Building a counter weight question

[Benhameen]

If I have the time over the weekend I'm considering building a counter weight for my 3pt hitch. I'm sure this has been covered so you have to forgive me.

It will either be made using a wooded form with concrete or I thought about going with the barrel full of concrete technique.

I guess my main concern is the quick hitch I have on the 3pt. With the QH it will not allow the weight as close to the tractor as some I've found pictures of. It will hang off the back a few feet.

Will this make much of a difference in performance or am I over thinking this?

Thanks

Ben

 

[Balvar24]

I would think the further away from the axles the weight is, the less weight you need.

So if anything, it would help?

 

[lreops]

This is my design with it being held closer in on the tractor.

Ron

 

[Benhameen]

Thanks for the reply's.

Ron that's similar to what I was thinking. Any idea what yours weighs?

I like the idea of having it closer but I don't want to have to the take quick hitch off each time I hook up.

 

[lreops]

I used nine 80# bags of concrete, 24" Drawbar, and a 36" X 2" X 3/8" flat stock (bent and attached to Drawbar for top link) and guess that I'm about 800#. Not real familiar with whats needed for the QH, but I would think the design of your boxed form would be determined by the needed adjustments for the QH hook up.

Ron

 

[cerlawson]

For using the quick hitch, you apparently know how to weld, so that is easily done. Make a frame with the pins for the two lower quick hitch hooks and the bracket on top for the top hook or attachment. Then it is only a matter of figuring how you want the weight attached to that frame. For the pictures, those pins and the top bracket would do the job if they were on the face of the block towards the tractor.

Or you can enclose that block of concrete with a "box" made from angle iron.

Be sure that the pins are at such a height that your quick hitch can get under the pins for attaching, or set the block on a support. For the BX this is critical due to limited arm movement.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The weight off of a quick hitch will work fine, just don't put so much weight off the three point that it's going to stress the three point.
Also keep the check chains tight to keep the weight from shifting side to side.

 

[MagKarl]

Have you considered just using an implement instead? Something useful instead of dead weight? I use my box scraper, I pretty much just leave it on unless I need to switch to another implement. It just works well in tandem with the loader, scraping up into a pile, smoothing what I've dumped with the bucket, etc. Just my $0.02.

 

[Big Orange]

I took a 50 gal rubber maid trash can and cut 2 slots about 2/3 down and 2/3 to the front and slid a draw bar through it. I then welded and bolted a reese hitch on to it and let it stick out the back for small trailers etc.
I also bolted 2 pieces of 2 inch angle straight up and 2 inches apart to accept the turn buckle of the 3 point hitch. then filled the whole thing with concrete about 1000 lbs. works fantastic. also made a carry all for the back.

 

[olthumpa]

Have you considered just using an implement instead? Something useful instead of dead weight? I use my box scraper, I pretty much just leave it on unless I need to switch to another implement. It just works well in tandem with the loader, scraping up into a pile, smoothing what I've dumped with the bucket, etc. Just my $0.02.

I leave my box scraper on all the time in the winter for the same reasons plus I added 2 78lb concrete blocks for additional weight to the top of the box.

 

[Benhameen]

Yes I could use an implement for the counter weight. I mostly just have cabin fever and it was 60 outside on Saturday but to muddy to do much.

So I was able to get it framed up and about 90% ready for the quick create. If I'm figuring right it's about 8 cubic ft, which should be about 13 bags of Crete and a little over 1000 pounds.

I was able to round up everything except the Crete for free. The only other expense might be the lower lift pins, for mock up purposes I've been using a 3'x 7/8" grade stake, it's a little rusty and pitted on one end. So I'll probably buy something different, just to be on the safe side.

I'm assuming that the more rebar I can get in there the better right?

 

[BX25DMan]

I have the BX25D.

This winter has given me ample time to plow plenty of snow and I discovered that the additional weight of the backhoe was actually a hindrance rather than a benefit.

As the weight of the snow pile increased in front of the plow and the weight of the backhoe actually worked against me. What I discovered was the additional weight behind the center-line of the rear tires caused the front end to raise prematurely. The rear axle became a pivot point.

Keep in mind that I was using a plow to push, not the bucket to lift.

Once I removed the backhoe I was able to push the snow very easy and effectively....

I'm looking forward to spring so I can reattach the bucket and backhoe...