Ballast New Owner, Need Some Advice/Help

[Tree Farmer Steve]

Took delivery of my new MX4800 with FEL a few weeks ago and am loving the machine. I ordered it with a Woods BB600X rotary cutter, an SHC0660 claw grapple and a 60' Woods box blade. I bought the tractor for land/brush clearing and some light grading and building pad prep for a 10 Acre Fir Tree farm. It's only got about 7 hours on it so I'm still very much new to operating it.
I've only used it with the rotary cutter attached which has served as ballast and is plenty enough weight to keep the tires on the ground. However, I need to remove the cutter for maneuverability between trees and I'm unsure how much weight I need for ballast. I have my R4's filled but I've read a million different posts about ballast and it seems that there is little consensus.

Im asking those who have a similar size machine what they are using for weight?

I plan to use an old fuel oil tank as my container and will fill it with concrete after fabrication. I want it as close in and low as possible so I am planning to have the center of the weight at the lower arm pin point. Will 1,000lbs be enough? Is 2,000lbs too much? I was planning a container dimension of approx. 44"wide x 27"long x 36" tall but this would create an area of almost 25 cubic feet which at 140lbs per cubic foot of is almost 3,500lbs which I know is way too much. The obvious dimension to reduce is the height but I need to know how much weight I should shoot for.

Thank you all for the help!

 

[mljenkins]

What are you planning on using the FEL for without a ballast and will you be working on a hillside?

 

[Tree Farmer Steve]

Right now, the majority of FEL work is for grapple use. Moving 8'-10' sections of mature fir and alder trees that I've cut down. General brush & blackberry removal and transport to burn pile. Eventually the FEL will be used for dirt moving, gravel spreading and some light grading and trench backfill. I am working on hills. Thx!

 

[jeff9366]

Tree Farmer Steve


I am working on hills.

Are your rear wheels spread as wide as possible?
Do you have 4-WD?


The majority of FEL work is grapple use. Moving 8'-10' sections of mature fir and alder trees that I've cut down.

This will be your heavy lift task. Your real world lift capacity with the LA1065 Loader with a grapple mounted is around 1,700 pounds. As you have loaded tires, I would ballast around 1,400 pounds, assuming you have R4/industrial tires. Some will advise heavier, but you should not pick up max FEL loads on any but flat ground. The danger of a tractor rollover is too great.

Consider towing the heavier tree trunks with the rear/center drawbar and 5/16" or 3/8" Grade 70 chain. I believe 10' sections of mature Fir and Alder will weigh more than a ton. Attach tow chain to a branch stub so chain does not abrade pulling over hard surface roads. Not safe to transport heavy loads with the FEL on slopes.

Consider buying an old car hood at a junkyard, and using the hood as a sled to skid trunks.

Consider a PTO powered Logging Winch. The tractor can remain on flat ground as you winch trunks to the tractor.
IMAGES: tractor pto logging winch - Google Search

 

[mikester]

If your tires are loaded why not simply try running without any attachments and see how tippy you get with your normal working loads?

I usually put on a 3ph blade if I need a small ballast and maneuverability, and attach the backhoe if I need full lift capacity. When I notice I need 4WD to move back and forth, that's when I know I need more counter ballast.

If you work on a lot of slopes you will want more ballast.

Take a look at your 3PH specs before you pour that concrete - a quick look on google shows your 3PH lift capacity is only 2310lbs 24" behind the lift point.

 

[kuboman]

On my L5740 I use 600lbs of cast on the wheels and 1300lb hung on 3pt. 90% of the time this is more than enough. Only when the loader is maxed out do I feel light on the back.