What's in your Ballast Box?

BluRidgDav · Aug 22, 2005

What\'s in your Ballast Box?

I'm buying a sub-CUT with FEL. What should I put in the Ballast Box?

I thought about wet sand.
But, wonder about the eventual abrasion of the inside paint,
then corrosion, and maybe freezing/expansion/spliting seams?

I thought about concrete.
But, still wonder about the freezing/expansion, and then possible corrosion?

I've even considered getting the inside of the Ballast Box
"Line-X'd" like the bed of my pick-up truck, but then what?

I'd like the box to last as long as the tractor.
Is that realistic?

Thanx, Dave.

Cliff_Johns · Aug 22, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

I use concrete paving stones. I can take them out if I want to, but stacked together, they weigh enough.
Cliff

ronjhall · Aug 23, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

My Kubota weight box is filled with cement. I have used paver bricks and gravel. When I put clips and other tractor items in the top they disappeared to the bottom. Filled with cement and have not had a problem since. Here is a link to a picture. Click Here

Soundguy · Aug 24, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

Here's what I use.. cost about 17 bucks plus a spare old drawbar and an old empty cattle feed tub.

Soundguy

FL_Cracker · Aug 24, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

Who made the ballast box for you? It looks nice and the Reese hitch is a great addition.

755inNY · Aug 24, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

I use concrete block or slabs in my weight box. I used to keep the box outside and I would remove the weight and tip the box upside down so it would not collect water. In my case, the weight box was off the tractor more than it was on. It is much easier to hook up the weight box without weight in it. Now I keep the weight box in my new garage but I still use the concrete block/slab type weight. I lower the box onto a moving dolly when I take it off the tractor which makes it easier to move around and to hook back up to the tractor.

Jeff

JWE · Aug 24, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

I filled my box with 50 pound sand bags from Home Depot. They were cheap and easy to handle.

John

ronjhall · Aug 25, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

It is made by Kubota.

PhilNH5 · Aug 25, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

Dave,
I use mostly firewood especially if hauling firewood. That way I get twice the capacity by filling the FEL and ballast box. Otherwise I use rocks from the property.

As 755inNY said it is much easier to remove and install an empty box.

Phil

jinman · Aug 25, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

If you are buying a CUT with FEL, aren't you getting a boxblade? When would you use a ballast box that a boxblade wouldn't work just as well or better? I just have trouble hanging a "non-tool" on the back of my tractor for ballast. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Anyhow, my solution is really ugly, but it works well. I used left-over rebar from the construction of my house to make a ballast beam to put on top of my boxblade. That little beam weighs about 300 lb and added to the boxblade's weight it does fine. The steel is held together by u-bolts. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Here's a picture, courtesy of ronjhall. Thanks Ron! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Soundguy · Aug 25, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

That's nothing.. I've got you beat in the ugly dept.. er /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif My box blade has yer boxblade beat in the ugly dept!

As you mentioned.. having a non tool on back sometimes is a handicap. I've been prepping for some road grading using my ford 66 with fel... needed a box blade on it.. but my box is light/med duty and not heavy enough as a good counterweight.. deffinately not as heavy as that concrete plug I made.

After looking around, I grabbed 3 empty plastic cat litter containers ( roughly 5 gallon bucket size.. though more rectangular than cylindrical ) Filled em with ..you guessed it.. mostly concrete, though did add some scrap metal bits.., and left a metal loop sticking out the top as a chain loop or tie down. Those weights set perfectly on the box blade angling forward from back edge, resting on the tooth holder.

I figure all together , box blade and weights, it weighs at least as much as my ballst tub.. and should give me lots more options when leveling some driveways.. etc.

I'llpost some pics the first time I actually hitch it up.

Soundguy

PhilNH5 · Aug 25, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

The original poster is looking at a sub-CUT so size may be an issue. I specificly chose a ballast box due to size. Any thing else hanging off of the 3 pt hitch would stick out farther than the ballast box reducing the manueverability of my sub-CUT.

I think of the ballast box as a car trunk. I don't even realize it's there but it sure is handy when I need it. Besides hauling the aforementioned firewood it also hauls tools and supplies. The chainsaw, helmet, chaps, gas, oil, a water jug, etc all fit nicely when I am cutting firewood.

Phil

JWE · Aug 25, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

( Any thing else hanging off of the 3 pt hitch would stick out farther than the ballast box reducing the manueverability of my sub-CUT.
)

Phil,

I feel the same way. I did not initially get a ballast box because I planned to use my tiller for ballast. I quickly found out that the tiller limited manueverability especially in the winter when I was clearing my driveway. If you have a lot of room work, an implement as ballast may be a better solution. But if you want maximum manueverability the ballast box is best way to go.

John

EastTexFrank · Aug 25, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

Darn, you guys must be working in some really tight spaces. Personally, I do what Jinman does and for the same reason. I use the box blade and stack additional weight (concrete blocks usually) on top of it if I need it. It takes a little more swing room but not much.

MrJoe · Aug 25, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

I go to our town dump and snag the discarded weights from exercised machines that get dumped. Got about 700 lbs at this point, various shapes and sizes. I like the cast iron ones best, the palstic coated ones can crack their coatings when it gets freezing and wet. Free. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif You can always fit them in the ballast box and they are easy to take out 1x1.

ronjhall · Aug 25, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

If you saw John Day try to move around his place with his box blade mounted on the 3PH, you would know why a weight box works so well. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Most of the time I use my tractor for FEL work. Do not need any big attachment on the back, just waiting to wack into something. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Wish I had all the open area you have down there in TX. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

jinman · Aug 26, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

( If you saw John Day try to move around his place with his box blade mounted on the 3PH, you would know why a weight box works so well.
Most of the time I use my tractor for FEL work. Do not need any big attachment on the back, just waiting to wack into something. )

Your ballast box is also a handy carry-all and hitch. Kubota made a nice dual-purpose implement. Now, if it had a chute you could pop open on the back, it just might work good for hauling wet concrete like Harvey does with his special bucket for Iris. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

ronjhall · Aug 26, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

I better clarify that I put the receiver hitch on weight box. Not Kubota . /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

deereman63 · Aug 26, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

Dont forget to buy a dolly to move the box around. I filled mine with concrete and "wrote" the weight added on the surface.

schole · Aug 26, 2005

Re: What\'s in your Ballast Box?

I made Soundguy's ballast suggestion and love it.

Have you all noticed that the front end tends to want to pop up when you are floating the loader while grading/digging moving forward with the ballast on? I only take a thin slice of soil on the bush trails and it really makes a nice, level job of things (no rocks here), but I'm wondering if I should be adding ballast to the front end too?

Thanks

PS I will post this as a separate thread if you wish -- am not trying to change the thread.

PPS on second thought, I will post this as a separate question

Shawn