loader question

[Tim 97]

how much weight should you have as a counterweight

is 150 lbs enough? 

[squonk 43,844]

I think it depends on the type of box your going to use and how it's attached. I have a box that weighs close to 100 lbs. by itself hanging on my Power King 3 pt. I hung 4 40 lb. Suitcase weights in it and it seemed pretty good. But I also run 100 lb. wheel weights and the 24" tires are filled. Conversely we have one of those little Korean compact tractor loaders at work. They hung a 3 by 3 by 3 box filled with concrete from a Kubota on it. They broke the TRACTOR FRAME!!! With it this past winter

[Tim 97]

sorry talking about a wheel horse with a bucket

I'm thinking it's not enough

looking for input

should have been clearer

[squonk 43,844]

Same thing. You have to consider how the weight is mounted. Hanging weight causes stress on the axles and frame. A tractor with a loader is basically the same no matter what make. My loader is comparable in size to a WH one. I do use a smaller bucket so I don't get carried away lifting something too heavy. I've seen some buckets on WH 's that in my opinion are way too big. You have to hang an ungodly amount of counterweight to balance it. A lot depends also what your going to use the loader for. Dirt is way heavier than snow. I use mine mainly for snow but when i lift gravel or dirt I can feel it.

[Forest Road 594]

You can never have too much! 150lb is a start. I have a 522xi w loader and run 500+ lbs in the rear. Weight = traction and easier steering. I also have a 75lb box for my 314 I use with a 2 stage blower or wood chipper. I usually add 4 - 44lb suitcase weights to that and a 5 gallon gas can.

[boovuc 1,090]

My older Ark Loader on a 520-H required a minimum of 250 lbs in the box that I later added more to. I believe I'm at 310 lbs now and that worked out pretty well over the winter with heavy snow removal and moving some modified stone around.

[cheesegrader 433]

I believe the manual for the Kwik-Way loader on my 520 recommends 350 pounds of counter weight.

That supports the weight of the bucket plus a 500 pound load.

Your 150 pounds seems too small unless you a running a very small bucket with a light load.

If you add too much weight, you will lose steering control, and you put unnecessary load on your frame and rear axle.

Balance is the key.

Your counterweight is about twice as far from the fulcrum as the bucket.

To achieve balance, you need a counterweight that weighs half what the bucket weighs, plus half the weight of the loads you lift.