Let's see some homemade 3 point ballast!

[Mandres]

Yea, the scabbard goes into a 2ft piece of pvc that i already had that i baked and molded. The pvc goes all the way through the bottom of the barrel. Scabbard has some holes drilled in the bottom so it will drain.

Now, i guess I'll have to practice my quick draw time

Clever! I like your setup a lot.

Instead of using a separate draw bar and top hitch, I'm thinking about starting with something like this and then building a small box around it:
https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Attach...p+link+hitch&qid=1561153011&s=gateway&sr=8-33

The price is starting to get up there though ... maybe spending a few hundred on the factory bx ballast box makes more sense?

 

[eubie5]

Yea, i

Clever! I like your setup a lot.

Instead of using a separate draw bar and top hitch, I'm thinking about starting with something like this and then building a small box around it:
https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Attach...p+link+hitch&qid=1561153011&s=gateway&sr=8-33

The price is starting to get up there though ... maybe spending a few hundred on the factory bx ballast box makes more sense?

Yea, I almost went that route

 

[shooterdon]

Mine started with a TSC carryall and used scrap I had laying around. The ballast is 735 lbs of lead ingots. The crates are screwed down and keep the ingots from jiggling out while adding a bit of storage.

 

[srs]

My homemade concrete weight bucket.

 

[fruitcakesa]

It's crude and ugly [my first ever welding from scratch].
I cut up an old boom I had for the I-beams and top link connection. I figure the box alone is 125#
3 - 5 gallon buckets of concrete leftovers from an old job about 300#
Makes for a more compact unit than hauling the box blade around.

 

[PEJ5]

Here is phase 1 of my homemade ballast box. It is a bolted steel frame using a Cat 1 drawbar, 2 foot long 2" receiver, 3/8" thick 3" angle, 1/4" thick 1.5" angle, and some threaded rod.

It will be encased in concrete 24"W x 24"L x 28"H and estimate it will be 1300# including the steel. I plan to add a piece of bent rebar as a top eye, a small conduit to wire lights, a tube (and drain) for rake/shovel, a SMV sign and 2 bolts on top to secure a toolbox for chains, etc. I plan to set the drawbar 5" in from the back and and 9" above the base. I want to be able to set it down as an extra brake.

I welcome any advice before I build the forms. I'll post progress photos.

Peter

 

[aczlan]

Be sure to install a notch for the toplink or it will end up bent into a pretzel...

Aaron Z

 

[4get gto]

I made these from 200# lead rollup door weights.
I have another one not shown that bolts to that one..

 

[Eagleview]

Wide is the way to go, narrow ballasts do next to nothing when your about to cock a leg . The narrow ones in the center of the 3pl are dead in line with the tilt pin on the front axle . As you can imagine, they will offer no resistance to a roll over . If you can make one as wide as the rear wheels, you are much better off . I have a piece of 300x450 hollow RHS filled with concrete, it is fitted with a cutting edge on the front, for grading the driveway and has a towbar at the rear . Only photo I have sorry .

 

[eubie5]

Wide is the way to go, narrow ballasts do next to nothing when your about to cock a leg . The narrow ones in the center of the 3pl are dead in line with the tilt pin on the front axle . As you can imagine, they will offer no resistance to a roll over . If you can make one as wide as the rear wheels, you are much better off . I have a piece of 300x450 hollow RHS filled with concrete, it is fitted with a cutting edge on the front, for grading the driveway and has a towbar at the rear . Only photo I have sorry .

View attachment 613727

That is a great one