Ballast How Much Ballast is Too Much Ballast???

[MossflowerWoods]

Hey TBN,

My buddy just offered me an approximate 1600 LB chunk of steel that fits in a 3pt frame I have that I've always planned as a Ballast/ chainsaw & wood carrier.

I have a 2011 Kioti DK50 and I've been aiming at like an 1100 LB total weight.

My question is simply when is too much Ballast TOO MUCH?!

Thanks in advance & Be well,
David

 

[pokey1416]

I have a little smaller tractor than yours (hp wise) and I leave the BH on 7 months of the year and it makes great ballast. The BH weighs 2,000 lbs. Doesn’t sound like to much to me. For winter I have a ballast box full of scrap steel (1,000 lbs) and I would have liked to have it a little heavier in case I have to do some heavy FEL work.

 

[K5lwq]

If the front wheels come off the ground you have gone a little too heavy. Up to that point you will be fine.

 

[oosik]

Perhaps another answer. Check your owners manual. What weight is your 3-point rated to lift. I would recommend that you NOT exceed that ...........

 

[ptsg]

Perhaps another answer. Check your owners manual. What weight is your 3-point rated to lift. I would recommend that you NOT exceed that ...........

Well, if he exceeds that, it won't actually lift it.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

UPDATE:

I passed on the steel. It would not fit and likely was too heavy for 3pt ballast box frame I already have, and it was literally HUGE and would have just become an obstacle in my yard. I suspect it was much heavier than he was estimating.

I did consult specs and Loader was approx 2,200 lbs & 3pt was only 2,400+...

Thanks everyone!
David

 

[WranglerX]

I used the 150 lbs per cu-ft methods to design and construct my ballast box, I have SCUT that weighs in at approx. 1400 pounds and ended up with a ballast box that is about 500-600 pounds.... Enough to counter the weight of 540 pound lift (weight) in FEL.....



Its a math problem mainly.... This is what my owners manual has to say (not really definitive) ...



Dale

 

[gsxrsquid]

What about ballast for the front end. Just got a Satoh S-370 (Beaver) in first gear high It will pop a wheelie only 15 hp so I was thinking maybe 500 pounds?

 

[Roadworthy]

I will caution you about overloading the front end. The axles in those tractors are known to break - at least in the two wheel drive models. There is some outfit "back east" which specializes in replacing the axles with new.

 

[bcp]

Several manuals I've seen have counterweight recommendations that are around 2/3 to 3/4 of FEL lift capacity.

Bruce