Ballast Ballast Box

[WV John Deere]

Anyone have a factory ballast box from John Deere for the 3000 series tractors?

I'd like to know the dimensions, what they are filled with, and what they weigh.

I have access to everything necessary to build one out of stainless

I'm guessing by the pictures I've seen that 24"x24"x24" would be a good size for a homemade one.

Thanks!

 

[rekees4300]

I have a JD factory ballast box for a 4300. It's 24" wide (as viewed looking at the back of the tractor), 16 " deep, and 22" high. I have mine filled with sand but others on TBN have used concrete, gravel, bricks, etc. basically anything that is heavy. Don't know what mine weighs, best guess is 700-800 lbs.?

 

[techwrtr2]

My ballast box is about 60" or so wide give or take, weighs in about 500lbs.

It doubles as a box blade.

 

[kennyd]

Here is a recent build: BALLAST BOX BUILD - TractorByNet.com

Fill it with Portland cement...you want it HEAVY.

 

[soulasphil]

I think the JD ballast box is the same for all their CUTs. I have filled mine with mortar and find it a bit heavy for the 3520. I appreciate the 2 plastic tubes I included to carry various tools.

 

[techwrtr2]

A tool caddy would be nice. I've pondered how to add one to the box blade. Or mabye make that I can use it with box blade, mower or 3pt drawbar.

 

[slaveToHorses]

Here is one I setup for my little 3720. I like having the tubes for tools. Having them slanting backwards is a good thing. I also added chain grab hooks on the back and lifting rings at all four corners and a boat cleat on the top at the back. All that stuff has turned out to be really handy. It is filled with cement and there are drain holes at the bottom of the pipes.
The pipes have caps on them, when they are not in use, so they don't fill up with needles and leaves (and varmits).

newly finished ballast box - TractorByNet.com Photo Gallery

 

[WV John Deere]

Thanks a bunch for the input and pics. fellas, think I have what I need to get this build underway :thumbsup:

 

[Deadman]

Fill it with lead, then you'll have most of the ballast box empty to serve as a storage area to carry tools, etc. Thats what I do with mine, and I have around 1,000 lbs of lead in it, and its only about 5 inches deep.

 

[GGB]

Deadman,

I like your lead ballast idea-where did you get the lead?

GGB

 

[stuart]

Fill it with old weights that people give away. With the box, mine weighs in at just under 1000lbs. I also used my JD case weights.

 

[Deadman]

I went to tire stores and bought all their old used wheel weights. They usually throw them out, or sell them for like $10 for 5 gallon pail full.

Then I smelted them all down, and scooped the steel clips out of the liquid lead. then i poured the liquid lead into old cake pans and made several thicknesses. I then weighed them all, and stamped their weights on each one with a chisel!

It was some messing around, but I can remove all the lead in 1 minute if I needed to empty the ballast box for any reason. I can also add and subtract weight according to the weight of the loader work I am doing. the tractor handles better with less weight in the box, so its nice to add and subtract weight as needed.