Ballast Removal?

[TheOldHokie]

Thanks! I've been lowering it to the bottom of the 3pt capacity. But the box doesn't actually sit on the ground

When its full down but still off the ground it is mechanically supported and you don't need any additional external support. You also don't have to use the hydraulics to hold it when raised. A simple check chain will take the load off the 3pt hydraulics.

Dan

 

[Vigo]

^ Exactly.

The biggest thing is leaving the 3pt hitch in the up position when not using, with weight on it, puts a lot of stress on the hydraulic piston that operates it.

If the 3pt won't go down any more it is hitting a mechanical limit but there is no pressure left on the piston.

Plus, how much pressure the piston sees while holding something steady, is nothing compared to what the pressure can spike to when you hit a hard bump while holding something. So the hydraulic piston/cylinder/seal should be capable of holding far more than what it is set (through relief valve) to be able to lift, because it has to be able to lift that AND hit reasonably hard bumps without breaking.

Messick's did a video on their youtube channel a while back about how not to use a grapple that was related to this. I think he got the grapple lid circuit up to 5 or 6000psi in the video. Most 3pts have relief pressure ~1700-2500 from what i've seen.

 

[GeoHorn]

^ Most 3pts have relief pressure ~1700-2500 from what i've seen.

My 3-point is RATED to lift 4,000. Don’t have any idea what the relief is set at.

 

[TheOldHokie]

My 3-point is RATED to lift 4,000. Don’t have any idea what the relief is set at.

Typically the 3ot lift capacity is controlled by the main system pressure relief and the lift circuit is protected by a safety relief that is set a good bit higher than the system relief. In other words it will hold more than it can lift.

Dan

 

[Vigo]

My 3-point is RATED to lift 4,000. Don’t have any idea what the relief is set at.

I should have been specific, the 1700-2500 number was PSI, not lbs of lift.

My tiny tractors have a 3pt lift barely over 500lbs. My b8200 lifts more but the backhoe is never coming off if i have a choice! I bought an old Kubota L210 that is rated to lift 2000lbs (which is absurd because it doesn't weigh 2000lbs and probably have to hang 1000lbs off the front to actually do it) and I am pretty excited to get it up and running.. would like to make my first project to build some kind of 3pt root plow/ tree grubber i can murder stupid little mesquites with. I figure it'll be quicker than the backhoe and cheaper than a stump grinder. Ironically if you let them get big enough you can basically push em over and they'll break off below flush with the ground, but if you have smaller ones it's tough to kill them far enough into the ground that they'll stay dead unless you sit there and dig everything up, and i'd rather not use chemicals.