Dumb question: Why do you need Ballast?

[TripleR]

I don't like to bad mouth anyone and certainly try not to, but I believe anyone that tells you that filled tires are enough weight to allow you to safely and properly use your FEL on any BX is simply wrong.

I believe anything on the 3-point is going to increase the safety and utility of a FEL on just about any tractor and certainly on the BX.

 

[milkman]

rds, and tripleR, you're excluded from my previous post. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Logic just eludes some people.:confused2:

 

[Baby Grand]

One of the benefits of loading the 3ph when working the FEL hard is the fact that it takes some of the weight off of the front axle. This is particularly helpful when your skinny front tires are rolling over soft soil.

Had I done this, it would have helped prevent my front from sinking into the muck so deep I had to dump the FEL load & use the bucket to back it out. With the wife watching. Doh.

Heavy FEL work is safer & more productive with adequate ballast aft of the rear axle.

-Jim

 

[Bedlam]

I agree filled tires and even wheel weights aren't enough for me I run both and still need ballast.The backhoe certainly is a great weight but can be hard to maneuver in small areas. I have two weight boxed one is a 55 gallon cement one and only use that when I'm moving piles of dirt. With that on I don't need to even use 4 WHL drive.
I put on what I need to handle the job..Just patched a flat rear and cant see how anyone could ever run a tractor without tires filled and or wheel weights..

 

[rdsaustintx]

I have gone through the manual top to bottom, and see that they "recomend" either rear ballast, OR loaded tires. They do not specify or differentiate between the two. At least not that I can tell. Loader is a LA243, tractor is a BX.

Same here. Really didn't give the subject much thought the first year of ownership, backhoe or BB always on. But then I started mowing with just the FEL on and things got, er, um, more exciting. Other than the (terrifying) rear end lift, the front tires looked like they were gonna throw a bead with a loaded bucket. I read a bit here, then put all the big disks from two exercise weight sets on my 3ph drawbar. It's ghetto, but man, what a difference. Like driving on velcro.

I have learned 100x more on this board than from my manuals. TBN truly rocks. :cool2:

 

[rdsaustintx]

rds, and tripleR, you're excluded from my previous post. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Thanks Milkman! The way it fell into the thread the intent wasn't clear. I always respect (and enjoy) your opinions here.

 

[EE_Bota]

When I first read on TBN that a ballast takes weight off the front wheels, I thought you guys were all wet. Then I employed thinking that a physics professor told me one time:

In times of doubt where it is a close call, take the objects involved and make them extremely large, extremely small, extremely heavy, extremely light, extremely fast, and extremely slow, and you will be surprised how quickly the truth will be revealed.

The toy car example given earlier is an excellent example of this type of thought experiment.

My bush hog is my heaviest ballast, but just last week, I moved the heaviest loads I ever attempted with my BX. I knew I would prefer to use the loader, but that the 3pt hitch is the stronger and safer lifting means. So, I put on my carry-all, backed into a long pallet, and then I stacked cement blocks on the pallet near the very back edge. I tied the blocks on tight, and adjusted the chains for very little 3ph swing. That way, I had adequate ballast for the loader, but an easy and quick means to switch to using the carry all.

The ROPS was on and tight, the seat belt was on and tight, my hard hat was on and tight. All worked really well.

 

[bstrom]

rekees 4300, I have gone through the manual top to bottom, and see that they "recomend" either rear ballast, OR loaded tires. They do not specify or differentiate between the two. At least not that I can tell. Loader is a LA243, tractor is a BX. Any advice would be appreciated.

By the way, can you get me a ballast box? My dealer quoted 250 new. Guess he doesn't want to sell me one?!?!?!?!?!?!?

You could have someone fabricate one. My friend is making one for his small Deere right now. I think he's on the second month of it sitting on his workbench. If he had spent the 250.00 or whatever on the Deere box he might not have his front axle leak now (just sayin', no proof) and definitely would not have gotten stuck out in his field and had to have a truck pull him out. He has unloaded turfs and no implements yet, just a loader. Someday he will finish that box. He got the steel for free at least, and it's probably 100.00 worth of steel.

 

[poldies4]

Got it, ballast for sure, is a ballast box the shortest projection? I appreciate the idea that an implement does the same thing and dual use similar cost, however my woods are pretty tight. Thanks for the info I'll keep learning and asking questions.

 

[rekees4300]

rekees 4300, I have gone through the manual top to bottom, and see that they "recomend" either rear ballast, OR loaded tires. They do not specify or differentiate between the two. At least not that I can tell. Loader is a LA243, tractor is a BX. Any advice would be appreciated.

By the way, can you get me a ballast box? My dealer quoted 250 new. Guess he doesn't want to sell me one?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Perhaps your manual is trying to say at least have one or the other but if you read between the lines it isn't excluding the use of both? So my advice is to get both.

I have a John Deere 4300 (weight 3000 lbs.) so comparing my tractor to yours may be like comparing apples to oranges. Nevertheless the following information was found in my owners manual for the FEL (lift capacity 1200 lbs.). Perhaps you can extrapolate to your tractor?

---------------------------------------------------------
CAUTION: To help prevent the possibility of personal injury or death caused by tractor/loader roll over, DO NOT operate tractor/loader unless it is equipped with proper ballast.

Rear Tires without liquid ballast: Loader use not approved.
Rear Tires with liquid ballast: Minimum 3-point hitch ballast 1320 lbs.
Rear Tires with liquid ballast and 6 wheel weights: Minimum 3-point hitch ballast 1210 lbs.
---------------------------------------------------------

Note that loaded tires would probably weight in the 600-1000 lbs. range. So the total ballast weight is roughly in the 1900-2300 lbs range.


The best feature of a ballast box is that it doesn't use much room behind the tractor so in a woods setting where space is at a premium it would work just fine. Suggest checking on craigslist for a used ballast box. You'd be amazed at the stuff you can find there. craigslist classifieds: jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, events, forums