Massey 231 ballast weight ?

Geo-TH,In · Mar 30, 2014

Neighbor wants me to build a ballast weight so he can lift a round bales, 1000#. He has ballast in rear tires, but says hay lifts rear wheels off ground. How much weight does he need at the 3 pt?

How much will the 3 pt lift?

Does anyone have a pic of their ballast. I have welder, metal 14 inch cutoff, metal band saw, cement mixer, all the sand and gravel needed.

I was thinking of using a 55 gallon drum full of concrete to attach 3 pt to. That would be a little north of 1000#. Not sure if that would be enough.

Pics and opinions welcome. The simpler the design, the better.
George

Dean · Mar 30, 2014

Using FEL? If so which FEL?

Lot to ask of a 231 if using FEL.

Three point will lift 1000 lbs., but that is a lot of weight to continuously carry on lift arms if traveling over rough terain. Would suggest less than full barrell of concrete or, better still, carry bales with three point spear.

Dean

ShadetreeRet · Mar 30, 2014

The suggestion by Dean makes sense to me. Use a 3pt bale spear and not worry about ballast. It would be as simple to make a bale spear as to make a ballast carrier.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 30, 2014

Dean
He doesn't have a 3 pt spear.

I leaning toward 55 gallon drum. Sand and gravel is about 500#. concrete is 1000#

I took some measurements. Bale is more than 6 ft in front of front axle. 3 pt arms are only 3 ft long. In theory, to balance out 1000# bale at 6 ft, you would need 2000# at 3 ft to get the same torque. Not sure 3 pt can handle it.

However, the bale of hay is 1000# and a 3 pt spear would have to lift at least 1000.

I was hoping someone has already made one.
George

Case Nutty 1660 · Mar 30, 2014

the 1000lbs will help a lot but if he is loading bales you may want to make the drum extend back and give more ballast leverage, I have a 580CK Case I use to load bales and have wheel weights the tires loaded and at least 1000lbs of iron weights hanging on the rear and it is enough with 1000'1200lb bales but you still have to pay attention loading the top tier bales, we have a drum here that my uncle uses on his 45hp Kubota with loader and it is not enough weight and he just has a bucket and does not handle bales at all, I agree though with the bale spear as it puts the bale back like the front one for much better ballast, I bought another one last fall from our Baumgar's farm store for about 500.00 might be worth it for him as it is handy to handel two bales at once for me
cnt

DoubleR · Mar 30, 2014

I have moved 1000 lb bales on the three point with my 231 but I don't like to. Its allot to ask of it, in my opinion. I don't use any extra weight but don't move the bales any farther than I have to. It likes the smaller bales better and I feel move comfortable moving them with that tractor.

VicS · Mar 30, 2014

I have made 2 barrels of concrete for the 3 point hitch. I cut one ring off the barrel. just used a 7/8 sucker rod. (rod that goes down oil well and hooks to the down hole pump) cut a couple holes in a 3 in pipe about 20 inches long for the top link. then made another loop for the back so you can pull from it. Seemed to weigh 800 lbs. I just left the barrel at the redi-mix plant and they filled it free with concrete coming back. That said I use a 3 point bale carrier on the back of our small tractor to move bales, to counter the bale on the loader. Not carrying the 1000 lb all the time. Vic

Nick m · Mar 31, 2014

I did 2/3 barrel of concrete for my massey 40b. I stuck a piece of chain in the end of it for easier handling if need be. Instead of connecting it directly to the 3pt, I tip it over and pick it up with my pallet forks. Much easier to hook on. I handle 750lb bales with a spear that attaches to the bucket. Wouldn't want to lift much more with that set up.

Massey 231 ballast weight ?

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

Dean

Well-known Member

ShadetreeRet

Well-known Member

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

Case Nutty 1660

Well-known Member

DoubleR

Well-known Member

VicS

Well-known Member

Nick m

Member

Similar threads