Quick Hitches YABB (Yet Another Ballast Box)

[Hilltop Hillbilly]

I would make the sides 3 to 4" taller so you have a "box" to carry saws, hand tools, chains, and a cooler! You got to have a cooler!

That's an excellent idea. As it turns out, I may just leave the sides at 26" and only fill the concrete to 22". That would give me the 4" you're suggesting, and get my weight back to around 1200 lbs.

Did anyone mention putting a 2 inch reciever in the back. I did and I am very glad I did.

I like this idea too, but I have a drawbar that I use for this. I can always weld a receiver hitch on later I suppose. You always need to have some projects lined up!

I only put Qty 3 of the 2 inch PVC in the mix. I wish I had put 4.

I'm really struggling with what to do with this. I thought two 4" pipes might be good. That way the big opening would allow shovels and things to fit in and out easily without fighting with them, and if I needed to I could probably fit two tools in each pipe.

How do you think that would've worked for you?

Also think about some hooks on the sides to hang 5 gallon buckets on, and also makes a temporay place to hang your pull chain on when you back up.

Hooks are an excellent idea. I will definitely plan on welding a 3/8" grab hook on each side and one on the back.

Thanks for all the good tips! I thought I had read everything about this topic (and there's a ton of info here), but obviously I missed a few really good points.


HH

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Following some of the many good tips from this forum, I decided to go with a concrete filled ballast box for the 3PH, to help when the FEL is picking up big loads.

You will not regret filling up the BB with concrete!!... I used ''portland concrete'' (10 bags) and also put in some railroad plates and other scrap metal!

My three requirements are:
1) I want to keep it as tight to the back of the tractor as possible for maneuvering around.
2) It needs to weigh about 1200 lbs to provide adequate counterweight.
3) I want to make it work with my HF quickhitch so I can pick it and drop it easily. I really only need it when working with the grapple. The rest of the time it'll sit on a couple dollies.

I built my BB last year.. It's 2'x2'x2' and weighs 1,446 lbs. without any tools or chain in it!.. I made it to fit my HF Quick-Hitch!

I put 6 pipes to hold rakes etc', chain and I put in a large PVC pipe to hold my chainsaw!... I also made a ''storage box'' so I can put small items in it like wrenches and other tools!... And I put a hitch on the back so I can pull trailers!

Here's a few pictures...(I do have pictures of the whole build)

Bill

 

[Hilltop Hillbilly]

I built my BB last year.. It's 2'x2'x2' and weighs 1,446 lbs. without any tools or chain in it!.. I made it to fit my HF Quick-Hitch!

I'm surprised at the weight! Did you weigh it? My math shows:

24Lx26Wx22H = 7.94 cu ft * 145 lbs/cu ft = 1151 lbs of concrete
1/8" (11 gauge) steel 24Lx26Wx26H box = .233 cu ft * 490 lb/cu ft = 114 lbs of steel

1266 lbs. (box + concrete) - 60 lbs (concrete displaced by two 4" tubes) = 1206 lbs.

Did you use heavier steel perhaps?

Here's a few pictures...(I do have pictures of the whole build)

Thanks! These are a terrific help! Looking at these I have a few questions based on your experience.

Did you find you needed the Cat 2 bushings for the QH? I said a few posts ago, I didn't think I would need them.

Did you need the toplink holder to be that heavy gauge steel? I was just planning on using 1/8" (11 gauge) angle iron.

I see you squeezed your lift arm pins as close to the edge of the box as you could to avoid the top of the box hitting the QH. I was planning on doing the same. Do you know what your "setback" distance on the pins was?

EDIT: I forgot to say "REALLY nice looking box. Great Job!"


HH

 

[k0ua]

I'm really struggling with what to do with this. I thought two 4" pipes might be good. That way the big opening would allow shovels and things to fit in and out easily without fighting with them, and if I needed to I could probably fit two tools in each pipe.

I think that will work fine.. that is quite a bit more space than my 3 two inch pipes. which are always full, and I always need that "one more tool"

The whole project is a great idea, and you are well on your way, and smart to think it all out before you pour that concrete..

James K0UA

 

[JohnDeere4300]

I'm surprised at the weight! Did you weigh it? My math shows:

24Lx26Wx22H = 7.94 cu ft * 145 lbs/cu ft = 1151 lbs of concrete
1/8" (11 gauge) steel 24Lx26Wx26H box = .233 cu ft * 490 lb/cu ft = 114 lbs of steel

1266 lbs. (box + concrete) - 60 lbs (concrete displaced by two 4" tubes) = 1206 lbs.

Did you use heavier steel perhaps?

I weighed every piece that was used to build the BB.

I used 1/8'' metal for the box...I put a railroad plate in the bottom and welded it to the bottom of the BB, and welded the trailer hitch to it... I wanted to make sure the trailer hitch was welded in good.. Would hate for it to break loose with a trailer hooked to it!.(See below picture).. It has 6 pipes, But only 2 are PVC.

Here's what I had in my notepad.

With the 1/2'' flat-bar across the front and the bracket for the top hook.. The BB weighed 193 lbs. empty.

10 bags of Portland Cement. (94 lb.bags) 940 lbs.

6 Railroad plates. (18 lbs a piece) 108 lbs...I would mix bag and drop in a RR plate.

3 round 1'' weights (15 lbs a piece) 45 lbs.(wish I had those back)

For a total of 1286 lbs.

I also built the storage box... Then I had to add more cement to each side of the storage box.

The extra cement and the storage box weighed 95 lbs.

That brought the weight up to..1381 lbs.

Now, The extra 65 lbs. to bring the weight up to 1446 lbs. is from my HF Quick Hitch... I figured since it's on the 3-PTH that I could count that weight too.

So without counting the weight of the QH... It would weigh 1381 lbs... But the scales could be a little off and it could weigh more!!... When I pick the BB up, It will make the tractor squat a little!

Thanks! These are a terrific help! Looking at these I have a few questions based on your experience.

Did you find you needed the Cat 2 bushings for the QH? I said a few posts ago, I didn't think I would need them.

No, I didn't think I needed CAT 2 pins... But I did cut some pipe to fit over the pins so it would fit better in the QH... Without the pipe it would move around a little... So, It's up to you if you think you need the CAT 2 pins.

Look at the other pictures where the the pins are... If you noticed, I welded a piece of metal on the outside and on the inside of the box for the pins, Because I thought maybe the 1/8'' metal was too thin and the extra metal gave it more support.

Did you need the toplink holder to be that heavy gauge steel? I was just planning on using 1/8" (11 gauge) angle iron.

No I didn't need it to be 1/2''... I just had some extra from my fork build... You may want to use thicker metal than 1/8''... Maybe 1/4'' or 3/8''.

When I welded the 1/2'' to the 1/8''... I cut a piece of metal 1/8'' X 3'' X 2' and welded it to the inside of the box... That way I wouldn't burn a hole through the 1/8'' metal!... I also cut & welded a piece of pipe that goes from the top plate to the bottom of the BB for better support!... The pipe also has an extra piece of metal under it..(See below picture)

I see you squeezed your lift arm pins as close to the edge of the box as you could to avoid the top of the box hitting the QH. I was planning on doing the same. Do you know what your "setback" distance on the pins was?

I don't know what the ''setback distance for the pins are''... But I can measure later today.

The box is 2'x2'x2'... I put my pins at 1FT center of the box, and that gave me plenty of ground clearance IF I needed to lift it up higher!

I built the box... Then backed the tractor up to it to measure where I needed the pins..(See below picture).. It's very close to the QH.

EDIT: I forgot to say "REALLY nice looking box. Great Job!"
HH

Thanks!

Here's a few more pictures.

• Picture 1.. Backed up to measure for the pins and top-hook.
• Picture 2...The piece of pipe I cut and welded in for extra support.
• Picture 3...The ugly part!!!:laughing:

Notice the RR plate that's welded to the trailer hitch... It's also welded to the pipe on the front of the BB.

It was hard to weld that junk to the bottom of the BB!... I just about had to stand on my head!!:laughing:... Then I had to lay it on it's side and just about climb in it to get it all welded up!!!

Try standing up to weld down in a box that's 2FT high!!.. The flash from welding, and the smoke was real bad down in there!!!

I know it looks ugly down there... But it's covered up with concrete now!!

Hope I have helped you in some way, and I look forward to your BB build!!!


Bill

 

[moored4]

JohnDeere4300 You did a good job and I like the lid on your tray! I've got one very simular to yours but no lid on my tray! I'll have to take a close look at mine! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Ps you got any pictures of your boom pole!

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Hilltop Hillbilly,
Did you start building your Ballast Box ??

JohnDeere4300 You did a good job and I like the lid on your tray! I've got one very simular to yours but no lid on my tray! I'll have to take a close look at mine! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Thanks!

I had some scrap 1/8'' metal left over... All I did was measure how big I wanted the storage box... Then built it and set in down inside the Ballast Box on top of the concrete, and welded it in place!.... Then I filled in more with concrete to bring it up higher on the storage box!

I put some weather stripping on the lid so it wouldn't make any noise while driving!... I painted the inside of the storage box with some flat black paint!... The weather stripping also keeps water out!

Ps you got any pictures of your boom pole!

No, But I will take some when I get time!

Bill

 

[Bob77064]

You will not regret filling up the BB with concrete!!... I used ''portland concrete'' (10 bags) and also put in some railroad plates and other scrap metal!


I built my BB last year.. It's 2'x2'x2' and weighs 1,446 lbs. without any tools or chain in it!.. I made it to fit my HF Quick-Hitch!

I put 6 pipes to hold rakes etc', chain and I put in a large PVC pipe to hold my chainsaw!... I also made a ''storage box'' so I can put small items in it like wrenches and other tools!... And I put a hitch on the back so I can pull trailers!

Good job, that's the best one that one that I have seen. Especially the receiver and the compartment on top.

 

[BRBurns]

Nice box.

I'm glad I'm not the only one to build a BB that heavy for a 4300. I think mine is around 1500lbs 16 80lb bags of concrete plus the metal. It would certainly help with traction when scooping up dirt from a pine and such.

 

[beppington]

You might think about rounding/ smoothing off the top inside edge of the pipes. Sharp edges there seem to wear a groove in the wooden handle of tools as they bounce around, & make 'em weaker. Just a little thing to think about, maybe not a big deal.

I wish someone would make a sticky on TBN for a one-source complete list of every ballast box idea members have posted. And there people could post pics of their own ballast box, too, so it's all in one thread.