IH 574 Ballast Box question

[Chess1201]

I recently bought a IH 574(swept back front axle) with a 2250 FEL without an offsetting ballast weight. I soon found out that this setup really needs a ballast box as it light in the rear when picking up a full bucket weighing approx 1000 lbs. 574 has rear wheel weights but tires are not filled.

Would appreciate recommendations about how much weight I would need if I made a 3 pt ballast box?

Thank you for your feedback.

 

[old]

I recently bought a IH 574(swept back front axle) with a 2250 FEL without an offsetting ballast weight. I soon found out that this setup really needs a ballast box as it light in the rear when picking up a full bucket weighing approx 1000 lbs. 574 has rear wheel weights but tires are not filled.

Would appreciate recommendations about how much weight I would need if I made a 3 pt ballast box?

Thank you for your feedback.

On my tractors with loaders I put a piece of equipment on the 3 point and then add weights to them. An example is my Ford 841S with loader has a heavy duty back blade on it with 6 85lbs suit case weights hanging on the blade. By the way doing that gives you both ballast and something you can use when/if needed

 

[Jim.ME]

I recently bought a IH 574(swept back front axle) with a 2250 FEL without an offsetting ballast weight. I soon found out that this setup really needs a ballast box as it light in the rear when picking up a full bucket weighing approx 1000 lbs. 574 has rear wheel weights but tires are not filled.

Would appreciate recommendations about how much weight I would need if I made a 3 pt ballast box?

Thank you for your feedback.

1000 to 1200 pounds would be a starting point. Build it so that the 3-point connections are all at the front. If the top link connects back into the box a distance, there is a better chance of bending the top link if it interferes with the edge of the box when fully raised. frame the top for a box then you can carry things or add weight easily if you need.

 

[crsutton81]

I recently bought a IH 574(swept back front axle) with a 2250 FEL without an offsetting ballast weight. I soon found out that this setup really needs a ballast box as it light in the rear when picking up a full bucket weighing approx 1000 lbs. 574 has rear wheel weights but tires are not filled.

Would appreciate recommendations about how much weight I would need if I made a 3 pt ballast box?

Thank you for your feedback.

I have a 674 with 1 set of wheel weights on each rear wheel, along with the 18.4-30 tires filled with water and antifreeze. This is the counter weight that I use on the 3pt. It's approximately 800 lb ish. In most cases it is adequate unless maxing out the loader capacity while having to operate in plowed / loose ground. I can add or delete front weights from the bracket to accommodate the situation. It works much better than having an implement attached as it lifts up high and does not bottom out on the ground to get yourself stuck....especially on a 2wd tractor.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Our 574 has 2 weights in each wheel on the out side and a set of old case weights for about 500 on each wheel inside and filled tires. with a 2050 series A loader on it. The outside weights one is an IT and the other is an old F&H I believe . MY brother and dad drilled the weights that didn'tr line up with the holes on the disc so they could just slide threaded rod through the holes with the inside weight on then put the outside ones on and tighten up. The rear tires are 18.4-28's loaded I believe each side must be close to 1200 LBS. Then if we need more than that for some reason there is an old Press gear on a skid for the 3pt we can add. Then it seems like it is almost unstoppable in snow . With it on I have pulled my loaded semi out when stuck in the narrow snow plowing dad did up hill so I could get in off the road for the night then fixed that problem the next morning. If you still can't go in winter get some ashes and put under the drive wheels it will pull the earth with a big enough lever.

 

[Chess1201]

1000 to 1200 pounds would be a starting point. Build it so that the 3-point connections are all at the front. If the top link connects back into the box a distance, there is a better chance of bending the top link if it interferes with the edge of the box when fully raised. frame the top for a box then you can carry things or add weight easily if you need.

Thank you for your reply. With the swept back front axle, could 1000- 1200 lbs be too much that it will take too much weight off the front causing steering issues? I attached a 574 pic. Thank you.

 

[Jim.ME]

Thank you for your reply. With the swept back front axle, could 1000- 1200 lbs be too much that it will take too much weight off the front causing steering issues? I attached a 574 pic. Thank you.View attachment 81530

I would start with about 1000 lbs. If you put a 750 lb. bush hog on back it would act like 1000 lb. due to the center of its weight being further back than a box of 1000 lbs. I have a 2 ft x 2ft x 3ft. one that is about 1800 lbs. You don't need a big block as 150 lb. per cubic foot is an approximate weight for estimating a size to build.

 

[495man]

1000 lb won't cause steering issues with that 2250 on front.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Thank you for your reply. With the swept back front axle, could 1000- 1200 lbs be too much that it will take too much weight off the front causing steering issues? I attached a 574 pic. Thank you.View attachment 81530

Not even close. 1000lbs won't even balance it out. Remember your grade school physics lessons with the fat kid and the skinny kid on the teeter-totter. The tractor is the teeter-totter and the rear axle is the balance point because that's where your traction is.

You put 1000lbs way out front, and 1000lbs up close to the rear axle, it's not going to balance out. 1000lbs will help, but you would probably want 2000lbs back there to really balance it out with a load in the bucket. But you also have to consider practicality. With the bucket empty you really don't need that 2000lbs back there so you find a kind of middle ground.

 

[Chess1201]

Many thanks to everyone who responded. I've decided to go with 1000 - 1100 lb counterweight.