How much rear ballast?

[Skyfair]

I've found a concrete-filled drum set up for a three point hitch, left by a previous owner, on our property. I estimate it weighs approximately 1,000 lbs. I own a Mahindra 1635 Shuttle with ballasted rear tires. My dealer says it can take that amount of weight. I would consider using it when plowing our gravel driveway this winter, which is about 1000 ft and has several moderate/steep pitches. However, I wonder what others' experience is with using that amount of ballast. What are the pros and cons? How might it affect maneuverability? Is it too much weight (and thus why the previous owner didn't take it with him)?

 

[oosik]

If it's a 55 gallon drum full - it's probably closer to 850 pounds. What does your Owners Manual say about max weight on the 3-point.

Honestly - with ballasted rear tires and 4WD-??....... you probably don't need that much weight on the 3-point. It might have negative effects on steering and control of the tractor. JMHO

 

[TMGT]

Your tractor is very close in specs to my l3240, 1000lbs is no problem, I use a 1200lb box blade or 1200lb aerator on mine and also have loaded tires.

I imagine the barrel would be more maneuverable then my 78" box blade.

 

[RickB]

You will love it.

 

[sea2summit]

Sort of off topic, what FEL mounted plow do you use?

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I don't think you're going to want that much weight on the 3 point while you are plowing snow with a FEL mounted plow. It will be counter productive by taking more weight off of the front steer tires where you're already going to be battling the effect of the angled plow "pushing" your steer (front) tires sideways when you push into heavier snow. Front chains (and rear chains obviously) will help much more than rear ballast.

However, when you are just lifting things (with forks, bucket loads of dirt, grapple work, etc) you will find that much ballast on the 3 point very beneficial to keeping the load balanced and your front axle from getting damaged.

 

[PILOON]

Your tractor is very close in specs to my l3240, 1000lbs is no problem, I use a 1200lb box blade or 1200lb aerator on mine and also have loaded tires.

I imagine the barrel would be more maneuverable then my 78" box blade.

In my case for my CUT I lucked out having found an elevator weight that weighs 300 lbs.
Nice and compact and combined with filled rears I can do whatever I want with my FEL.
I rigged that weight such as to incorporate a receiver for trailer hitches or whatever I mount on 2 x 2 inserts, (like even a winch or my carry basket that also fits my car)
AND, no computer, just plain old relays and switches.
Well no seat switch any more!

 

[TMGT]

I'd hope your ballast weight wouldn't have any electronics in it!

 

[Jchonline]

As Oosik mentioned, just be wary of a light front end. It may be just fine but starting out up and down hills go slow and pay attention to front end weight. If the front end gets light in certain scenarios you might need to make some adjustments to the way you are traveling or remove ballast. Hopefully it won't be an issue.

 

[Jchonline]

I'd hope your ballast weight wouldn't have any electronics in it!

What you don't have a rear camera on your concrete filled drum?

 

[jeff9366]

Mahindra 1635​

2018 - 1600 Series Compact Utility tractor

Tractor hitch Rear Type: I
Control: position control
Rear lift (at ends): 2646 lbs


Mahindra 1635 Weight
Hydro ROPS: 3075 lbs
Shuttle ROPS: 3086 lbs

 

[Skyfair]

Sort of off topic, what FEL mounted plow do you use?

Good question. I don't own one yet and there doesn't seem to be any consensus on what is best to use in these discussion threads. I've got a third function set up for my grapple, so am leaning toward a hydraulic front plow blade such as Hinniker and others make. Snowblowers are too spendy, rear blades may not handle as much snow as we get in NH, plus put a crook in my neck...

 

[Skyfair]

Thanks for everyone's input. Very good points about loss of front end traction when in snow if too much weight in the rear. Perhaps chains front and back (I was only thinking in back) will be a better winter solution...

 

[5030]

I don't use any and never have and I don't have loaded tires either. I do have cast centers on both tractors however. Most loaders today can and will overpower the tractor they are mounted on anyway so I use the tractor as my 'yardstick' as to what I can pick up and what I cannot.

Do keep one thing in mind and that is, unless you move into the 100 plus horsepower range, your tractor most likely has ball bearings in the outboards instead of tapered roller bearings that are in larger units and those ball bearings don't like to be overloaded and will eventually fail from that overload condition.

Rear ballast is nothing more than a band aid to cause you to overload the front end and those ball bearings in your front axle don't like to be overloaded and to a lesser extent, neither do the front tires and rims.

Your unit but expect failure from overloading at some point in the future.

I have 6000 hours on one of mine and never had an issue but I don't overload it either.

 

[WranglerX]

About 500-600 pounds rear ballast...

With out rear ballast...

Yes its a SCUT and JD weighs in at 520 pounds according to manual...

 

[RickB]

The rookies and theorists aren't considering the amount of weight transferred OFF the rear axle by a loader mounted front plow. Go ahead and get the rear chains but keep that counterweight around and try it when you get the plow set up.

 

[RalphVa]

My old MacKissic chipper/shredder seemed just enough and was out at about the same distance as a ballast box. It was about 300 #. This is with rear loaded tires, too.

 

[TractorGuy]

A good rule of thumb would be to add an equal amount of ballast to match the loader lift capacity.

You don't want to just run around with that much but any time you are doing loader work that may require the max on the loader.


I usually just use an implement but in case I need it I have a 1200lb 3pt ballast I can stick on the back.

I've been doing grapple work today with my brush mower on the back. A couple piles have exceeded my ballast. Being the lazy arse I am and planning to use the mower later I have just been breaking the piles into smaller bunches.

 

[TheMan419]

When I pick up my 600 pound tiller my traction for snow plowing goes way up. I also have loaded rear tires, those made a huge difference not only in plowing snow but in just general day to day operations with the tractor.

 

[Bearsixty7]

I would think 50-75% of your loader capacity would be plenty for rear ballast weight. A tractor with unloaded tires and no attachment on the 3pt hitch can still lift 30-50% of what the loader capacity is.