XJ2025 Liquid ballast.

[Doofy]

yeah that's a ethanol/methanol product. Just easier to get your hands on. Its what I used

My ground is fairly soft, when not frozen. The backhoe provides great ballast and if taken off, the 6' box blade will be on it. Would you still recommend tire ballast?

 

[jdom84]

My ground is fairly soft, when not frozen. The backhoe provides great ballast and if taken off, the 6' box blade will be on it. Would you still recommend tire ballast?

I think it depends on your uses of your tractor. My backhoe also provided that ballast but when I was out using the back blade with my bucket off, loader frame still on and my homemade plow on the front of my 75lbs forklift frame. Once the back blade hit the ground I had no extra weight for traction. wasn't like the back-blade gave that much more traction anyways.

I was thinking, one could weld up a frame out of rebar like the sub-frame of the backhoe a pour concrete around it. with a way to lift and attach and detach easily. could weigh 500 - 1000 lbs like the backhoe which would give you the best type of weight... the kind the comes off when you don't need it! You would still be able to use the 3 point for attachments and have the extra weight for pulling/pushing. Just a thought...

 

[Doofy]

I think it depends on your uses of your tractor. My backhoe also provided that ballast but when I was out using the back blade with my bucket off, loader frame still on and my homemade plow on the front of my 75lbs forklift frame. Once the back blade hit the ground I had no extra weight for traction. wasn't like the back-blade gave that much more traction anyways.

I was thinking, one could weld up a frame out of rebar like the sub-frame of the backhoe a pour concrete around it. with a way to lift and attach and detach easily. could weigh 500 - 1000 lbs like the backhoe which would give you the best type of weight... the kind the comes off when you don't need it! You would still be able to use the 3 point for attachments and have the extra weight for pulling/pushing. Just a thought...

Thanks. Great advice and info.

 

[CMV]

Doofy - you are a lot heavier than me, but I struggle with real soft ground. For taking a big scoop from a dirt pile or back blading with loader bucket I notice a huge increase in traction adding more weight on the back with ballast box. And that's with the rears filled. Literally night & day difference on soft ground from spinning vs just going. I don't have a BH but I would bet that weight difference in the back makes a noticeable difference driving on soft ground - do you see that difference now with your BH on/off? If using the box blade, isn't the ground supporting it's weight mostly? I think rears filled for that application would be a noticeable difference. Depends on how much earthmoving you're trying to do and just how soft the ground is.

 

[Doofy]

Doofy - you are a lot heavier than me, but I struggle with real soft ground. For taking a big scoop from a dirt pile or back blading with loader bucket I notice a huge increase in traction adding more weight on the back with ballast box. And that's with the rears filled. Literally night & day difference on soft ground from spinning vs just going. I don't have a BH but I would bet that weight difference in the back makes a noticeable difference driving on soft ground - do you see that difference now with your BH on/off? If using the box blade, isn't the ground supporting it's weight mostly? I think rears filled for that application would be a noticeable difference. Depends on how much earthmoving you're trying to do and just how soft the ground is.

Haven't had a chance to remove the hoe yet to check out the traction difference. Plenty of traction in wet, heavy snow though. I won't know more until Spring when I can go out and play...I meant "work".

 

[jdom84]

Everything I read about how light the XJ was... i kinda ignored... then I took the ~1000lbs hoe off LOL. Its not even the same tractor without all that weight. I wish i knew exactly how much the BH weighs because thats where the base weight of the tractor should be!

 

[tomplum]

Jdom, the backhoe shipping weight is 657 w/o the bucket. Liked the video on the back blade shoes!

 

[jdom84]

That is a very specific number. Im scared to ask how you got it :thumbsup:

Thanks, I went and maxed out the lift of the little tractor today getting some firewood. The tractor had no weight on the rear wheels but didn't tip forward like before. I did have the back blade on and when putting it on the ground it started to tip forward a bit, but was still able to hold the max weight off the ground an inch or so.

 

[tomplum]

740, 863 or more? Stitching together a ballast box slash tool all. It should be ~ 740 w/ sand, 863 concrete or I could stuff some flat bar etc scrap inside before concrete. Doesn't really seem necessary, huh?

 

[mslisaj]

Just to add my two cents worth here, you gentlemen all know I have a new MT125 TLB and I have been studying this weight thing. My back hoe weighs over 600 pounds and is a real counter weight. But about a month ago I decided to push some snow. I thought the hoe would be a good idea with the added tracton and "balance". But pushing snow doesn't load the loader bucket and I found the front end so light that I could not steer the tractor. Then a couple weeks ago I pulled the loader off to pull the hood and do some looking around the engine. I was surprised how light the front end was all of a suddend with just the back hoe. I could not make a U-turn in the driveway as I was skidding the light front end. In fact, with all the warning decals on this tractor I'm surprised there isn't one warning of this configuration as I thought if I goosed the throttle I would pop a wheelie and end up with the tractor front wheels stuck off the ground and the tractor resting on the hoe. So balancing these machines is critical. I'm personally not too keen on loading tires but I am going to build a weighted attachment for my three point hitch; and make it really low. But this is a great subject.