Ballast loader ballast

[Anonymous Poster]

I am buying a JD4100 with loader. What size bucket is best? Also what ballast is best? Liquid in tires, box, wheel weights? I will also have a 60" deck for summer. I want ease of use. How does the bucket work for snow? can I get away with this?

 

[TomG]

Some people use loaders for snow removal on pretty big drives. I don't find them great myself and wouldn't want to be without a blade or blower. Well, I wouldn't want to be without a loader for stacking the stuff either. My choice was a 3ph blower.

Can't help much with specifics for bucket size or weight. However, you might want to keep it light if a main use is mowing turf on fairly level ground. Wheel weights are hard to change, filled tires are impossible, and extra weight doesn't do turf any good. You might want to hang loose until you see how much weight is required to get the traction you need. Just be aware of the safety issues (you can read them in the archives). Upsetting your new tractor could be a lot more than just upsetting.

 

[RobS]

Carl, I've got a 790 with loader. Seems both have similar lift capacities. I was going to build a concrete weight like M. Simpson but ever since I got the box scraper it's been a fine weight. I did learn pretty early on that you need something back there!

Rob

 

[Bird]

Carl, I agree with the other guys. A box blade makes a good counterweight when using the front end loader. You may find that to be adequate. If not, you can add other ballast later. As for bucket size, personally, I want one at least as wide as the tractor, or a little wider.

Bird

 

[Anonymous Poster]

My loader ballast (a 500# Bushhog 7' grader blade or 66" Bushhog box blade) works very well with my 66" loader bucket. Chose the box blade the same width as the loader bucket, both wider than the tractor.

 

[DFB]

Carl, get the 53" bucket and tell 'em to throw in a weight box as part of the deal./w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I think I have settled for the 54" bucket with ballast box in back. The dealer I am using feels this is best? thanks for the help!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

compare the price of the ballast box versus an implement that you can use to do other tasks!!!!!!

 

[gerard]

Ditto on bagging the ballast box. I use my box blade as a counter weight and it works fine + often when I'm doing loader work I also need an implement on the rear. So far either my box blade, straight blade (7ft), or york rake (6ft) work fine as a counter weight when moving dirt. The heaviest stuff I've found yet is wet sand. For that I use the box blade with some extra weight piled on.

 

[Jag]

I have a box blade, that is short and heavy duty that I will use as a counterweight. It does not stick out like a bushhog. To the box blade I have welded two bolts on the back side and can mount up to six old tractor wheel weights that weigh about 100 pounds each. The weights where from a very old Ford that was being scraped and cost me next to nothing. I like this arrangement very much it lets me add the weight with only two bolts and at the back with nothing in the way. Also it is easy to carry and about the same level as the draw bar. With the box blade that is about 1000# that goes on and off the 3ph with no problem. Makes loader work or blade work a breeze..