

 

[ru499]

I don't chain mine either. It's just like any other implement mounted on the 3pt hitch.

 

[kubotasam]

I just bought a L3901 with a front end loader that will be delivered on Tuesday and I was wondering if anyone chains there ballast boxes up to take the weight off the hydraulics? A friend of mine does this on his older Ford tractor and I was wonder if this is a common thing. I will be making my own three point ballast.

Older Ford tractor probably = a 3 point hitch that leaks down. That is why people chain them up. If it leaks down you need to keep fiddling with 3 point control. You forget and next thing you know you are dragging the ballast on the ground.

 

[GEPM64]

On my bx2370 the ballast box does not touch the ground when lowered all the way. Is this a concern? Should I find a way to take the weight off?

Thanks,
Glenn

 

[gpreuss]

When the 3ph is all the way down the cylinder is fully collapsed, so there is no real strain back there. You are leaving a significant weight on the real axle and bearings, however. It shouldn't be a problem but if you are concerned, lay a couple of 2x4's under it before you set it down, to hold the weight. You can also pick a different set of mounting holes on the lift arms to allow the weight to sit on the ground.
Whenever I park my tractor in the barn I have to leave the FEL up in the air on cylinder blocks, which does the same thing to the front axle and bearings. I don't worry about it.