rear ballast again

[toxic]

Sorry guys, i know that this topic is brought up alot but I used search and could not find what I was looking for.
My father in law asked me the other day if I could make him a ballast box for his new kubota 4330. We were looking it over and decided that he wants it to come to the middle of the tires, so about 5 feet wide, wants a water tank on each side so he can adjust the amount of weight, and also wants a place for a 2" reciver hitch to move his trailers around. But he also has a 25' fith wheel trailer and I thought that it would be handy to be able to move it around as well. So what i'm wondering is if anyone had made such a thing before, and if so could you post a picture. I pretty much know what it is gonna look like but I can't quite picture how i'm going to attach the fith wheel.
thanks, Barret.

 

[sandman2234]

I haven't built one, since I don't have a FEL, but I would think a square box with two tabs welded to the front bottom of it with pins for the lifting arms to attach to and a pair welded at the top for the top link. I don't think I would want separate water buckets unless I was doing something with a side mower, like is on my 7710, and even then I would think twice about it. A square tube welded all the way thru the bottom of the tank for extra strength with about 3" extending out so you have enough room to add a pin hole. Add a top to it, with access holes to fill and clean out, and weld the 5th wheel setup on it. Since there are different types of 5th wheel setups, I would have to know which one I was going to use to know for sure how to add that. The height of the tank would be determined by what you need to clear and hook up the 5th wheel. The depth would need to address the normal height of a trailer ball, or whatever you plan to pull. The distance front to back would be determined by how much weight you need and the width would be determined by your wheel spread or less, but more than your lift arms wide. I also would not add water to it, as it requires too much maintance, from evaporation and sloshing. Fill it with dirt if you want to be able to vary the weight.
Just my $.02
David from jax

 

[Mighty Dodge]

See this thread http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/100598-cheap-ballast-box.html#post1145146

 

[mjncad]

A lot of the home made ones guys use are filled with concrete, which will give plenty of ballast; but my ballast box I had the dealer include as part of the tractor package to seal the deal is filled with sand.

The sand came in handy a couple of times this past winter when I got stuck. I just used the folding Army surplus shovel to throw some sand under the tires and away I went. It's kind of tough to do that with concrete.