B2650 ballast box

zin01 · Sep 26, 2016

So I have yet to buy the B2650 (I hoping to get in in November) but I am doing all the research I can do. This will also be my first tractor. Anyway I am going to get the FEL and MMM a land pride rotary mower and a land pride reverse tiller. So my question is I have a lot of FEL work to do first thing and not a bunch of room to work in so I wanted to make a ballast box but how much weight do I need the ballast to weigh? I've searched and even downloaded the operators manual and it doesn't give a number. It just says you need ballast. So how much do you guys think I'll need.

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tempforce · Sep 26, 2016

I have a B2650 with a cab and ballasted tires. i am using the front end loader with wet gravel or sand. i have no problem with lifting and transporting a full bucket.
if your B2650 is without a cab. you may need 200 - 300# or more as a ballast. the best way to find out is to mount a implement onto your three point hitch and see how that works for ballast. if not enough you can judge how much more weight you need, before buying or building a ballast for your tractor.
with my L3200 i had to keep the backhoe or tiller on the three point, to be able to use the front end loader.

zin01 · Sep 26, 2016

Thank you tempforce. I plan on mowing with my tractor as well as other work so I am going to just have air in the tires. I was hoping someone had a exact answer like xxx lbs so I could get that much bag cement and put it in the ballast box. But I will do it the way you described if someone doesn't answer with the amount of weight

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Spectre381 · Sep 26, 2016

zin01 said:
So I have yet to buy the B2650 (I hoping to get in in November) but I am doing all the research I can do. This will also be my first tractor. Anyway I am going to get the FEL and MMM a land pride rotary mower and a land pride reverse tiller. So my question is I have a lot of FEL work to do first thing and not a bunch of room to work in so I wanted to make a ballast box but how much weight do I need the ballast to weigh? I've searched and even downloaded the operators manual and it doesn't give a number. It just says you need ballast. So how much do you guys think I'll need.

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Hey there, fellow (new) B2650 owner. I do a lot of grapple work in tight spaces with mine, so rather than use an implement on the back like most operators, I got the Kubota ballast box (B8160, I believe). I had been carrying 300 lbs of 50 lb sand bags in it up to now and that seemed to work well for lifting logs, etc. Today I went ahead and put 450 lbs of quikrete in the ballast box. Wanted to get the full 500 lbs, but nine 50 lb bags filled it right to the edge. That's okay because the box itself is another 100 lbs, so 550 lbs total hanging off the back now. I'll let it set up over night and check it all tomorrow afternoon. I also added a few 2 foot sections of pvc pipe so I can carry different tools with me when needed. I'll post pics tomorrow once it's set up good.

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zin01 · Sep 27, 2016

Awesome spectre381. That sounds perfect just what I needed to know. I look forward to seeing some pic and a how it works. Thanks again for the info.

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Spectre381 · Sep 27, 2016

zin01 said:
Awesome spectre381. That sounds perfect just what I needed to know. I look forward to seeing some pic and a how it works. Thanks again for the info.

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Let the concrete set up overnight (quikrete fast setting mix - sets in 20 minutes). Wanted to let it cure as much as possible before moving it around - didn't want to chance getting a bunch of cracks in the concrete from engine vibration or general moving driving.

Took it out and drove around for about 30 minutes, no issues at all! All in all, I'm very happy with how it turned out. I now have good ballast for counterweight AND a way to carry various tools with me while working with the tractor.

Here are a few pics of the ballast box (Kubota B8160) filled with 450 lbs of quikrete, one 3-inch pvc pipe, two 2-inch pvc pipes, and a homemade chainsaw holder.

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zapper · Sep 27, 2016

Nice ballast box

pauly · Sep 27, 2016

Nice set up Specter 381.
The owners manual list's the box weight at 500lbs.

Spectre381 · Sep 27, 2016

pauly said:
Nice set up Specter 381.

The owners manual list's the box weight at 500lbs.

Thanks Pauly... I'm really happy with the way it all turned out. You have no idea how many times I turned that layout over in my head before I actually did it. Simple layout really, but I knew once I poured the concrete whatever I had was what I was gonna be stuck with.

The ballast box (B8160) weighs approx 100 lbs by itself but it's designed to hold 500 lbs. It even has a label on the front outer wall that says "add 300 lbs for BX series - add 500 lbs for B-series". You can see it if you enlarge the first pic of my box above.

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skeets · Sep 28, 2016

To each his own I guess, but if I wanted to fill something up with cement I wouldnt pay that kind of money for a big K ballast box,, half a 55 gallon drum would work just jim dandy too,, but then like I said thats just me

zin01 · Sep 28, 2016

That thing looks sweat specter381.

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Spectre381 · Sep 28, 2016

zin01 said:
That thing looks sweat specter381.

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Thanks!

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Cousin Eddie · Sep 29, 2016

Nice work man, thats a perfect setup.

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rkidd · Sep 30, 2016

Spectre381 said:
Thanks Pauly... I'm really happy with the way it all turned out. You have no idea how many times I turned that layout over in my head before I actually did it. Simple layout really, but I knew once I poured the concrete whatever I had was what I was gonna be stuck with.

The ballast box (B8160) weighs approx 100 lbs by itself but it's designed to hold 500 lbs. It even has a label on the front outer wall that says "add 300 lbs for BX series - add 500 lbs for B-series". You can see it if you enlarge the first pic of my box above.

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Nice looking ballast box. I also fabbed one up that was compact for ease of getting around when snow plowing or bucketing material. You look like you came in around 600 lbs on weight which will be good. Mine is 650 lbs and the B2650 stays firmly planted with a full 60 " bucket of dirt even running on uneven ground.

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torch · Sep 30, 2016

That's a lot of weight to turn upside down. Did you drill drain holes under each tool holder?

Spectre381 · Sep 30, 2016

rkidd said:
Nice looking ballast box. I also fabbed one up that was compact for ease of getting around when snow plowing or bucketing material. You look like you came in around 600 lbs on weight which will be good. Mine is 650 lbs and the B2650 stays firmly planted with a full 60 " bucket of dirt even running on uneven ground.

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Sweet!! Wish I had the tools and know how to fab stuff like that myself.

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Spectre381 · Sep 30, 2016

torch said:
That's a lot of weight to turn upside down. Did you drill drain holes under each tool holder?

You would be correct, Sir... not so easy to just tip to one side.

I didn't add it in the first batch of pics, but I actually have caps for each of the tool holders. And just in case I forget to put them on or get caught in a downpour - yes, I have a little drain hole under each one [emoji4]

Pic with caps - didn't have the cap made yet for the chainsaw holder

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Spectre381 · Sep 30, 2016

Cousin Eddie said:
Nice work man, thats a perfect setup.

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Thank you, Cousin! I will admit I was sweating the chainsaw holder... if that didn't turn out right or if the concrete had pushed the sides in or something like that when I poured it, I would have been stuck. But it all worked out just right. Whew!

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sinisterbiker · Oct 3, 2016

Nice

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TN Road Dog · Oct 4, 2016

I have to admire Spectre381's ballast box, I want one!!! however for the little FEL work I do, I'll probably continue with my home made ballast which I add to my box blade.
It is comprised of a few feet of 2"x4", hollow concrete blocks. I'll attempt to put some pics along with this. I use this as ballast only when using FEL. I cannot use the box blade for a box blade as it's intended use as the blocks get pushed up by the dirt.

Pics will show how the 2"x4"s address the top offset of the BB frame and allow the blocks to simply hang down into the BB keeping the weight down as low as possible. Each set of two blocks and associated wood supports weigh 60 lbs. with the 12 blocks and wood supports, the total added weight is 360 lbs. add that to the BB weight of 370 lbs gives me a total of 740 lbs.
The cost of this was about $1.60 for each block and a few dollars for the lumber. around $30.00.

B2650 ballast box

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