Making My Own Tractor Wheel Weights on a Small Front End Loader 

Thank you very much!

what was the rated capacity and length of the Actuators you decided to use?@@eds2centsworth203

@@eds2centsworth203 What was the Capacity rating and stroke length you decided to implement? Are the boom and the bucket different specs? 😃

I used 1320 lb (6000 N) actuators.

10 inch stroke on lift arms and 12 inch stroke on bucket.

Thanks, and I hope my videos are helpful.

I come from a time when you had to make due with what you had. You were encouraged to repurpose items, not throw them away and go buy new. Anyway, thanks for your generous support. Ed

Glad it helped

I appreciate it. Thanks, Ed

If you have tires in good shape, the fluid filled tires are one of the best weight methods. Thank you for reminding You Tubers of this option.

I taught in the commercial sector and also I do spiritual counseling for people that are in emotional distress.

Thank you 🤗

While weights on the rear provide a maximum of downward pressure, they also provide the most force on the rear axle. Some builders put so much weight in the rear that they stand the chance of bending the rear axle. Weights on the rear wheels or axle are less intrusive on axle bearings or bushings. This tractor has 25 pounds on each axle which maintains good traction with a 200 pound load in the bucket under normal circumstances. I have an additional 60 pound weight that attaches to the rear that I only use when in more extreme circumstances such a significantly wet ground or climbing a steep hill with a heavy load. Take note of large farm tractors with factory weights - the factory puts them on the axles first. Then the factory offers optional add on weights to the rear. Also, keep in mind what kind of tractor you are building on. If you build on a riding lawn mower tractor as I did, there are definite limitations. It wasn't designed to be a loader. Different riding mowers have different frame thicknesses. Rear axles might encorporate 3/4 inch shafts while others use 1 inch shafts. Front spindles are almost always 3/4 inch. If you are building on a true garden tractor such as the 500 series John Deere or the old Sears Craftsman or the old Case tractors then you have an excellent foundation for doing almost anything you want. A lawn mower tractor is not as heavy duty as a true garden tractor. There are no set rules. But I would recommend going into a loader project on a lawn mower with limits in mind. In my video that demonstrates the usefulness of a residential loader, all lifts were of 200 pounds or less. - here is a link - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZgWMNODW7y8.html . I think the 200 pound capability is a reasonable and practical mark for a residential loader. The loaders in the video can lift way more than that, but the question is, should they? You want to build a safe loader! You want to build a loader that lasts. Over taxing a lawn mower loader will do neither. I guess what I am clumsily trying to say here is the decisions I have made for my builds are based on the idea that I can just get so much out of a lawn mower loader. Weights on axles always makes sense to me. Additional weight on the rear when necessary has it's place too. I hope this helps, Ed

@@eds2centsworth203 thanks a lot. I'll probably only need to lift 200# max so your solution is good enough for me too! mostly moving wood chips I get for free.

Back in the 70s I knew an older man who just filled his rims on his old cub cadet Providing room for his lug nuts and tire stem with concrete so he could mow his yard on hills. Me I run snow chains year round for traction but ive also got a snow blower for it as well, the 2 stage snowblower is very heavy and with snowchains on the lawn tractor I can hardly get it back into the garage backing up without help. The garage floor is smooth so unless someone pulls me back the back wheels just spin like I'm on ice. The extra weight will also help me on a 45 dgr hill because thats very dicy as the hills worst slope is part of the hill. The chains help a lot but even then I find times I do not get enough traction. Last thing you need is slipping tires on a law mower.

Thank you for a great video. I was racking my brain at how I wanted to do this. Thank you. I also watched the video about the limb saw and the front crane. Genius. It’s gonna snow this weekend I think I’ll be checking out the rest of your videos.

I am $26 out of pocket for the 2 weights. Best price I could find for ready made weights was $104 plus tax for a pair of 50 pounders. There are other reasons for the approach I took. Had materials on site, I enjoy a challenge and I have medical reasons for keeping the weight on the modest side. But thanks for your thoughts. Ed