What is heaviest material for ballast box?

[CMV]

Using lemon sized crushed concrete now which was perfect weight before but leaves a lot of air space and now would like it heavier for the bigger loader. Sand or concrete heaviest thing to reasonably use? Tungsten heaviest thing I could think of but would be insanely expensive, even that much lead shot would be a lot of $.

 

[PILOON]

For sure lead.

For a while I did SCUBA and made my own weight belts from collecting old lead pipe at yard sales etc.
As a result I have probably 125 lbs of lead that I add to my rear 3 point weight.

LOL, while it would also not tarnish, gold would make good ballast weight.

 

[bigdeano]

Steel would be the most cost effective heavy material if you could buy scrap. Concrete is lighter than aluminum, but is cheap per pound, which is why everyone uses it.

 

[bdog]

Steel has three times the density of concrete.

Concrete is denser than sand.

Not sure how much weight you want to add. Pouring mixed concrete to fill the box completely would certainly add weight over where you are now but not sure if that is enough.

Sometimes steel tractor weights can be found cheap. Maybe buy several and toss them in the box and then pour concrete around them?

 

[tomplum]

I added steel to mine. But then again I have hundreds of pounds of scrap mower blades at a time. Visit a mower shop. They get pretty much nothing scrap value for steel. Then top it off with anything you want.

 

[3 Horse Ranch]

To easily add weight to your existing lemon size concrete, pour dry sand and vibrate it in until full to fill all of the voids. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[oosik]

I think FrankRetired has hit the nail squarely on the head. If you have ANY NOTION of ever wanting something else in your ballast box then avoid things such as concrete.View attachment 553635

This concrete square - 22.5" x 21.5" x 11.5" = 3.219 cu. ft = ~ 483 pounds. Gives you an idea of what cement can add. With the lift link in the center - I can lift and place it most anywhere.

 

[Oldoak]

CMV, I think you already knew the answer to your own question. I believe poured concrete gives you the best bang for a buck.

Lead shot would have been excellent if you could still buy 25# bags @ $4.50 a bag like when I first started reloading shotgun shells.

 

[chim]

There are exceptions (when I'm using a 3-point scraper, landscape rake, etc). But mostly there is one implement per season connected to the 3PH. In warm weather I use a 6' LandPride RFM. In cold weather I use a rear mounted snowblower. Sometimes - nothing, as in the picture below. That deck weighs in at 619# according to the manual and it's hanging way out beyond the bucket. That's about max without something on the tail. I wouldn't drive down or across a steep slope with that setup.

Removing a perfectly good counterweight (implement) to replace it with a ballast box, then removing the ballast box to put the finish mower back on doesn't appeal to me.

 

[rd_macgregor]

I agree with other posters that concrete is likely the most cost-effective weight. Iron/Steel would be the next choice....unless you have a good source of lead or, better yet!, gold or depleted uranium.