More Ballast Box Modifications

[johnnydel29]

Last year I added hooks onto the top of the box - they have been incredibly useful, especially for cleaning up the downed tress from that massive ice storm we had last year. I decided I wanted more use out of my Box, and here is what else I added.

I added a 2" receiver and heavy duty ring. I recently had a chocker cable made (awesome for pulling brush and piles of limbs) and I attach to the ring using a shackle. I was not crazy about hooking the cable loop onto the hook, eventually the stress would lead to weakening and eventually breaking the cable.

I cut the receiver hole using a torch - notice the cut is not great - I am not a pro, and I added some steel flat to serve as a filler around the receiver, and, it will also add more strenght.

Next I would like to add a chainsaw scrapboard (spelling?).

 

[Workstead]

John,

Nice job on the modifications.

I have been searching for some threads about mounting a receiver into a box blade. I have seen some pictures somewhere on this site but now that I'm searching I can't find any.

Yours matches what I want to do except I will mount it into the back side of the box blade. Now a question for you. Did you reinforce the receiver inside of the BB or just weld it to the plates around the hole you cut into the BB?

When I put my receiver into the box blade it will be about a foot off of the bottom to clear the inside scraper blade that is there. I was thinking I would weld some gussets to the receiver inside of the box for support.

Thanks for the well documented process you went through. Your cutting is way better than mine.

Clem

 

[pat32rf]

Great looking unit. I try to incorporate a receiver into anything that goes on the back of my tractor, or at least a chunk of angle iron with a hole for a 1 7/8 ball, just for moving trailers around...

 

[framer]

Nice job.I done about the same thing on my shop built box very handy for
moving trailers around my shop.Framer

 

[mjncad]

Nice work Johnnydel29.

 

[hdbikercouple]

nice work. just a thought any time your pulling, when hooked higher then the axle. you can do a wheelie (back filp).

 

[JB4310]

Looks great, nice workmanship. wish I did that to mine before I filled it with concrete. The chain saw scabbard is a good idea, I put my little saw in a pc of 4" pvc pipe I set in the concrete, not a perfect fit but stays put.

JB.

 

[Thumper & Buttercup]

Hey Johnnydel29,

Can you do a photo from the hitch side of your ballast box.

Thanks!!!

 

[Knight]

nice work. just a thought any time your pulling, when hooked higher then the axle. you can do a wheelie (back filp).

Why is this pulling hook so high up?
You might consider a lower hook.

 

[johnnydel29]

I am not planning on pulling very heay loads - mostly brush piles, limbs and los that are not that huge. I realize the 2305 is not that big of a machine (even though it feels huge). I have used it all weekend - and it works great, even on stuff that was pretty big if I went slow.

The receiver tube is also wleded to the floor of the box onto to an exisiting peice of 1/4" flat that I think was put there to serve as reinforcement.

 

[johnnydel29]

Hey Johnnydel29,

Can you do a photo from the hitch side of your ballast box.

Thanks!!!

What exactly do you mean???

 

[Workstead]

...

The receiver tube is also wleded to the floor of the box onto to an exisiting peice of 1/4" flat that I think was put there to serve as reinforcement.

That makes sense. Good job and thanks for the information. I'm getting ready to mount my receiver into the box blade sometime this week.

Clem

 

[Thumper & Buttercup]

Hey Johnny,

What I was after is the 3pt hookup side of the ballast box.
To see how the 3pt hookups were made on your ballast box.
Thanks.

 

[johnnydel29]

Hey Johnny,

What I was after is the 3pt hookup side of the ballast box.
To see how the 3pt hookups were made on your ballast box.
Thanks.

See attached pics. Sounds like you are planning on building a ballast box. You can get the Cat 1 3PT pins at your dealer or Tractor Supply. You can either bolt or weld them into place. If you decide to weld - chop to where it flares.

Good time to do it - price of scrap steel plate is down in our area.

- John

 

[Thumper & Buttercup]

Thanks,

I'm looking for ideas of the hookup side, that helped a lot. I'm looking at having to build a planter bar in the next month and I'm looking at a couple other things this might help out with.

We are getting a rear set of pallet forks and I'm looking to use one of those wire cage tanks filled for a ballast tank and to carry water.