Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade?

[Lee Robinson]

I see a lot of people buying 3 point ballast boxes or making ballast containers out of drums to attach to their 3 point hitch.

I have never really grasped why not just keep a box blade on the back so you could have not just a weight, but something that can be used should you wish to drag something? I have seen some weld a section of railroad rail onto the top of a box blade to make it heavier.

Also, rimguard is something I have considered, but I am also not sure about this because it seems I can do everything I need to do without rimguard and it will just increase the amount of weight when I trailer the tractor or perhaps increase ruts when on soft lawns.. I have thought rimguard would be good when using my ditch bank flail mower, but so far, I haven't found myself in any situation I would consider to have been tippy.

So, is there anyone here that added rimguard to their tires and regretted it?

 

[4570Man]

A box blade really isn’t heavy enough for sufficient ballast on its own without liquid tires or iron weights.

 

[jyoutz]

A box blade really isn’t heavy enough for sufficient ballast on its own without liquid tires or iron weights.

I agree, but I also agree with the OP regarding a ballast box. I have never understood why attach a ballast box instead of a useful implement. I use an implement and filled tires for ballast.

 

[Torvy]

Even if you added weight to your box blade, it would be less maneuverable in small spaces than a ballast box. That may be why some do it.

If I remember physics correctly, and that is a big if, having weight further back is better than closer to the fulcrum. That would support using a box blade or cutter as counterweight versus a ballast box.

In my situation, I will load the tires and keep the RC on most of the time. No lawn to mow, just brush, so too much weight should not be an issue.

 

[4570Man]

I agree, but I also agree with the OP regarding a ballast box. I have never understood why attach a ballast box instead of a useful implement. I use an implement and filled tires for ballast.

I agree with that as well. I use a box blade and liquid tires.

 

[jyoutz]

Even if you added weight to your box blade, it would be less maneuverable in small spaces than a ballast box. That may be why some do it.

If I remember physics correctly, and that is a big if, having weight further back is better than closer to the fulcrum. That would support using a box blade or cutter as counterweight versus a ballast box.

In my situation, I will load the tires and keep the RC on most of the time. No lawn to mow, just brush, so too much weight should not be an issue.

A rotary cutter is great ballast, but it’s often in the way because it does overhang quite a bit.

 

[MossyDell]

I used a box blade here for a while and for many years elsewhere. Heavy Hitch began to appeal to me because it had weight and a receiver hitch, plus I could use a ripper in the receiver.

What I found was that the hitch felt much less in the way, felt very compact, and was heavier than my blade. I'd never used anything but an implement, but here all my spaces are so tight.

 

[jyoutz]

I used a box blade here for a while and for many years elsewhere. Heavy Hitch began to appeal to me because it had weight and a receiver hitch, plus I could use a ripper in the receiver.

What I found was that the hitch felt much less in the way, felt very compact, and was heavier than my blade. I'd never used anything but an implement, but here all my spaces are so tight.

I guess I can see that in tight maneuvering situations. I don’t have too many of those conditions.

 

[s219]

I used implements for rear ballast for many years, but the disadvantage is that most of them take up much more space on the back of the tractor than a ballast box. So eventually I got a ballast box. It's about twice as heavy as my box blade and probably 1/8 the size. Much easier to maneuver in tight spaces.

 

[i7win7]

I guess I can see that in tight maneuvering situations. I don’t have too many of those conditions.

Sometimes an implement striking objects behind you can distract you in dangerous operations/situations