Planning a custom ballast box

[kebo]

S219 has a great thread on http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/374249-my-new-customized-ballast-box.html. His timing is impeccable for me as I have a new tractor on order (JD 3039 with FEL and grapple) and will be needing to make one as well. And I have somewhat similar ideas, but nothing like his fabrication skills - and I'm a cheap bastard.

What I do have is a King Cutter, 3-pt carry all that is rated for 1000 lbs. It looks like this and it is 36" deep (front to back), and 28" left to right. I too would like to have a receiver hitch on it so I could use it to drag logs and move a horse trailer from time to time.

My thoughts are to cut the two forks shorter by at least a foot. and then having a piece of angle welded between them and probably braced to the back as well. Then deck with treated 2x6's and build a temporary wooden box to fill with lead and concrete. I don't have any metal fabrication skills so I would like to keep the welding work to a minimum as I will have to pay to have it done. but what would you guys suggest for bracing, if any, and any other modifications (maybe some tiedowns on top for my chainsaw and tow chain?).

What is the advantage, or reason, for cutting the two bottom angle pieces (the forks) a foot shorter???

 

[Musdalen]

It was a carrier for my 8N. But the N is going away and a JD 3039R is taking it's place. The JD is rated for 2200 lb

 

[Musdalen]

What is the advantage, or reason, for cutting the two bottom angle pieces (the forks) a foot shorter???

Small, and easier to maneuver in the timber and store under my barn's overhang.

 

[s219]

I dug out the old carry all today and stripped it of the mostly rotten wood box on it. Looks like it will work really well for what I want. I can shorten it up from front to back (some serious hacksaw work). I'll put a bottom deck on it with 4x6 treated timbers and then build a reinforced wooden box that is 15" deep, by 30 wide and 30" tall. Total cubic feet will be about 7.8 cf and at 150#/cu filling it with cement will work out to 1170# plus the weight of the carrier frame. Now I just need to find some steel and mounting hardware to make a receiver hitch.

That might be too heavy for a 3039R, but you can know for sure with some math. What's the front loader capacity of the 3039R? What's the distance from the front axle to the approx center of the weight box when it's on the 3 pt hitch?

 

[Musdalen]

Loader capacity is 1600#. I don't know the linear dimensions however. Haven't taken delivery yet.

 

[s219]

Just using my L3200 dimensions (4' from front axle to bucket, 8.5 feet from front axle to weight box) as an approximation, you wouldn't need more than 750# to fully offset that 1600#. So I'd plan to fill it for 800-900# as a starting point, but leave room for more concrete if you want to go heavier, or have loads way way out in front.

The loader will have more than 1600# capacity down low, so you might want more ballast if you think you'll be exceeding 1600# frequently. However, carrying around that amount of ballast all the rest of the time will probably have drawbacks. So I'd size for a nominal condition.

 

[Musdalen]

I doubt I will move 1600# often. I will move bulky stuff (tree carcasses) with a grapple that might be higher and with more leverage than I might really care to tackle without more ballast, but of course, a chainsaw reduces that problem.

I'll think on your estimates a bit and do some arithmetic before I start pouring cement. I want some additional traction I think, so just offsetting a load is not the sole purpose. I still need traction to move it around.

 

[s219]

I doubt I will move 1600# often. I will move bulky stuff (tree carcasses) with a grapple that might be higher and with more leverage than I might really care to tackle without more ballast, but of course, a chainsaw reduces that problem.

I'll think on your estimates a bit and do some arithmetic before I start pouring cement. I want some additional traction I think, so just offsetting a load is not the sole purpose. I still need traction to move it around.

You don't want too much weight back there -- there are some threads about this here where people talk about having too much ballast and some of the issues. So don't overdo it beyond what you need to keep the rear end planted on the ground when the loader is being used.

 

[CADplans]

You don't want too much weight back there -- there are some threads about this here where people talk about having too much ballast and some of the issues. So don't overdo it beyond what you need to keep the rear end planted on the ground when the loader is being used.

I have basically the same tractor,, same wheelbase, similar weight,,
except with MUCH larger tires.

Just for grins, I hung an 1,100 pound mower on the back, a couple weeks ago,

The tractor became a sloth,,,
I would not have considered operating it out of low range,
the tractor was MUCH happier when I set the mower on the ground.

That mower will not be used on the JD again.

 

[Musdalen]

CADplans, that's an interesting datum to consider. It is considerably more awkward, further back, and unbalanced than what I have planned, but point made. Thanks.