Ballast What is the best Ballast

[WranglerX]

This is what the manual that came with my FEL says...

And here is a bit of story....

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...-gc1705-safe-working-angle-2.html#post5368792

Dale

 

[EcoReality]

I've got a three-point flat-bottom bucket. I load it with a 200 litre (55 gallon) barrel, full of water, which provides 200 kilograms (440 pounds). That makes the front loader useful without scary rear tires coming off the ground.

An added benefit over filling your tires, is that I put my tractor on an instant diet by simply taking the barrel off, and then I can still LEGALLY get my tractor on my lowboy trailer, which would be over rated gross with the extra weight.

If I need more weight, I can fit two barrels on there.

 

[oosik]

My M6040 has 1550# of RimGuard in the rear tires plus an 1100# Rhino 950 rear blade on the 3-point. I've had the rears lift off the ground once. That was sufficient experience to go to what I now have.

 

[Texasmark]

What is the best ballast??????? What works for you. I am picky about certain things and keeping my back from hurting due to bouncing around on tractors is one of them. So I try this and if it doesn't work I try that and so on. No two of my tractors are outfitted the same, nor are they the same.

 

[Jchonline]

Hi all, new to the forum and just purchased a 2012 JD3038e.

Would like to add some ballast to the tires. What type of ballast is best and how much should be added? Do you only add ballast to the rear or also the front tires?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Neighbor! As mentioned, rear tires only. Do you have R1s or R4s? Are you using the machine in really rocky terrain (ie jagged stuff) like we commonly have in CO? If you have R1s and are using it in rocky stuff you might strongly consider wheel weights instead. A flat tire with ballast can be a costly repair.

I have R4s with Rimguard in the rears. So far so good.

 

[cat fever]

I think Rimgaurd filled rears and a ballast box is the way to go for lifting the bales you mentioned. My tires are not filled yet but this is what I use. Concrete ballast coming in around 1700 pounds.

The big bales were about 850 lbs.

 

[Jchonline]

Thanks Jeff, yes filling for Lifting. My FEL is rated for 1200 at the pin or 900 at 500MM. Planning on using forks for 3x3x8 bails but because of the length will be taking them off the trailer from the side of the bail so I don't have too much hanging forward. I don't want to scratch up the ROPS!

Have you weighed those bales? I am seeing 800 lbs each. You will definitely need ballast, probably an implement on the back (ie box blade, etc) as well. You are 900# at 500MM, but your bale weight goes out to 3 ft. In addition, that 900# is with no forks. Forks add a few hundred # right?

Please be very careful and try working with one on the ground first so you see the limits.

 

[Gregg56]

Ballast box. It can be easily removed if not needed.

 

[BRBurns]

I have a similar capacity to you. I have about 100 lbs in each rear tire (I mow with it, so don’t want too much weight). I have 2 ballast boxes, one is about 500lbs and one is about 1600 lbs. wouldn’t want to be bouncing around a field all day with the 1600 lbs concrete ballast, but for digging and moving dirt it is hard to beat. The 500 lbs is a good all around weight. I also have box blade and tiller, but prefer the compact size of a ballast box.

 

[shooterdon]

I cannot lift bales so cannot comment on that.

Regarding ballast...I want safety over everything else. I use washer fluid in my rear turfs and a ballast box I made to fit a carry all. The ballast box has stringers on the bottom so it can easily be set down and I can use the carry all for other duties. I use a ratchet strap to hold the ballast box onto the carry all.

It took about 4 hours to make, and I used 500 lbs of lead ingots in the back of the box. That left about two feet of storage area in the box for tools and chains.