Lifting safe - Ballast Box needed?

[LD1]

Great job on the unload and nice safe

 

[beenthere]

I use a 50G oil drum filled with cement as a counter weight.

Prolly not on a craftsman gt3000. Pic of that on your tractor would be interesting.

 

[jayhawk238]

Ballast Boxes are handy...don't take up much room...very compact on the 3PH (unlike most implements) and can be used as a carry-all if one uses weight that can be removed.
Mine, which I've had for many years, is filled with sand. I'd estimate the weight at 600-700 pounds.
The best part, IMHO, is the compactness...

If you can will you post a picture of your ballast box? I need one and trying to get some ideas that will work for me.

TYA,
Duane

 

[Jstpssng]

Taking the safe off of the trailer ended going smoother than I thought It would. First slide forks under and lifted off the trailer bed, without backing up. There were a lot of other materials on the trailer so couldn’t have him drive out from under the lifted safe. Was very smooth, no feeling of tipping. Backed up very slowly to get clear of the bed and put just about on the ground. Slow pace into the garage was also very smooth.

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I strapped myself in, always do even since darn near tipped it. Did air up tires, they were pretty low. Took it slow … no problems. The only thing I didn’t do that I should have, was to strap the load in. No issues, but will make sure and do that next time.

Many thanks for the advice!

Jim

Nice safe! Good that it went smoothly. It's always better to err on the side of caution when you aren't sure how something will work.

 

[oosik]

When I got the grapple on my Kubota M6040 I knew I would need ballast. I have 1550# of Rim Guard in the rear tires but 3-point ballast would help.

I considered a ballast box but then I got an idea. I have several implements that go on my 3-point. Why not just attach one of them. My 80 acres is very open and an implement sticking out back would be little or no problem.

My grapple has become a permanent addition to my FEL. My 1100# rear blade is a permanent addition to my 3-point when using the grapple. It worked out great. I can CAREFULLY lift and move 3000# with my tractor set up in this manner. 3000# is the absolute max I will lift. The normal load it 2000# to 2500#.

 

[WinterDeere]

If you can will you post a picture of your ballast box? I need one and trying to get some ideas that will work for me.

TYA,
Duane

I'm not Jay, but here's mine. Tubes hold rakes, shovels, cant hook, etc. The tubes are PVC with a cap glued on the bottom end, center-drilled and bolted into tapped holes in the bottom of the box, so they wouldn't float out when concrete was poured. Bolts were removed after concrete cured, so now tubes drain straight out the bottom, an excellent feature given that this box is a too-convenient place to set your coffee or gatorade, when working around it.

Box plus concrete weighs about 750#, and I welded extra bars on it to carry an additional 8 suitcase weights up top and another 9 across the back. The distance from 3-point pins to COG to those nine suitcases across the back is substantial, providing a lot of hold-down force for heavy lifts on the loader.

In addition to this, I welded plates to the back tapped with 1/2" UNF thread, for bolting a hitch receiver onto the back of the box at an ideal height. The whole thing is iMatch compatible.

If I could do it all over again, the only things I'd change would be:

1. Use something more durable than thin drain pipe for the tubes
2. I'd sink the receiver partly into the box, rather than bolt on. Even when I remove the hitch itself, the receiver still sticks out maybe 7 inches, and I've backed it into things, and banged my shin on it walking around the tractor, which is why it's usually removed.

 

[jcman]

I built a counter balance for my tractor out of the innards of a water heater. cut it to the height I wanted left enough room at the top for the pins and mixed enough concrete to just below the pins. I have no idea what it weighs but has worked well on my little Kubota B8200. Stays close to the tractor too.

 

[ning]

Just a reminder

Ballast boxes can serve two purposes - counter balance to make lifting with the loader safe/possible, and unloading weight from the front axle.

They *can* serve two purposes, but the closer they are to the rear axle, the less they unload the front axle.

 

[jayhawk238]

I'm not Jay, but here's mine. Tubes hold rakes, shovels, cant hook, etc. The tubes are PVC with a cap glued on the bottom end, center-drilled and bolted into tapped holes in the bottom of the box, so they wouldn't float out when concrete was poured. Bolts were removed after concrete cured, so now tubes drain straight out the bottom, an excellent feature given that this box is a too-convenient place to set your coffee or gatorade, when working around it.

Box plus concrete weighs about 750#, and I welded extra bars on it to carry an additional 8 suitcase weights up top and another 9 across the back. The distance from 3-point pins to COG to those nine suitcases across the back is substantial, providing a lot of hold-down force for heavy lifts on the loader.

In addition to this, I welded plates to the back tapped with 1/2" UNF thread, for bolting a hitch receiver onto the back of the box at an ideal height. The whole thing is iMatch compatible.

If I could do it all over again, the only things I'd change would be:

1. Use something more durable than thin drain pipe for the tubes
2. I'd sink the receiver partly into the box, rather than bolt on. Even when I remove the hitch itself, the receiver still sticks out maybe 7 inches, and I've backed it into things, and banged my shin on it walking around the tractor, which is why it's usually removed.

Outstanding! What a great job you did. I'm not a welder but have a few friends who are and I will show them your BB. Had to move a lot of gravel this summer with the FEL and a BB sure would have been really sweet.

 

[DonaldP]

I'm not Jay, but here's mine. Tubes hold rakes, shovels, cant hook, etc. The tubes are PVC with a cap glued on the bottom end, center-drilled and bolted into tapped holes in the bottom of the box, so they wouldn't float out when concrete was poured. Bolts were removed after concrete cured, so now tubes drain straight out the bottom, an excellent feature given that this box is a too-convenient place to set your coffee or gatorade, when working around it.

Box plus concrete weighs about 750#, and I welded extra bars on it to carry an additional 8 suitcase weights up top and another 9 across the back. The distance from 3-point pins to COG to those nine suitcases across the back is substantial, providing a lot of hold-down force for heavy lifts on the loader.

In addition to this, I welded plates to the back tapped with 1/2" UNF thread, for bolting a hitch receiver onto the back of the box at an ideal height. The whole thing is iMatch compatible.

If I could do it all over again, the only things I'd change would be:

1. Use something more durable than thin drain pipe for the tubes
2. I'd sink the receiver partly into the box, rather than bolt on. Even when I remove the hitch itself, the receiver still sticks out maybe 7 inches, and I've backed it into things, and banged my shin on it walking around the tractor, which is why it's usually removed.

Awesome!!!