More Ballast Box Modifications

[johnnydel29]

Last year I added hooks onto the top of the box - they have been incredibly useful, especially for cleaning up the downed tress from that massive ice storm we had last year. I decided I wanted more use out of my Box, and here is what else I added.

I added a 2" receiver and heavy duty ring. I recently had a chocker cable made (awesome for pulling brush and piles of limbs) and I attach to the ring using a shackle. I was not crazy about hooking the cable loop onto the hook, eventually the stress would lead to weakening and eventually breaking the cable.

I cut the receiver hole using a torch - notice the cut is not great - I am not a pro, and I added some steel flat to serve as a filler around the receiver, and, it will also add more strenght.

Next I would like to add a chainsaw scrapboard (spelling?).

 

[Workstead]

John,

Nice job on the modifications.

I have been searching for some threads about mounting a receiver into a box blade. I have seen some pictures somewhere on this site but now that I'm searching I can't find any.

Yours matches what I want to do except I will mount it into the back side of the box blade. Now a question for you. Did you reinforce the receiver inside of the BB or just weld it to the plates around the hole you cut into the BB?

When I put my receiver into the box blade it will be about a foot off of the bottom to clear the inside scraper blade that is there. I was thinking I would weld some gussets to the receiver inside of the box for support.

Thanks for the well documented process you went through. Your cutting is way better than mine.

Clem

 

[pat32rf]

Great looking unit. I try to incorporate a receiver into anything that goes on the back of my tractor, or at least a chunk of angle iron with a hole for a 1 7/8 ball, just for moving trailers around...

 

[framer]

Nice job.I done about the same thing on my shop built box very handy for
moving trailers around my shop.Framer

 

[mjncad]

Nice work Johnnydel29.

 

[hdbikercouple]

nice work. just a thought any time your pulling, when hooked higher then the axle. you can do a wheelie (back filp).

 

[JB4310]

Looks great, nice workmanship. wish I did that to mine before I filled it with concrete. The chain saw scabbard is a good idea, I put my little saw in a pc of 4" pvc pipe I set in the concrete, not a perfect fit but stays put.

JB.

 

[Thumper & Buttercup]

Hey Johnnydel29,

Can you do a photo from the hitch side of your ballast box.

Thanks!!!

 

[Knight]

nice work. just a thought any time your pulling, when hooked higher then the axle. you can do a wheelie (back filp).

Why is this pulling hook so high up?
You might consider a lower hook.

 

[johnnydel29]

I am not planning on pulling very heay loads - mostly brush piles, limbs and los that are not that huge. I realize the 2305 is not that big of a machine (even though it feels huge). I have used it all weekend - and it works great, even on stuff that was pretty big if I went slow.

The receiver tube is also wleded to the floor of the box onto to an exisiting peice of 1/4" flat that I think was put there to serve as reinforcement.