Front Suitcase Weights on L3800

[gkk2001]

I have a little quandary that I know you guys can help me with concerning front weights. I am talking about an L3800 here but may apply to other bota tractors.

My local dealer said when I remove the FEL, I will have to remove the grill guard bracket before I can add a suitcase weight bracket. I need to remove FEL for working in a cramped area for garden preparation this spring. I am not so sure the dealer gave me accurate information. Maybe he did but I wonder if some aftermarket weights might have a way around the grill guard? Maybe it is time to call EA since they are selling the aftermarket front suitcase weights?

Any thoughts or experience please.

Greg

 

[bamabota]

I haven't tried weights on L3200 due to my FEL, but I have seen the bracket for sale on Craigs List. I owned a JD previously to my Kubota and it had the 70 series FEL and the weight bracket was still mounted. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[gpreuss]

I thought the suitcase weights would fit on the grill guard bracket, but that they simply had to come off when the FEL was attached, because they got in the way of the FEL arms when they were down. At least that is what my dealer said...
I got around the whole issue with a weight/bumper. Works GREAT!


http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7606

 

[tsafa]

What the dealer told you does not make sense to me. The weights sit on the front grill. If you take the grill off there is no place to put hang the weights.

Post a picture of your front grill just to be sure it is not something out of the ordinary.

http://www.everythingattachments.com/product-p/nssc-5014-sc.htm

The weight in this link has hook that just slips over the box in front of your grill.

 

[Bluegill]

I run my L3800 more with the loader off than on. There is no need for extra
weight on the front! I spend more time mowing and logging than doing loader work, so the loader stays off most of the time.

And your dealer is wrong. With the loader off you can hang weights on the
front lower bar of the grill guard.

 

[Bluegill]

Actually the loader adds too much weight to the front and counter weight
on the 3 pt hitch is needed! Take the loader off and the tractor will be
balanced very well.

 

[Benhameen]

I've noticed when I have my tiller on without the FEL the front end seems light.

I'm guessing the dealing is saying that to mount the proper suitcase weights from Kubota, it uses the same bolt holes that the front guard is using currently.

Even though I thought mine was a little light without the FEL, with the tiller, it didn't seem to be that big of a deal, it did not feel unsafe.

If you think you need to add weight to the front I would figure out a way to add it to the grill guard.

Just my two cents, of course.

 

[Bluegill]

Benhameen, your front end only felt light, because you were used to how it felt with the loader on. Which is too front heavy.

I do believe Kubota makes a front weight bracket to be used on tractor with no FEL. The grill guard is part of the FEL package, but I see no reason a person can't hang weights on it.

 

[gpreuss]

I always take the FEL off to mow. Without it, I had a heck of a time making an uphill turn. Adding a couple hundred pounds to the front end solved the problem. Just as the FEL tries to pick up the back end, the rear mounted implement tries to pick up the front end.

 

[Bluegill]

I always take the FEL off to mow. Without it, I had a heck of a time making an uphill turn. Adding a couple hundred pounds to the front end solved the problem. Just as the FEL tries to pick up the back end, the rear mounted implement tries to pick up the front end.

That makes sense and I Always mow with the loader of to, but I have never had that problem with my L3800? Using a 5 foot Land Pride mower here, or a 6' box blade with a couple hundred lbs added to it.

I did build a small front bumper for it, but it only weights about 40 lbs.

 

[Bluegill]

Now I did have a 2wd L245 that pulled a 5' mower. Had to use the brakes to turn about half the time.

That was a hell-of-a tractor though, couldn't kill it. Used it for 20 years.

 

[Paulemar]

If you think you need to add weight to the front I would figure out a way to add it to the grill guard.

I've been looking for someone that has added factory cast iron front weights to the grill guard of a BX25 for awhile now. Brand doesn't matter as paint will fix that. Everything I have seen, except home made, uses the Kubota weight bracket when adding front weights. It would be so much easier to just drop on some weight when needed than to take off the grill guard, mount the Kubota weight bracket, then put the weights on. It would also eliminate the reverse when you want to reinstall the loader. Has anyone ever found weights that will just plop on the grill guard?

 

[Bulldog]

This may not be of any help but I'll pass it on anyway. I used to remove my loader from my L3000 all the time to mow and do gardens, ect. I bought a Kubota QA for the loader and now I only remove the bucket instead of the entire loader. It has been worth every penny.

 

[gkk2001]

Thanks so much for the help. I made some progress understanding the front weight possibilities after some on line looking and talking to 3 different dealers. The l3800 certainly does accept up to 4 suitcase weights on the grill guard. If you remove the grill guard and install a front weight bracket, it will take 5 weights. Kubota standard weights are 55 lbs with designation of BL8060. An after market replacement is 77 lbs. I picked up the 77 lb weights at a dealer today. I understand some saying weights are not needed but when you have a 680 lb tiller on the rear, I like the idea of at least partially offseting that rear weight. And if you will pull a disc harrow, same thing. I considered the QA for bucket removal as one stated, but my dealer qote was over a grand $$ to do this so I opted for the weights. Thanks again for all the fine comments.

 

[BotaDriver]

I understand some saying weights are not needed but when you have a 680 lb tiller on the rear, I like the idea of at least partially offseting that rear weight.

I have a 600lb cutter that hangs out 100" from the arms and do not have an issue keeping the front end of the 3800 on the ground with the FEL removed. The brush guard on the front of the machine weighs 220# (4 weights worth) or so, keep that in mind. I'm willing to bet you'd have to pop the clutch rather hard to get it to lift with 680lb consuming no more than 24" of space behind the arms, if you can even get it to lift the front up. The 4wd 3800 w/ that front guard and FEL brackets weighs about 3200lbs. Placing 700lb 3' behind the rear axle won't phase it.

To counter balance just the FEL when installed, you'd need a tiller weighing 3,000lbs. Add 1,000lb of whatever in the bucket of the FEL and you'd need a counter weight of 7,000lb+ just to keep the same weight on the front axle.

A 1,000lb ballast on the back when using the FEL doesn't really amount to much when using it @ capacity. It might lighten the front axle by 125lbs or so. It's raining out or I'd go measure the distance between the center of the bucket and the rear axle for more accurate calculations, but I'm willing to bet the numbers are not too far off.

I think you see where this is going.

 

[Bluegill]

Thanks so much for the help. I made some progress understanding the front weight possibilities after some on line looking and talking to 3 different dealers. The l3800 certainly does accept up to 4 suitcase weights on the grill guard. If you remove the grill guard and install a front weight bracket, it will take 5 weights. Kubota standard weights are 55 lbs with designation of BL8060. An after market replacement is 77 lbs. I picked up the 77 lb weights at a dealer today. I understand some saying weights are not needed but when you have a 680 lb tiller on the rear, I like the idea of at least partially offseting that rear weight. And if you will pull a disc harrow, same thing. I considered the QA for bucket removal as one stated, but my dealer qote was over a grand $$ to do this so I opted for the weights. Thanks again for all the fine comments.

I don't have the QA bucket and MUCH prefer removing the whole FEL, which I do when not using it.

As Botadrive said, I really do not think you need any extra weight up front. Have you tried it yet?

 

[Benhameen]

Don't take this the wrong way but I think you might be over thinking this, I certainly do the same thing.

It does seem as though you have it worked out.

220# front grill guard
308# with 4-77lb suitcase weights
528# total

You'll only have a 152# difference, if your tiller weighs 680# I would just about bet that you notice that amount of weight at all.

Although, we now know that suitcase weights will fit on the grill guard, thanks.

 

[gkk2001]

I hear you all and I guess I will know soon enough if you are correct. I have not tried the weights yet and will let you know by this spring. I do know you are not correct in the grill guard weight of 220#s. It holds 220 when loaded with 4 of the 55# weights of course. Maybe that is what you were saying? The guard itself may be 40 or 50# but that is beside the issue.

I had a JD tractor that I sold before buying the 3800 and it would 'snowplow' badly without front weight. That is my concern, not totally lifting the front tires off the ground.

 

[Bulldog]

I considered the QA for bucket removal as one stated, but my dealer qote was over a grand $$ to do this so I opted for the weights.

This may not be offered for your loader but I would ask the dealer to be sure. I paid $300 for mine and it requires no modification at all. Take it home, remove the bucket and pin the QA to the loader. It's that easy. I haven't had to remove my loader since I put the QA on. Just pull 2 pins and drop the bucket, it was very well spent money to me.

 

[Benhameen]

I hear you all and I guess I will know soon enough if you are correct. I have not tried the weights yet and will let you know by this spring. I do know you are not correct in the grill guard weight of 220#s. It holds 220 when loaded with 4 of the 55# weights of course. Maybe that is what you were saying? The guard itself may be 40 or 50# but that is beside the issue.

I had a JD tractor that I sold before buying the 3800 and it would 'snowplow' badly without front weight. That is my concern, not totally lifting the front tires off the ground.

My bad, I miss understood where the 220# was coming from,that does seem like a lot.

I'm kinda curious how much my tiller weighs now.

Let us know how it turns out for you.