Franken-ballast: expensive and poorly planned!

[4570Man]

I'd hate to drive around in my timber with a backhoe for ballast. The smaller the better.

At which point I could unhook the backhoe and use a box blade.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I'd hate to drive around in my timber with a backhoe for ballast. The smaller the better.

My backhoe has taken lots of timber hits when I back up blindly. No damage to anything other than the trees.

 

[ovrszd]

Very nice work Luke. I should have posted my Junkas* ballast weight rack pics here.

 

[Musdalen]

At which point I could unhook the backhoe and use a box blade.

Which is maybe 2-3 times longer than my ballast box and maybe half as heavy (if that). I bet your ballast box doesn't have a receiver hitch for pulling the firewood out when you are all done at the end of the day either.

 

[Musdalen]

My backhoe has taken lots of timber hits when I back up blindly. No damage to anything other than the trees.

I do not consider damaging trees acceptable. They are far too valuable to me.

 

[ovrszd]

I do not consider damaging trees acceptable. They are far too valuable to me.

Yeah I'm kinda picky about that too.

Everyone has different acceptability levels for ballast. If all I'm after is ballast I always use my ballast weight rack. It's QH compatible which makes it even more useable. I'll even set it down when working in the timber until I get to the part of the job that requires it. Shortens me up so I don't bang into stuff so bad.

 

[dragoneggs]

My backhoe has taken lots of timber hits when I back up blindly. No damage to anything other than the trees.

Me too... BH great ballast and helps get me unstuck too! Dead weight doesn't do that.

 

[smokinmad]

I think it's....to Each their own.....Ya Know...

 

[xring100]

This really is a great job and useful. More guys should do this rather than load their tires.

Weight on; weight off. Weight on: weight off. It's that easy and makes the tractor so much more versatile.

So when i use my box scrapper or any ground engaging equipment thats on the ground an providing zero normal force on the rear tires. The 2000lbs of juice added to the tires adds a fair amount of tractive effort allowing me to pull tje 1400lb box scrapper with the shanks down through clay without spinning out constantly. My tractor is a tractor ive never thought about taking the weight out of the tires.

Tire ballast has its purpose its not the optimal ballast loader work though

 

[rd_macgregor]

Do your tool holder tubes have weep holes or caps?