Let's see some homemade 3 point ballast!

[WranglerX]

Ok, 8 cubic feet. My math was correct when I formed my box, along with the weight. It's just that I typed in the wrong figure (4) in my original comment on this thread. Does that suit you now?

Easy big fellow.... Only wanted to point out the error...

Dale

 

[destroyaYO]

Why are these needed?

 

[WranglerX]

Why are these needed?

With some tractors specially with hydrostatic drive the brakes are in board in transaxle, if you have a lot of weight in front end loader and the balance is offset making rear of tractor light you lose braking capacity and on a slope you may be out of control.... IF you are in 4WD you have some front braking but then front wheels tend to be pivot point and tractor will try to flip you out over hood....

Manual for my front end loader states you add the weight of load in bucket (max like 850 pounds) to tractor weight plus ballast weight and operator weight, and at least 25% of that weight needs to be on rear tires for safety reasons...



THis is a scan from my Massey Ferguson DL95 FEL manual... It explains it better than my writings...

Dale

 

[aczlan]

I painted mine yellow because every year some of my loader works involves being on a secondary public road and I want high viability for my tail other than just a SMV emblem.

I would add a adhesive SMV emblem to it, looks like you should have room above the receiver.

Aaron Z

 

[Oldoak]

I would add a adhesive SMV emblem to it, looks like you should have room above the receiver.

Aaron Z

Great idea too, along with SplitHoof's suggestion about adding a lightbar to the trailer hitch. I am just getting started.

I had that in mind, but it has been so rainy, damp and dreary, I really wanted the paint to thoroughly cure on the concrete block and a few sunny days with low humidity before trying to stick the adhesive SMV emblem to it. It's been tough weather pattern this Summer.

 

[newbury]

Why are these needed?

I use rear ballast for traction and to keep my rear wheels on the ground when I have a load of gravel in the bucket. And I put ballast in the bucket when I've my backhoe on the rear.

 

[SplitHoof]

Why are these needed?

Reasons for ballast:

1) To stop soiling the seat when using the grapple
2) Better than fluid in your rear tires because it moves the fulcrum point of your tractor toward the rear to prevent undo stress on front axle
3) To safely get full use out of your FEL
4) It’s a safe, inexpensive and quick way to add compact weight to your tractor for traction

Those are just a few reasons that I have noted since building mine. You can use less weight if it’s sticking out away from the back of the tractor to move your pivot point towards the rear axle. If the weight is up close to the rear axle, I don’t think you get all the benefit for fel work.

Well worth the effort to put one together for yourself!

 

[DavidL61]

Finished the ballast. 11 80lb bags of cement. I should have mounted the receiver a little lower, but it will do.

 

[SplitHoof]

How does your tractor feel with it? Especially since it’s not so close to the rear. I prefer it that way just curious what you have noticed so far with FEL use.

 

[aeblank]

Using cad, mine calcs out to 1164lbs.
Yours would be 880, plus some steel and the barrel, so maybe 900...

I wonder why mine is so much more. I guess the dimensions of a steel barrel are that much more? Surprising...

Anyway, good job. Looks just like mine, and I sure like it. I've borrowed the drawbar off of it a couple different times.