Fish in a barrel?

[Coyote machine]

Actually I'm thinking of using a 55 gallon plastic barrel filled with sand to add ballast to the rear of my tractor this coming winter. I am thinking of adding it to my box blade and strapping it in place when in use. I usually have run my 1000# backhoe, but this winter I want a little less cumbersome ballast on the 3PH.
Has anyone done this? If so - what were your results?
Any ideas, comments, etc.?

Thanks,

CM

 

[CobyRupert]

Quick math says:
55 gal = 7.35 cubic feet.
Sand (Dry?) = 80- 100 lb/ cubic feet,
so 55 gal of sand is 588-735 lbs.

Next question is how much water (weight) can 55 gal of sand absorb?

Edit: One source says water filled sand is 120 lb/ cu. ft ; or 882 lbs for 55 gallons.

 

[k0ua]

Triplicate Post!!

That may be a record...anyone want to go for a quad?

 

[k0ua]

Some glitch caused by me trying to edit my first post? Resulted in an unedited duplicate and an edited third? :confused3:

there is still time for you to go back and delete two of them if you want to.

 

[4570Man]

You can't delete a post from an iPad. You have to be using a computer to delete them. I got a triple post once, so we are tied for the record.

 

[CurlyDave]

I don't know if I would want to add water to the barrel. It might split it when the water freezes.

There are a lot of threads about people who have cast concrete ballast weights.

If you used the barrel as a form for the concrete there is no law that says you have to remove it afterward. Concrete is about 145 lbs/cubic foot for a weight of 145 x 7.35 =1065 lbs.

A lot of people cast hard points into a concrete ballast so it will fit easily on their 3 pt hitch and have a receiver for a tow ball. Paint it and make it real fancy...

 

[Egon]

Just note that the barrel is not able to move the tractor if it gets stuck.

Concrete in barrel is a good idea.

 

[4570Man]

If you turn the backhoe arm to the side it isn't much more troublesome than a 55gallon drum would be. Another plus is the backhoe can pull the tractor out of a mud hole where the barrel is dead weight.

 

[MossRoad]

Actually I'm thinking of using a 55 gallon plastic barrel filled with sand to add ballast to the rear of my tractor this coming winter. I am thinking of adding it to my box blade and strapping it in place when in use. I usually have run my 1000# backhoe, but this winter I want a little less cumbersome ballast on the 3PH.
Has anyone done this? If so - what were your results?
Any ideas, comments, etc.?

Thanks,

CM

So how easy is that barrel going to be to take on and off?

 

[Coyote machine]

Hey Moss, can you remove all the duplicate posts from this thread so I can keep it on topic without all the nonsense...

Thanks.

I do NOT plan to add any water to the barrel or the sand. I know the hoe would/could be useful, but at times when I get stuck the hoe is not always a useful tool because of the subframe. Sometimes, especially in winter snows it actually makes it impossible for me to get unstuck.

I plan to lift the barrel when full onto the box blade and then strap it down. To remove it will take disconnecting the BB and lifting it off same.
Dead weight is better than no weight on the back....