PrePlanning for my Ballast/Tool Box Project...

[MossflowerWoods]

Guys & Gals,

My Kioti needs 1100 lbs of ballast in addition to the loaded rears to fully use my loader capability. I need a way to haul my chainsaws, and tools back and forth, and I'd LOVE to be able to also haul some wood etc. back with me.

Pic 1 is an old ballast from a small backhoe. Estimated weight is 350-450 lbs solid iron. This is is Item A.
Pic 2 is a homebuilt Carry all I recently purchased. This is Item B.
Pic 3 is a specialty shipping steel thing Kioti used to ship a door and other stuff to my dealer. This is Item C.
Pic 4 is a mock up of how I want to combine B & C.

Here is my "Cunning Plan"...

I want to weld C permanently to B, and somehow bolt A somewhere near the center on the bottom towards the tractor. Then I want to put in a floor, and weld angle iron corners. I want a concrete bottom (with a water drain) to get me to 1100 lbs, then with wooden PT boards above the crete making a storage area, and a couple of chain saw holders, etc. It will end up being low and heavy with useful storage and tools.

My issues are...
1 - I am a n00b
2 - I cannot weld and do not have a welder yet.
3 - I am concerned how much weight item C can support.
4 - I am not sure how to bolt Item A to the bottom.

What else have I forgot? Where else am I being a crackpot.

Please educate me.

Thanks in advance,
David

 

[murphy1244]

What is a nOOb?

 

[MossflowerWoods]

What is a nOOb?

Newbie, noob or n00b for short...

David

 

[murphy1244]

How long does that last?

 

[catdozer]

Where I would start if I were you is find some more steel weights, like that backhoe weight. And bolt the weights up to the 3pt hitch frame on the carryall. If you can find more weights and get 1100lbs then all you have to do is take large U bolts and bolt PVC pipe to empty frame near the top or sides where you don't have weights. As for that rack you have I would make it removable get some stands made for it, so you can back up slide the carryall under it and go. To have more safety make something to retain the rack, like a bolt or pin it.

Now if you don't have anymore steel weights I would get a larger rectangular box that can hold about 600 lbs of concrete and mount it to the back of the carryall. Then Bolt that backhoe weight to the outside of the box. Put some PVC pipes in the box drill some drain holes for the pipes and fill with concrete.

But I would make that rack removable so that say you have it full of wood its raining you can just drop it next to where you need it (house?) and can go put your tractor away. get some stands made for it, so you can back up slide the carryall under it and go. To have more safety, make something to retain the rack, like a bolt or pin it or something like a chain or racket binder.

 

[Zebrafive]

Some question first:

1 How much do A,B, & C weigh?
2 How wide is B?
3 Can you hook up to B as it sits? Will your 3pt hitch go low enough? If not you will want legs to make it higher.
4 Width and length of C? It looks too wide for manuvering in the woods/tight areas.
5 What is your 3pt lift capacity? Wondering how much you can haul in addition to your target of 1100lbs?

If A would fit between the 3pt arms and top link, I would build a mount to bolt it on forward of the carrier B. Cut C down to the width of B. Determine how much weight concrete needed. (1100lbs minus A=B= cut down C) Concrete is about 150lbs per cubic foot. Build a box the width of B, about 1/3 the length of the forks on B and what ever height gives you room for enough concrete plus how ever much higher you want to go for storage.
Mount the box, add your drain pvc and any tool holder pvc and pour the concrete.
Buy or build hinges so C (which is shortened to the width of B) can be attached to the remaining 2/3s of the forks of B. Hinges up against the concrete box. Mount grab hooks to the upper coners of B. Attach chains to each outside rear corner of C, long enough to hook in the grab hook with C level to the ground. When not using C fold up vertical and rehook the chains.

 

[kebo]

How long does that last?

Until you've been around tractors a while lol!!

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Where I would start if I were you is find some more steel weights, like that backhoe weight. And bolt the weights up to the 3pt hitch frame on the carryall. If you can find more weights and get 1100lbs then all you have to do is take large U bolts and bolt PVC pipe to empty frame near the top or sides where you don't have weights. As for that rack you have I would make it removable get some stands made for it, so you can back up slide the carryall under it and go. To have more safety make something to retain the rack, like a bolt or pin it.

Now if you don't have anymore steel weights I would get a larger rectangular box that can hold about 600 lbs of concrete and mount it to the back of the carryall. Then Bolt that backhoe weight to the outside of the box. Put some PVC pipes in the box drill some drain holes for the pipes and fill with concrete.

But I would make that rack removable so that say you have it full of wood its raining you can just drop it next to where you need it (house?) and can go put your tractor away. get some stands made for it, so you can back up slide the carryall under it and go. To have more safety, make something to retain the rack, like a bolt or pin it or something like a chain or racket binder.

CatDozer,

I would love to find more iron weights, but I am assuming I won't. I like the idea of removable rack, but I have no other use for the carry-all, it is simply here to become a ballast/tool box, and it is dropped easily with 3 simple pins...

Great feedback.

Thank you.
David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

How long does that last?

Until I'm smart enough about tractors/farming/etc. to answer my own questions I assume.
:thumbsup:
David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Some question first:

1 How much do A,B, & C weigh?
2 How wide is B?
3 Can you hook up to B as it sits? Will your 3pt hitch go low enough? If not you will want legs to make it higher.
4 Width and length of C? It looks too wide for manuvering in the woods/tight areas.
5 What is your 3pt lift capacity? Wondering how much you can haul in addition to your target of 1100lbs?

If A would fit between the 3pt arms and top link, I would build a mount to bolt it on forward of the carrier B. Cut C down to the width of B. Determine how much weight concrete needed. (1100lbs minus A=B= cut down C) Concrete is about 150lbs per cubic foot. Build a box the width of B, about 1/3 the length of the forks on B and what ever height gives you room for enough concrete plus how ever much higher you want to go for storage.
Mount the box, add your drain pvc and any tool holder pvc and pour the concrete.
Buy or build hinges so C (which is shortened to the width of B) can be attached to the remaining 2/3s of the forks of B. Hinges up against the concrete box. Mount grab hooks to the upper coners of B. Attach chains to each outside rear corner of C, long enough to hook in the grab hook with C level to the ground. When not using C fold up vertical and rehook the chains.

Zebra Five,

1 - I am estimating, I really have no way to weigh these, but A is between 350 & 450lbs according to TBN guys who estimated it. B might be 100 lbs, probably more like 75-80. C is likely over 50 lbs, but it is awkward to hold (I'm using 50 lb feed bags as my measure). I am really just guessing.

2 - B (the carry all) is 4' 9" wide and only 33" deep total (<29" forks)

3 - I think so, but I like the idea of feet regardless.

4 - C (the rack) is 7' 1" x 3' 7.5" It would not be much bigger than the 7' HD Box Blade which is my only real other ballast option. I'm not squeezing between that many trees, and I need the ballast so I can grapple, which is typically in spaces MUCH wider than 7'. I really do not want to cut it down, it is not really even 6" on each side wider than my tractor.

5 - 3 pt lift is 2,493lbs (24" behind)

I like the idea of bolting A (weight) between toplink and bottom, but I thought lower like as one of the feet on the bottom was better.
I like the idea of hinging the rack, but I think it is almost useless as it is, without sides.
Other than manuverability, why would I make it narrower? I don't see the value in cutting the rack down to narrower than the tractor other than manuverability.

Really My vision is I only have concrete (7' x 3.5" x ?") maybe 12" or less thick, with a single drain, and wooden (like a stake bed) sides maybe 20" (basically three PT 2x6" boards with space between them). The saw scabbards would be between the tires and the box, same with the tool PVC pipes.

David