Favorite Removable Ballast??

schole · May 24, 2005

What are most people using as removable rear ballast?? Thoughts on making my own are appreciated.

I need something that won't stick too far out the back. My attachments don't fit the bill in this regard.

Thanks in advance,

Shawn (Kubota L3400DT [34hp], FEL)

Bob_Skurka · May 24, 2005

On the B2910 I use a box blade and fluid fill tires.

On the TC24 I use a ballast box. The ballast box projects rearward about 12 to 15" and is about 28" wide at its widest point, so it is very compact.

TheKid · May 24, 2005

Here's a pic of the weight box I made for my BX. It's 1' deep and 2' wide and tall.

mark1 · May 24, 2005

I put a wanted add in the locall free paper wanting Barbell weights..I got more calls giving them away if I'd pick em up.Then I made a pipe with holes in the end for keeper pins, and slid 150#+ on it and I hang it on the 3 point lift arms when using my loader. It's easy to put on and off and I can roll it out of the way when not needed. Total cost, a few bucks in gas to pick up the weights. I'd post a picture but I don't know how to add attachments to this! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Soundguy · May 24, 2005

My favorite rear ballast is a box blade with a few suitcase weights hanging on it. This gives me good weight, plus i have a very usable attachment ont he back.. and doesn't stick out much.

My next favority, and the one I leave more or less permanently attached to my ford 660 with front end loader is a plastic cattle feed tub filled with concrete. I made it by putting a couple barriage bolts thru the bottom of the bucket, and drilling and cutting a piece of flat bar stock to make it a toplink mount point. I set the empty container on my 11 hole drawbar, and then put nuts and lock washers on the carriage bolts on the bottom side, and ont he top side.. so ehte nuts were sandwhiching the bucket to the drawbar. I used long carriage bolts so they stuck up 6" to 8 " into the empty tub. I put a pin thru the flat stock and my tractors toplink, and wired it so that the toplink was hanging where i wanted it to be, and this made the spacing for the toplink correct with the bars.. I made it so the bars hung in a good 8" into the tub,and slightly bent the hanging ends for a good hold inthe concrete.

I then got the hose and a hoe, and 5-6 80# bags of sackcrete and just mixed in place.

Looked like this when finished. i estimate the weight of the concrete and tub, and drawbar and assorted hardware to be about 500# or so. Best part is, if i ever ditch it, I can just remove the 2 nuts and lock washers off the bottom of the drawbar, and I have my 11-hole drawbar back, and I only have to ditch the plastic tub/concrete and the few metal bits.

Cost was 3.99 a bag for the crete, the tub was 'free' as it was a cattle range 'lick' tub i had leftover. The 10" carriage bolts washers and nuts were 6$ and the 3' flat bar I used for the toplink was about 7$ from the piece steel ( short bars, flats, angles, etc ) from the hardware store. So that makes 37$ and about an hour and a half of time..mostly mixing concrete in place. Also.. the drawbar I used wasn't a standard length drawbar.. It was one of the shorter ones.. like for a BX.. 18" but was still cat 1 pins and thickness.

Works great.. and makes my 660 steer muuuuuch easier.

Soundguy

Looks like this..

Soundguy · May 24, 2005

( I made a pipe with holes in the end for keeper pins, and slid 150#+ on it and I hang it on the 3 point lift arms )

Neat idea.. use a pipe or bar the same diameter as a cat 1 lift pin.. just slide it on.. very neat.

Soundguy

rockyridgefarm · May 24, 2005

Wow, that is better than my old spent uranium box... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

bigpete · May 24, 2005

60" boxblade with 6-8 42-pound suitcase weights. I wouldn't mind having a full set of cast iron JD wheel weights to complete the set-up, but thery're too dang'd expensive /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Too much mowing and turf work to fill my rear tires.

schole · May 24, 2005

Excellent ideas!! Thanks so much, everyone...enough to get me started on keeping my hind end on sure footing...just have to choose a method with the materials I have around.

Shawn

PineRidge · May 24, 2005

Soundguy don't look now but your wife's trying to find the plastic cattle feed tub. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

That's really a good idea though.

This is what we use from time to time.

have_blue · May 24, 2005

This works for me, but I'm calling one of you guys for help next time I put it on or take it off.

http://webpages.charter.net/bobad/stump.jpg

The fan belt turns the stump at 540 RPM and makes serious gyro stability! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif nudge nudge

bigpete · May 24, 2005

The fan belt turns the stump at 540 RPM and makes serious gyro stability! nudge nudge 

Yeah, but how often do you need to change the belt /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

MMM · May 24, 2005

Loaded 17.5X24s and built a carryall that I strap plastic 55gal drum in. Filled with H2O, it's worth about 450lbs counter weight. I'm too lazy to fight stumps like Blue and the fruit trees appreciate the drink. (1/2" pipe through bung connected to 3' length of garden hose and a gate valve siphons H2O). I'm going to redesign and beef carrier up when I get home so it'll handle 2 drums.

have_blue · May 25, 2005

Ak! I was afraid someone would find a weakness. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

schole · Jun 11, 2005

I just finished making (cured for 1 week) and test driving Soundguy's concrete ballast from this post (and others).

Works FANTASTIC!

Cost about 12$ for the cement mix...the rest I had lying around.

Thanks, Soundguy.

Shawn

have_blue · Jun 11, 2005

I like the design too. Simple, stable, easy to make, and plenty heavy.

Slamfire · Jun 11, 2005

( Wow, that is better than my old spent uranium box... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif )
Have you noticed your veggies are growing in weird shapes and flavore? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif