B8200 weak 3pt hitch with ballast box

[frdf250]

I was super happy with my 500 lbs concrete ballast block I made out of a drum and rebar. I put a piece of all thread through the drum so I could pick it up and a knife plate on top to hold it level. I went to pick up the drum and my B8200 cant lift it. Heres what i've done to trouble shoot so far -

• Change Hydraulic Fluid and fill to proper level
  
• Clean the screen seen below -
  
• 
  
• Checked the diverter valve under drivers right foot. moved it all the way in - no luck, moved it all the way out - no luck.

I am not sure what to do at this point, the FEL on the front works fine, lifts a good amount of weight and isn't jerkey when in operation. Am i missing some kind of valve or adjustment that might have been messed with by the previous owner? There is something underneath my seat that i tried spinning but that didnt work either.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Does it move up and down without weight?

Is there any change in sound when you move the control lever?

 

[hodge]

Are you sure it's only 500 lbs? It sounds like your tractor is fine, and just won't lift the weight.

 

[frdf250]

Yes moved up and down without weight. I need to stand on it to move it down but figured that's normal. I put about 6 80lbs bags of concrete in the barrel so I should be under the max weight.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Sounds like you'll need to pull the top off the three point and put a new seal / Oring / ring on the lift piston.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Does it leak down? When tractor is off,arms up and valve under seat turned clockwise. With a little weight on it.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Does it leak down? When tractor is off,arms up and valve under seat turned clockwise. With a little weight on it.

Good question!

 

[frdf250]

I can defiantly try that. How much weight we talking?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I can defiantly try that. How much weight we talking?

Anything that it will pick up, 100 200, 300.

 

[sheepfarmer]

When you made your ballast box you took a drum which weighed X and added 6 80 lb bags of concrete (480 lbs) but does this mean the powder? Did you then add water?

I have not done this but curious as to how it would be done, and wondering if it is not more than 500 lbs?

 

[100 td]

Concrete weighs approx 2400kg/m, (sorry I'm metric) so a 200 litre drum would hold 480 kg, or 1056 lbs. How many litre drum or gallon drum?

 

[100 td]

My quick calcs from quikrete says the concrete (when placed) from 6 X 80 lbs bags will be around 517 lbs

 

[frdf250]

When you made your ballast box you took a drum which weighed X and added 6 80 lb bags of concrete (480 lbs) but does this mean the powder? Did you then add water?

I have not done this but curious as to how it would be done, and wondering if it is not more than 500 lbs?

Here is how I did it -

Cut the drum in half
Drilled the holes for the all thread and bolted it in
Put the knife plate into the drum for the draw bar
filled er up with concrete!

The drum itself with the rebar weights about 20 lbs.

 

[frdf250]

Isn't the max load capacity for the three point hitch assy. 800 lbs?

 

[redmaher]

Could the problem be that the top link being in the center of the load is binding? Or am I miss understanding the set up?

Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk

 

[redmaher]

I've never made one myself but I've always seen the connection pins being more towards the back edge not sure if that makes any difference but I still wonder if it's binding up the 3 point.

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[North Idaho Wolfman]

Isn't the max load capacity for the three point hitch assy. 800 lbs?

You should be fine at 800lbs as the rated is 1,280 at the ends and 1,015 24" behind.

 

[frdf250]

Had 100 lbs on it for twondays and it honestly didn't move an inch. Any ideas?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Your going to need to get a pressure gauge and test the system pressure.

 

[frdf250]

Your going to need to get a pressure gauge and test the system pressure.

I can just throw a gauge onto any port that is a send line for the hydraulics? My FEL has quick attach fittings on them so i could just get a gauge and a reducer bushing to test it at one of those locations?

Is it possible air is trapped? When i got the tractor the hydraulic fluid wouldnt even read on the dipstick. I pulled the screen and filled it up thinking it just wasent lifting because it was low on fluid.