520H tiller bracket/rear axle - maximum weight?

[seuadr 488]

Hi all,

 

been a while since i've been around, but it's friday and it is either work or think about tractors.. i think we both know which choice i made there.

 

i've got a '93 wheelhorse 520 with the rear tiller bracket/2" receiver combo bolted on.

 

I've been working on my new 10 acre homestead. a large portion of open land from the construction of my home includes my drain field - so while i'd like to utilize some ground engaging implements, i'm limited on weight. 

been thinking about some of those ATV implements for stuff like a york rake - it'd also come in handy cleaning up the old junk strewn about the old grown forest. i can fit my horse in there, but, not my oliver.

 

thing is, i'm not sure how much weight and torsion the rear axle can take - wondering if i need to run some supports to further up the frame and possibly box in the bracket(s) to limit twisting, or if i'm a nervous nelly and it'll be just fine.

 

thoughts?

[Skwerl58 648]

I use my 414-8 with its factory clevis hitch and brackets with all the rear implements but not a rake. I use the moldboard plow, cultivator, disc harrow and tiller with no issues. I have had it stand up when I caught a root with the plow and had to back up and cut the root loose and the tractor received no damage. I have made a bracket for frontal weight out of a mule drive and old industrial weights that weigh 44 lbs each. If I am plowing new land I use two weights and if preplowed only one weight on the front. I also have 40 lbs. of ballast in each of my rear tires. I have rear wheel weights but haven't used them in a few years because I haven't needed them. Chains on turf tires if needed but when using the rear implements I use my ag tires. I would use caution with "some of the atv implements" because they are designed differently than some garden tractor equipment, mainly they are larger. Lots of interesting ideas about weight on here and some great ideas will be coming your way. 

[OutdoorEnvy 1,506]

I think the "weak link" in the whole setup is probably the lifting cable.  I would think that would break before the trans housing would twist or crack.  But if you're hooking up a drag rake to the 2" receiver to pull around I think that would be fine.  These tractors don't weigh enough to exert the force needed to break itself by pulling something heavy.  It would either spin the wheels or maybe turn up on you.  Is there transport wheels on the rake or how would you lift it from the 2" receiver when in transport? 

[seuadr 488]

40 minutes ago, Skwerl58 said:

I would use caution with "some of the atv implements" because they are designed differently than some garden tractor equipment, mainly they are larger. Lots of interesting ideas about weight on here and some great ideas will be coming your way. 

Ideally, i'd use a sleeve hitch. many of the ATV implements seem to use a hand lift in a 2" receiver with a 2" to sleeve adapter. I have a similar weight setup - filled rear tires, rear weights and my fat ass.

 

21 minutes ago, OutdoorEnvy said:

I think the "weak link" in the whole setup is probably the lifting cable.  I would think that would break before the trans housing would twist or crack.  But if you're hooking up a drag rake to the 2" receiver to pull around I think that would be fine.  These tractors don't weigh enough to exert the force needed to break itself by pulling something heavy.  It would either spin the wheels or maybe turn up on you.  Is there transport wheels on the rake or how would you lift it from the 2" receiver when in transport? 

Good point about the lift cable. Also about the tires spinning, i get that when i take off too big a bite with my grader blade, i don't know why it didn't occur to me

[ebinmaine 64,033]

I've seen the subject of axle capacity come up a time or two and I'm not aware of any specific number.

I've read anywhere from 100, 150 lb up to about 300 lb.

 

My main worker tractor is a 74 C160 8 speed with all four tires oversized and fluid filled. I have the weight of the tractor, nearly an additional 400 lb of weight, and then me. 🐻. 

 

I've pulled some pretty good size loads of firewood or logs up out of the forest. My trailer is a 17 cube that can be stacked up high so it's probably more like 25 cubic feet. 

I've also used that trailer multiple times for aggregate products and I'm quite sure I've pulled it around the flat parts of the yard with a thousand pounds or more several times.

I've moved the axle of that trailer back as far as it will go so it puts more weight on the tractor. More weight equals more traction.

 

I'm sure I've had more than 300 lb on my home shop made 2" receiver hitch quite a good many occasions.