Ballast Pix of concrete filled ballast box

[Bulldog160]

Just one little thing - My weight box is the very least used item I have - backhoe 1st, tiller, box blade, aerator, rake, blade...

actually i dont need the dang thing its in the way more often than not

Where in NY are you from? Want to sell your box?

 

[Deadman]

I personally think you WRECKED that nice ballast box. Now, you can never get that concrete out to add more weight, and I highely doubt that 3-400lbs is even close to enough weight. I have over 1,000lbs of lead in my 2520's box, and I can add and remove however much I want as needed. Plus, mine is LESS than 1/3 full, so I can store all kinds of stuff in there. I can get 2 chainsaws IN mine yet.

No offense, i just don't like being without options in the future.

 

[cast_and_blast]

I personally think you WRECKED that nice ballast box. Now, you can never get that concrete out to add more weight, and I highely doubt that 3-400lbs is even close to enough weight. I have over 1,000lbs of lead in my 2520's box, and I can add and remove however much I want as needed. Plus, mine is LESS than 1/3 full, so I can store all kinds of stuff in there. I can get 2 chainsaws IN mine yet.

No offense, i just don't like being without options in the future.

Huh??? 300-400 pounds of weight for a ballast box filled with concrete? I think it's well over 600, even more if it's portland.

I like this setup - quite utilitarian. I've tried to get lead weights to embed in my ballast box - most places are recycling them with battery suppliers in exchange for discounts on wholesale battery purchases; they are unwilling to give them up (my experience).

Scott

 

[Bulldog160]

Concrete density

145 lbs per cubic ft


1 US gallon = 0.133680556 cubic feet


Example:

15 gallons (Like a plastic drum, not sure the dimensions of ballast box)

15x.133680556= 2.0052 cubic feet in 15 gallon drum

145x2= 290 lbs.

 

[Killer_B]

Huh??? 300-400 pounds of weight for a ballast box filled with concrete? I think it's well over 600, even more if it's portland.
Scott

Mine took six 80lb bags of quickcrete = 480lbs, plus the box itself. That means a little over 500 lbs total.

 

[3720_Owner]

Ballast box weights from the Deere 300CX manual.

 

[JB4310]

Ballast box weights from the Deere 300CX manual.

These numbers seem high, it shows over 800# for concrete, mine took 6-80# bags=480 + 50# for box = 530# total, leaving 3 inches for shelf storage, seems to be the right amount of ballast for my needs. I to didn't want to limit my options at first, but after 3 years of not changing the level of the stone for different needs and the fact that I needed more traction in the snow, I now think the concrete is the way to go.

 

[KubotaSteve]

I just finished my ballast box. I used a 55 gallon drum and took an old weight bar solid steel and ran through the middle of it, the added some 1/4" steel for each side of top link piece. At the bottom of the 1/4" steel I ran some rebar through it to give it more of a bite. I also put in 4 1.5" pvc pipes for garden tools. I am planning to add a tool box on top or add some ammo boxes for chain. I'm figuring the weight to be around 1,000 lbs. I wasn't planning on filling the barrel up but did. I hope it isn't too much weight (to be effective to use) for my Kubota B-7800. I still have to clean it up and paint it. I made it in my dad's garage as the temps. here have been dropping around freezing at night sometimes. He moved it out of his garage with his Massey Ferguson MF-135 without any weight on the front (no FEL or anything). I'm hoping it improves my traction.
Thanks for all the tips, I would have never thought of the pipes in the box.

 

[Deadman]

Huh??? 300-400 pounds of weight for a ballast box filled with concrete? I think it's well over 600, even more if it's portland.

I like this setup - quite utilitarian. I've tried to get lead weights to embed in my ballast box - most places are recycling them with battery suppliers in exchange for discounts on wholesale battery purchases; they are unwilling to give them up (my experience).

Scott

I guess my real point is that you not permanentely filled that Ballast box with cement, and can NEVER add or remove weight for different jobs. Theres not just 1 weight that is best for all jobs. I add and remove weight from my box depending on what jobs I am doing, and how soft the soil it. I use the least weight possible to stay safe, cuz its easier on the tractor, but I often have 1,200 lbs in the box, and I can still make the back tires come off the ground when I am lifting on trees/logs. 480lbs of concrete would just be way too little weight for me, and I'd have to have 3 ballast boxes just to get enough weight.

I also just traded my 2210 in for the 2520 I have now, and kept my ballast box. Now if I would have poured the ballast box full of concrete for the 2210, then I would have had to buy ANOTHER ballast box for the 2520 just to simply add some weight. theres no reason to limit yourself by pouring it solid unless you just don't care about adjusting the weight for the job.

Thats just my opinion, because I don't like backing myself into a corner.

 

[Chris2520]

You know Deadman . if you would go a head get get that backhoe
you want so much. you would not haft to worry about that ballast
box.......

Chris.....