Want to add a ballast to the M7040 for when doing loader work with full bucket (72 inch). Seems like the stability without is Ok at least it did not feel unstable when I did a couple of hours of digging with it. However I think the traction with 2000 pounds of ballast would be much improved allowing bigger bites when going into hard packed dirt. Thinking that I would buy a carry all and make myself a concrete block to fit on it. Does this sound resonable?
You need a ballast if you are gonna be using the loader... that said, there are lots of posts that talk about "how much is enough" on these boards in general. Personally, I see ballasting for FEL work as much a safety thing as to increase traction and get bigger bites.
Actually, JD has a nice little printed brochure about the subject - something to take for free from the dealer when you are wearing your Kubota hat!
As for building your own - just make sure your design has plenty of room under it when lifted or you will find small slopes to be like "The Great Wall of China" as far as ease of traversing.
My rule of thumb is pretty simple - I'd get close to your lift capacity for the 3PT - and then you can safely say - you didn't under ballast the loader.
Realize a couple things. The FEL has far lower capacity on most tractors than the 3pt hitch and also carries the weight well forward so while it can carry less, it has the advantage of leverage. Also realize that most "carry alls" have a capacity that is fairly low. You would be well off to make a good heavy weight for the 3pt, but a typical budget "carry all" may not hold as much weight as you may want/need. Figure out the capacity of your 3pt hitch and build a weight that is at least as heavy as your loader manual recommends, and if you have more capacity then adding extra weight won't hurt if it can be removed when you don't need it.
My carryall is actually a 3ph hay fork with a platform built on top of it. The platform is removable when Ineed to use the hay fork for moving hay. I pile ballast and tool boxes on the platform when using FEL.
The 3ph hay fork should be capable of lifting 1500 to 1800 lbs, the weight of a heavy bale. So, you should be able to use at least that much ballast on it. That should be enough. I put about 1200 lbs ballast on mine when lifting 2800 lb FEL loads....and I need that much!!
