Ballast JD Rear Ballast Box

[jgrreed]

Yikes. Front tires looking like pancakes is a sure sign you don't have enough ballast. Weight off the rear is supposed to distribute the weight so you don't overload the front axle. I'd say you were on the edge.

OK, pancakes might be a bit of exaggeration. It was near 32 deg F, and they were a bit squished. Probably just needed a bit more air in the cold.

Point taken about more ballast, probably just shouldn't be lifting that much anyway, it's likely pretty hard on the loader.

-J.

 

[jgrreed]

All this talk has got me thinking. I don't know exactly, but from what I can glean on the web a 6" x 8' treated post should weigh around 70lbs. There was either 40 or 44 in each bundle, lets say 40 to be conservative. That's 2800lbs of posts, plus 350lbs of pallet forks, is 3150 lbs that my machine lifted. Oy!!!

That was with a ballast box + extensions filled with gravel, and calcium in the rear tires, with no wheel weights.

I know someone here will say that doing that wasn't wise, and your probably right, but take it as a guide of what it can do, not what it should do. I'm gonna weigh one of the posts to get a more accurate calculation.

I take back the comment I made about the 2600lbs of salt earlier.....

-J.

 

[FastPauly]

Just an update on getting my BB ready for snow, woodcutting chores...or whatever? I have at least found a permanent home for some of the scrap pieces of metal that have been cluttering up the shop.

Maybe some day I will actually hook it to the tractor....

 

[Yourkie]

That's a good idea having the ability to secure tools on the weight box.

I filled mine with 1/2 inch landscaping stone that I had as surplus but I'm debating on emptying it and adding some tubing etc for tools.

I figure it weighs about 600+ lbs now. I keep mine stored on two small moving dollies that I purchased from Harbor Freight for about $10 each on sale. That way I can move it to an out of the way place in my garage.