Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade?

[Hoobie]

My tires are loaded. I also leave my logging winch on with chains etc. At around 500 pounds. That is on 90 percent of the time except for bushog work each year.
For serious loader work I made a 500 pound cement weight which I can quickly hook onto my winch cable, winch it up and snug, then raise the winch. That gives me 1000 pounds on the 3 ph with 500 hanging out the back further.
Flexible options for me.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I don't use rim guard etc. because I don't believe that a front wheel assist tractor under 60 hp needs it for any reason. Others will definitely disagree with me and that's fine. I've just found I don't need it at all.

I use cast iron on the 3 point because I had it. Otherwise I would have gone with a barrel or some other solid weight as an implement hanging out the back makes the tractor too long for tight spots.

Interesting note is that I used to have 1000 lbs hanging on the 3 point. When I added the quick attach I found it was too much weight so took off 400 lbs. When digging with 1000 lbs the front end loader could hardly dig into the soil. It was just too annoying.

 

[dodge man]

I agree that if you have enough 3 point ballast loaded tires might be redundant. The recommended ballast for my JD is enough on the 3 point AND loaded tires. The big advantage of loaded tires is it increases stability, the weight is low, and the tractor doesn’t have to carry the weight.

 

[Jstpssng]

I don't have loaded tires and even with my 500 lb winch on back, using my 3301 was like a carnival ride... in the house of horrors. Even when disking on a slight sidehill I dropped a tire into the downhill furrow and had the upside rear come way too far off the ground. My tires are weather cracked so I bought a set of wheel weights which made a big difference.

Growing up, I always heard my father talking about why he didn't load his tires and got my opinions from him. It wasn't until after he passed away that I found he'd loaded the tires of his last Kubota purchase with beet juice. I agree that it stinks after 14 years but it helps keep the tires on the ground.

 

[jyoutz]

I did.
After 2 flats I understood the stuff smells like skunk after it gets old.
When the fluid gets hot in the tire and it leaks, it will kill vegetation and stain asphalt.
I don’t suggest it if you do a lot of off-road work where flats can happen.
My alternative was cast wheels and cast wheel weights

Or check out the new product called bio ballast. The dealer installed that in my tires.

 

[Hay Dude]

It always gave me an uneasy feeling working around hedgerows, barbed wire fences, longer stickers, etc.
One sidewall puncture and you got a mess to deal with.
Wheel weights will never cause you problems.

As mentioned before, it’s different for everyone. I run in territory dangerous to tires. If you don’t, then rim guard is ok.

 

[RalphVa]

I see a lot of people buying 3 point ballast boxes or making ballast containers out of drums to attach to their 3 point hitch.

I have never really grasped why not just keep a box blade on the back so you could have not just a weight, but something that can be used should you wish to drag something? I have seen some weld a section of railroad rail onto the top of a box blade to make it heavier.

Also, rimguard is something I have considered, but I am also not sure about this because it seems I can do everything I need to do without rimguard and it will just increase the amount of weight when I trailer the tractor or perhaps increase ruts when on soft lawns.. I have thought rimguard would be good when using my ditch bank flail mower, but so far, I haven't found myself in any situation I would consider to have been tippy.

So, is there anyone here that added rimguard to their tires and regretted it?

I've always used either my bush hog or wood chipper. Both are about 500 #. Heavier box blades would work as well, but I'd also used the lighter MacKissic chipper. It with the windshield washer filled rear tires was fine, too.

Main advantage to a ballast box is that it doesn't stick out that far in the back.

 

[ctgoldwing]

I spend a fair amount of time in the woods clearing and cleaning up. It got old banging my box blade into trees and rocks. I have filled rears (diluted Cryotek, non toxic) and mount a ballast box when ever I venture in now..

 

[IndyJay]

Sure I can weld a receiver on a box blade plus a few options but that’s like putting a dress and makeup on a pig.

You act like there's something wrong with that...

 

[shooterdon]

Good points about maneuverability. I have used my snowblower for ballast when lifting 1/2 cord totes of wood ...it weighs over 900 lbs. Plus, I have loaded tires. But I have dented the blower once so far.

I am looking at a ballast box and the cheap ones are under $300. Say another $50 to fill it with 800 lbs of stuff...not very much money.

I have looked at adding a box blade. The HD one was 500 lbs and $1300. I might use the BB once every 2-3 years. It would be nice to have but hard to justify.

You need to think about your situation and see what makes sense.

 

[JethroB]

OP, are you considering Rim Guard or the like for the freeze protection? It very rarely gets cold enough for long enough where you and I are for me to be concerned about it.

 

[Fallon]

I built a ballast box out of a busted 60 gallon air compressor tank years ago. Used it a few times then it's sat for 5 odd years untouched. I've got a heavy box blade or flail that's good enough. Not quite as maneuverable, but it's been good enough. Lifting a fuel tank or HVAC unit & maneuvering in a tight barn was a bit to tight for any 3pt ballast. I ended up just making sure I was stable & inching around for the lifts.

A 1000lbs rotary cutter is a noticeably better ballast than a 1000lbs ballast box. At least for stability & putting weight on the rears. The length gives the rotary cutter a lot more leverage. But of course it's way less maneuverable in tight spaces. Toss hay bales or bags of something heavy on the back of a rotary cutter beats just about everything. Well a backhoe fully extended with a big rock in the bucket beats things, if you can keep the front wheels on the ground.

 

[Aquamoose]

You act like there's something wrong with that...

It IS!

 

[3 Horse Ranch]

It IS!

Hey! Kermit thinks she's cute.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

You act like there's something wrong with that...

I'm not going to say "There's not enough tequila in the world for that".

But the worldwide supply would be severely depleted first...

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I have Rimguard in my rear tires and I'm pretty happy with it. I wanted it for the weight ballast, the lower center of gravity and also for the very low freeze point. I think the coldest its been here since I got my tractor was -45F (that was ambient temp, not that fake "wind chill" stuff). That was when my tractor still sat outside year 'round. I do have a box blade I use for ballast in conjunction with the filled tires. I would like more 3pt weight than the box blade, but I seldom lift max weights anymore. I haven't had to move a round bale since we moved in summer of '20. About the heaviest things I've moved since have been my gunsafe (1K pounds) and IBC totes full of ash firewood.

I can see where a dedicated ballast box would be handy for very tight clearance work, but I'd have a hard time buying one just for weight. I "need" (not really) other attachments more, like a tiller, snow blower, etc. Hard to just buy an empty box and toss sand or concrete into it.

My 6' brush hog makes a great weight, but like others have said before, it sure is a lot of length to have to swing around on the back of the tractor.

 

[Fallon]

Hard to just buy an empty box and toss sand or concrete into it.

Mine was free scrap & an afternoon of tinkering. Still not worth it.

 

[amhicks21]

So, i figured i'd show the 2 most common ways my work machine is set up to detail how different applications may warrant different ballast.

For summer use I have no fluid in any of the tires to help minimize ruts on soft ground. Since I always have a 3pt implement that is at least 1000lbs and that sits close to the ground, i dont have to worry about heavy loads out front or slopes. Ive moved 2200lb pallets of paver blocks in a pinch without issue.... other than the weak ass steering.

For winter use i have all 4 tires fully loaded as well as a 1000lb weight box that i built to be tucked in as close to the tractor as possible. Its actually heavier in front of the 3pt links than behind. I specifically went this route because i plow some very populated areas like a news station, dialysis center, ambulance depot, etc. and wanted to keep the footprint as small as possible and minimize transferring weight off of the front. Total weight of the whole rig ends up over 7000lbs despite being very compact and that makes it very stable and comfortable to operate.

I guess the TLDR is that everyone uses their tractor differently and will have a different optimal setup for their specific applications.

 

[Fallon]

I guess the TLDR is that everyone uses their tractor differently and will have a different optimal setup for their specific applications.

Very correct. I think many people hear all the (correct) talk about needing proper 3pt ballast. They jump to assuming they need a ballast box. Some have legit needs for the maneuverability a compact ballast box gives. Most don't. I think most of us are just trying to prevent newbies from wasting time & money on a dedicated ballast box before they figure if they really need the specific limited benefits of a ballast box over an implement.

 

[ljjhouser]

I use liquid in the tires - methanol. And if using the loader, the box blade. Some box blades are light. My Land Pride is 72" and weighs 400. I add about 160 to that on the boxblade if I am using the loader. But if you are considering a boxblade, there are some EA I think, that are heavier - 600 pounds. Makes good ballast.