Counterweight for my 8N Dearborn

[manni52]

Hello, folks!
I have a question regarding the counterweight required for the Dearborn 19-22 mounted on my 8N. Currently the rear tires are filled with liquid for this purpose, but the liquid is leaking out of the valve stem holes causing them to rust badly requiring at least one of the rims to be replaced. The machine is old and tired and infrequently used for light duty work, but I am gradually making repairs to it to bring it back to more complete functionality. This issue is among the many repairs. Ok my question is: do I need such counterweight for this loader? The tractor also has a Kingcutter scraper blade attached to the rear, so with that in mind how much more weight do I require? What I am getting at is I would much rather have air than liquid in my rear tires. The manual for the Dearborn does not indicate any counterweight required for its operation.
Thanks!-John

 

[Mike Groom]

With that size of bucket and the blade on the back I wouldn't think you would need any more weight on the rear. With that being said they do make rear wheel weights that work very well for additional ballast.

 

[old]

I no longer have fluid in the tires on my 841S but I do have 6-85lbs suit case weights on the blade so as to have the weight I need to be able to lift a big round bale with the loader

 

[Roger in Iowa]

The more ballast out back the easier it is
to steer!
I would put liquid in the rear tires but I
used windshield washer fluid.
Ballast in rear tire location does not
make it easier to steer. Has to be to the
rear of rear tires.

 

[Abbby]

If you are keeping this tractor long term bite the bullet and get new rims and get the tires filled with beet juice. Best counter weight is fluid in the tires. Beet juice is non corrosive. If you need more weight then add external weight.

 

[Dave G9N]

post at 11:02:15 11/12/23)

he easiest way to shift the center of gravity back a little is to turn the back blade around backwards.

A good question to ask here is how hard is it on the lift cylinder and hydraulic pump to hang a lot of weight on the lift? Seems like every bounce puts a pressure spike on the lift hydraulics. I've never seen mention of a problem, but that may be due to my lack of experience.

 

[kris Jensen]

Ballast in tires is best for added weight. Most of the tire weights are calcium chloride.
Water softener salt. Tire shops has special pumps for injecting this and it s horribly corrosive.
A good alternative is antifreeze like windshield washer. A friend has many tire loaded with motor antifreeze
that he bought used from his friendly car and truck wrecking yards. Great alternative and not so corrosive.
A cement block with a bar through the middle to hang on the three point works very well. Easy to make to
size and weight.

 

[Bruce(OR)]

Explosions all around and no direct hits.
*
At least the front tires are correct for FEL operation.
Cacl is 12.5 pounds per gallon. Water is 8.35 pounds per gallon. Beet Juice/RimGuard (same stuff) is roughly 10
pounds per gallon.
*
Counterweight is a 50 gallon plastic barrel filled with water which is roughly 415 pounds for a counterweight. Thyat
requires fabbing a metal bracket to secure and hold it on the 3 point. Can be emptied when not needed and easily
moved.
More? A nice concrete block with attachment points can also be made to work.
*
Steering can be improved by adding roughly 2 length to the steering arms on top of the knuckles.
Fabrication needed. This however, will increase turning radius which can be overcome with steering brakes.
Unless you opt in a P/S unit set up.
*
Repairing the rear rim can be done easily enough if ONLY the valve stem hole is rotted out.
Not really cost effective to have someone else do the repair.
Clean rusted area, Tack on 14 ga patch, heat and beat/bend into place.
Weld patch onto rim. Grind smooth.
Opposite the rusted area, drill a new 5/8 inch hole for the valve stem. Was it on the flat or the angle?
If on the angle, you also need to heat/smack that down a bit until flat for the stem to come out of.
*
That front axle was never designed for an FEL. You can fracture and break it with heavy loads.
locate yourself more front end parts before you break it. Center axle, knees and spindles for a start.
*

 

[Ultradog MN]

If you go with some sort of heavy weight
on the 3 point you can use check chains
from the lift arms up to the top link
bracket so the load is not on the
hydraulic system.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Its hard to beat a drum filled with concrete. Its tucked in nice and tight out of the way. I use this on a kubota it makes a big difference. I don't think you will see a difference till you get around 750 lbs. once you get there you will understand.



https://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=1339912&highlight=counter

 

[manni52]

Thank you all for all of the information, I have much to consider from stem to stern. I am hoping to get 'er in the "car hold" this winter to work on the hydraulics and the draft. Steer bushings and spindle bearings also need attention so all this before any ballast fab.
Thanks again!

 

[504]

THe fluid leaking out of the rim is most likely
leaking from the valve stem and eating the rim. If the
leak was in the tube the tire would go flat. Change
the valve stems and watch for leakage then.

 

[Caryc]

The last sentence in Bruce's reply is most important here. You sound like you are wanting to lift quite a bit of weight. As Bruce said, the front axle on an 8N was never designed to support a front end loader. Be sure you don't get that front end bouncing while driving over lumpy dirt with a load in that bucket. Your tractor might just wind up sitting on it's oil pan.

I have an 8N with a FEL on it. I have always been very careful with it. When I got my MF202 seven years ago, it does all the FEL work I need to do. I don't use the FEL on the 8N any more.

I understand if that's the only tractor with an FEL that you have. Just use caution with it.

 

[Pete in Holland MI]

1) Leaks THRU the stem are often the stem valve. They don't like the corrosiveness of calcium chloride. Once you add air to the tire, they often don't seat
anymore and need replacement.

2) Loaders & counterweights. Yes.....you do need counterweight. If at any point, the tractor comes off the rear tires, then all the weight of the tractor,
loader, and bucket load rests on the front axle. Counter weights keep some that weight on the rear end. A nice compact heavy weight with a 3-point set up, or
a heavy implement (but adds a lot of length to the rig) is necessary.

3) On a 2 wheel drive tractor with a loader, it'll aid in traction when driving the tractor into a pile of dirt and carrying around a heavy load.