Ballast Ballast box weight

[Harvey9]

I have a BX 1850 with loader. The lift capacity on the loader is about 450 Lbs. I need a Ballast Box and plan on making one. How much weight should I have back there?

Thanks
Harvey

 

[rick480]

I made this one for my BX 1860 a month or so ago, I figure it holds about 200 lbs of solid CMU blocks. They cost about $1 each so it was pretty cost effective. I have been moving full buckets of rock since I put it on with no rear wheels lifting off the ground like I used to have.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Not to be a smartass, but your owner's manual should have that number. No need to speculate.

 

[jeff9366]

My Kubota B3300SU weighs 1,900 pounds.

For ballast I attach either my Howse Disc Harrow, 587 pounds (31% of tractor weight)
(or)
Bush Hog (brand) Rollover Box Blade, 630 pounds (33% of tractor weight)

Both give good balance when lifting a max load with the FEL. Rear ballast also takes a great deal of strain off the front axle.

Tractordata.com says your BX1850 weighs 1,255 pounds (loader?) so 300 - 350 pounds (+/-) ballast should be good.

Consider buying a 3-Pt. CARRYALL from TSC or King Kutter. Cheap and strong. Add ballast weight incrementally.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/search.php?searchid=203874

 

[Midniteoyl]

Enough to plant the rears with a full load

 

[msb1766]

How much can you 3 piont hitch lift?
I would make it just under what you can lift.

 

[RoyJackson]

How much can you 3 piont hitch lift?
I would make it just under what you can lift.

I agree...at least 75% of the loader capacity for your tractor

 

[Harvey9]

Not to be a smartass, but your owner's manual should have that number. No need to speculate.

Nope, it doesn't. It says the ballast weight should "match the job".

 

[Midniteoyl]

Nope, it doesn't. It says the ballast weight should "match the job".

Enough to plant the rears with a full load

.....

 

[Harvey9]

Originally Posted by msb1766 View Post

How much can you 3 piont hitch lift?
I would make it just under what you can lift.

I agree...at least 75% of the loader capacity for your tractor

The 3 point can lift 990 at the ends and 670 at 24". Loader is approx. 450 lbs. I'll go with 300lbs.

Thanks for all replies.

Harvey

 

[Grandad4]

Highly recommend putting fluid in your rear tires if you haven't already done so. That will add a couple hundred lbs. Your 3 pt will lift about 600 lbs at 24" behind the lift arms, but most implements used on a BX are lighter than that. I've found a 400 lb. box blade works well as counter weight and it's a useful implement as well. That's probably a good weight for a ballast on the 3 pt... maybe more if you don't do the tires.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Nope, it doesn't. It says the ballast weight should "match the job".

Oh dear. That's just silly.

 

[k0ua]

My loader lift is about 1400 lbs, and the manual says to have 1100 on the 3pt. I don't have that much, I have between 750 and 800 depending on how many log chains I am carrying. But I also have filled rear tires. a little more 3pt weight would not probably hurt. But it is pretty hard for me to lift the rears. Maybe could lift one on a slope or something if you hooked on the opposite corner of the bucket. You can always do something stupid, but my rig is pretty well planted.

James K0UA

 

[Harvey9]

Highly recommend putting fluid in your rear tires if you haven't already done so. That will add a couple hundred lbs. Your 3 pt will lift about 600 lbs at 24" behind the lift arms, but most implements used on a BX are lighter than that. I've found a 400 lb. box blade works well as counter weight and it's a useful implement as well. That's probably a good weight for a ballast on the 3 pt... maybe more if you don't do the tires.

Grandad

I don't have much need for a box blade but my rear tires are loaded. I figure I'll be ok with 300 lbs or so.

 

[crazyal]

I made one out of a 55 gallon drum. I used the full size of the drum with a draw bar going through it for the lower links and a simple U shape plate on the top for the upper link. For a BX I would look for a 35 gallon drum and maybe cut it down and fill it with cement. You can put some PVC pipes in it large enough for thinks like rake handles. To get to 300lbs you could get 3 80lbs of cement and one 60 lb bag and then easily figure out the volume of the cement from the bags (I think the 80lb bags are .6 cubic feet). From that you could calculate how much to cut off the drum.

 

[jeff9366]

I don't have much need for a box blade but my rear tires are loaded. I figure I'll be ok with 300 lbs or so.

With loaded tires 300 pounds 3-Pt. ballast will be ample. The practical effect of 3-Pt. ballast will be to reduce stress on your front axle, which loaded tires do not accomplish. Weight BEHIND the rear axle is required to relieve stress on the front axle. You want enough 3-Pt. ballast but not more. Over 300 (+/-) pounds you will increase wheel ruts, increase fuel consumption and increase rear tire wear.

Without 3-Pt. ballast it is too easy to have a max load in the bucket, to be creeping along cautiously, have a front wheel drop into a soft spot or a depression causing your loader to nose over into the dirt then maybe a rear wheel lifts. In this scenario FEL's are "sprung" and front axles bend.

At least 25% of the FEL's I observe are "sprung", i.e.: not level empty. Too expensive too repair but a constant annoyance relative to succeeding lift capacity and appearance.

I am one of those who prefer 3-Pt ballast as needed but operate without loaded tires in my Florida conditions. Seldom do I lose traction with my R4 industrial tires.

 

[LD1]

I'd match what the loader can lift. So of shoot for 450#.

75% of loader works well if it is in the form of an implement, cause it places the weight farther back, so less is needed.

 

[tjkubota93]

I made this one for my BX 1860 a month or so ago, I figure it holds about 200 lbs of solid CMU blocks. They cost about $1 each so it was pretty cost effective. I have been moving full buckets of rock since I put it on with no rear wheels lifting off the ground like I used to have.

I like that. Good thing you didnt patent it, im gonna copy it for my 1860. I can't come up with ideas, but im good at making replicas.

 

[Johnret]

Here is the ballast box I made for my Mx5100, cost $25.00, turned the tractor into a new machine as far as what I could comfortably do with the front loader.

 

[jeff9366]

Truly, a thing of beauty in the REALIST SCHOOL OF ART.