Ballast Ballast Box

[jdbower]

I built my own ballast box. I can adjust the distance from the rear axle from my seat depending on the weight I need back there.

Nicely done! It looks like you adjust the distance using what seems to be a VERY long hydraulic toplink? Nice way to maximize the ballast while keeping the weight down.

 

[bjcsc]

Nicely done! It looks like you adjust the distance using what seems to be a VERY long hydraulic toplink? Nice way to maximize the ballast while keeping the weight down.

Thanks. You got it, using the cylinder I can position the weight a minimum of 2' and a max of 5' behind the rear axle. It's like having a series of different weight boxes...

 

[JB4310]

I didn't want to fill mine with concrete at first but now I will, since I filled it with 3/4 crushed stone and did the pvc pipe thing, I haven't needed to empty the box and moving is not a problem, so the extra weight will help and it will keep the pipes from shifting around, I will use one 4", one 3", two 2'' and two 1-1/2", the 1-1/2" works fine for most yard tools, the 3" works for hand held blowers and I think the 4" will fit a small chain saw. of course I got the idea for the pvc pipe on this site, great idea, some times working around the yard I have all the pipes filled with tools.
A couple of pictures here, the one with the trunk section of white pine needed more ballast to be safe, that's a 6 foot bucket.

 

[JB4310]

I built my own ballast box. I can adjust the distance from the rear axle from my seat depending on the weight I need back there. Works great, and is not too big (1.5 cubic ft)...

BJCSC, great idea, but that's not much weight for the heavy work that large of a tractor is capable of doing, is it?

 

[bjcsc]

BJCSC, great idea, but that's not much weight for the heavy work that large of a tractor is capable of doing, is it?

That's the first thing anybody says when they first see it. I should have mentioned in my original post that I filled the box with molten lead (which I collected from many tire stores as wheel weights). The lead in the box itself weighs 1050lbs and the box and frame add about 100 more. The size of it fools everybody. I can't tell you how many times, when it's not on the tractor, I have pulled the "hey, help me move this over a bit" on people...good fun...ag humor...

 

[jdbower]

"hey, help me move this over a bit" on people...good fun...ag humor...

That sounds like fun! For what it's worth, lead is almost five times the density of Portland cement. That's an awful lot of wheel weights

 

[nmu98]

I think i got 7 or 7 1/2 of 94 pound portlands in there.
I read somewhere if you add to much water while mixing.
it will really cut down on the amount you can get in there.
and personaly. i thought mine was to wet. i mixed it in a wheel
barrow. and then put it in the box. but afterwords. i kept adding more dry
portland strate to the box as i felt it was to wet. ..

Chris...

We put it in very dry.... I was working with a friend that does cement, and he could not see how we could get more in..... It is full right to the top and we pushed it under the lip.... If we would have put it in any drier, we might not have added any water.... We even vibrated it to get any air out.......

I will say, its freaking heavy, and got very hot for over 14 hours... up to 200 degrees... We were having contests who could hold thier hands on it longest, and the max anyone did it was 4 seconds....

 

[JB4310]

That's the first thing anybody says when they first see it. I should have mentioned in my original post that I filled the box with molten lead (which I collected from many tire stores as wheel weights). The lead in the box itself weighs 1050lbs and the box and frame add about 100 more. The size of it fools everybody. I can't tell you how many times, when it's not on the tractor, I have pulled the "hey, help me move this over a bit" on people...good fun...ag humor...

Lead, that explains it, 1.5 cu ft, that's alot of sinkers!

 

[Chris2520]

I built my own ballast box. I can adjust the distance from the rear axle from my seat depending on the weight I need back there. Works great, and is not too big (1.5 cubic ft)...

How much does it weigh? it looks really small.
Maybe its because your tractor is so big.....

Chris......

 

[mars1952]

Hi Bob: I have considered making or buying a ballast box and filling it with steel nuts and bolts. The local scrap yard sells any steel they have for 18 cents a pound. At first I thought I would use small pieces of scrap to fill the box but then I realized that they sell nuts and bolts for the same price. If I ever need an odd nut or bolt I could dig for it in the ballast box. (Keep the box dry or oil the nuts and bolts to prevent rust.) I passed up several barrels of nuts and bolt before I had this idea. I am keeping my eye out for more.

Steel weighs about 480 pounds a cubic foot cement weighs about 94 pounds a cubic foot. Factory suitcase or wheel weights cost about $1.00 a pound. Scrap is only 18 cents a pound here.

Keep your 500 lb ballast bar and mount it on your box blade (If you have one. If not get one they are great.)

I believe that you should follow JD's recommendations for the ballast weight but you should put the weight in a ballast box so you can set it down.
Good Luck, Marshall

I guess my question is, what should I put in the ballast box to get as much weight as I can?

Lastly, do I really need to put the 3 weights per side as it recommends?

In the meantime I have a ballast bar from my old tractor that has 500lbs of weights on it.

Thanks

Bob

 

[ducati996]

Recently I had a few extra weights and some bags of cement to place on top of my already filled ballast box (portland cement). As it shows, I have 540 lbs additional weight on top of the ballast box (BB best guess being 800-900 lbs).
That brings me to somewhere between 1,340 -1,440 lbs for a 2520, and I ran out of weight before I ran out of lift ability . I will get the box weighed one of these days at the local weight station to find out exactly what it weighs.
I never use it however, since the hoe is on most of the time. I used to fill the box with olympic weights but it was always a noisey racket with them banging around. Im glad I just did the portland, no noise

 

[redstatedog]

Ducatti996,

Could you please tell me what does the rear hydraulic set up on your tractor allow you to do? I have the same arrangement but never had the occasion to consider what attachments and/or applications I might be able to operate with such an option. Thank you in advance.

 

[Chris2520]

Its the power beyond for the backhoe.....

 

[kennyd]

Ducatti996,

Could you please tell me what does the rear hydraulic set up on your tractor allow you to do? I have the same arrangement but never had the occasion to consider what attachments and/or applications I might be able to operate with such an option. Thank you in advance.

The is called "PowerBeyond", it's a "loop" that flows hydraulic fluid continuously when the tractor is running. As Chris said, it can be used for a backhoe, or a log splitter, or spool valves can be plumbed into into it to operate cylinders on some implements. Just be sure it's always plugged in before you start the tractor.

 

[JB4310]

Recently I had a few extra weights and some bags of cement to place on top of my already filled ballast box (portland cement). As it shows, I have 540 lbs additional weight on top of the ballast box (BB best guess being 800-900 lbs).
That brings me to somewhere between 1,340 -1,440 lbs for a 2520, and I ran out of weight before I ran out of lift ability . I will get the box weighed one of these days at the local weight station to find out exactly what it weighs.
I never use it however, since the hoe is on most of the time. I used to fill the box with olympic weights but it was always a noisey racket with them banging around. Im glad I just did the portland, no noise

Must have no traction or ballast issues with that load, just hope one of those bags don't get torn open, no problems lifting that weight? what is the TPH's capacity anyway if some one knows? I have a 4310 and filled the box with concrete, at about 500 pounds it does feel heavy when I lift it, the rear tires squat a little bit.