Proper Ballast Recommendations

[eljuncal]

Hi, New B2601 tractor owner here ... I have a ballast situation I want to plan for ... I will be using the LA435 loader to do some dirt moving work at a local private motocross track. With this in mind, I have:

Approx. 660lbs of ballast in my rear tires (60gl of BioBallast total) ... 11lbs per gallon?
My loader weighs 458 and my 54" quick attach bucket weighs 198 pounds.
So at this point ... I'm pretty darn even between front and back - (front of 656 and rear of 660) - yes?

Next I suppose I should put as much weight in the weight box to match the weight of the dirt I will end up with at times in the front loader bucket? (I have a LandPride weight box which can hold up to 600lbs). I was thinking of putting bags of concrete in there (maybe wrapped in plastic to keep them from getting wet).

Is this making sense?

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Good day. Congrats on the B. What you described makes sense. The only thing I would mention here is before you fill it up, consider if you have any other uses when you may need the ballast and adapt the box for your uses before you fill it up (ie. Plan to use to haul or cut wood or other loader work?) Would you ever want a hitch on the box…could be used for a trailer hitch, pulling a log or a chain, or a hitch hauler). If you might have any other uses it would be easier before you fill it up. Good luck.

 

[ferguson]

Good day. Congrats on the B. What you described makes sense. The only thing I would mention here is before you fill it up, consider if you have any other uses when you may need the ballast and adapt the box for your uses before you fill it up (ie. Plan to use to haul or cut wood or other loader work?) Would you ever want a hitch on the box…could be used for a trailer hitch, pulling a log or a chain, or a hitch hauler). If you might have any other uses it would be easier before you fill it up. Good luck.

Forget the concrete fill it with some of the dirt / then if you want it for something else just dump the dirt. Also trying to keep conctete dry out side is a crap shoot at best. My rwo cents.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Yeah, forget the bags of concrete. They will likely become blocks which might not come outeasily. Use dirt, hardwood logs, pea gravel. My neighbor has brake rotors stacked in his. I like that idea and will probably copy it.
You don't necessarily have to have the weight equalized.

 

[SDT]

Hi, New B2601 tractor owner here ... I have a ballast situation I want to plan for ... I will be using the LA435 loader to do some dirt moving work at a local private motocross track. With this in mind, I have:

Approx. 660lbs of ballast in my rear tires (60gl of BioBallast total) ... 11lbs per gallon?
My loader weighs 458 and my 54" quick attach bucket weighs 198 pounds.
So at this point ... I'm pretty darn even between front and back - (front of 656 and rear of 660) - yes?

Next I suppose I should put as much weight in the weight box to match the weight of the dirt I will end up with at times in the front loader bucket? (I have a LandPride weight box which can hold up to 600lbs). I was thinking of putting bags of concrete in there (maybe wrapped in plastic to keep them from getting wet).

Is this making sense?

I fill my ballast boxes with unopened bags of playground sand from Lowes.

Would not recommend concrete.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

I was thinking of putting bags of concrete in there (maybe wrapped in plastic to keep them from getting wet).

"I was thinking of putting bags of concrete in there (maybe wrapped in plastic to keep them from getting wet for a few weeks, or until it rains, whichever comes first).

There! Ah fixed it fer ya!

Cast yourself some blocks of concrete. Build some forms for them so that they nest in your weight box, and have room for a handle. (1/2" rebar cast in place makes a decent handle.) Make them of a size you can handle easily.

Now your ballast is adjustable.

 

[Kennyd4110]

The owners manuals (tractor and/or loaders) should detail the amount a REAR ballast needed is you don't have to guess at it.

In general, filled tires don't help as FEL ballast since they are not behind the rear axle, but they are great to help with traction. The goal of rear ballast is to transfer wight for the front pivoting axle to the rear fixed one, so the weight need to be behind it.

 

[Freeheeler]

The goal of rear ballast is to transfer wight for the front pivoting axle to the rear fixed one, so the weight need to be behind it.

Sort of ... the first goal of ballast is to prevent the rear wheels from lifting off the ground when you try to lift with the loader. Filled rear tires do an excellent job of this. The second goal of ballast is as you said, transferring forces from the front to the rear axle.

As for the OP, I would expect your 2601 to be able to carry around a loaded bucket of dirt as is (filled rears) without any additional ballast, as long as you are staying on relatively flat ground.

 

[BobInSD]

Sort of ... the first goal of ballast is to prevent the rear wheels from lifting off the ground when you try to lift with the loader.

Which is accomplished by "transferring forces from the front to the rear axle."

Filled rear tires do an excellent job of this.

But, as anybody who grew up before teeter-totters were banned can tell you, the same amount of weight placed further behind the rear axle, would do an even better (exellenter?) job of this

The second goal of ballast is as you said, transferring forces from the front to the rear axle.

As for the OP, I would expect your 2601 to be able to carry around a loaded bucket of dirt as is (filled rears) without any additional ballast, as long as you are staying on relatively flat ground.

My rear axle appears to be quite a bit stronger than my front axle/steering knuckles. Lifting all the loader can lift with just enough ballast to stop the rear wheels from lifting would put a lot more stress on the weaker end of the tractor than would nearly balancing the load between the front and rear axles. I want enough weight on my fronts to steer (and maybe use 4wd). I also want enough that when I put down the loader load my front wheels don't lift up, but I'd rather have the majority of the weight on the backs.

 

[eljuncal]

Wow, thanks to all who posted ... learned a lot!

One minor bit of clarity ... I have read the owner's manual front to back .. it gives general advice but nothing close to the wisdom shared on this thread.

 

[Daferris]

Just a quick comment. The front axle is designed to handle the weight of the loaded bucket.
Also the weights listed in the sales brochure are shipping weights.
My LX2610 with beet juice in the larger 15-19.5 tires is about 700 pounds heavier than the shipping weights figure out to (Accounting for the RimGuard in the tires). It's 3,555 pounds full of fuel without operator and nothing in the bucket.

 

[Chapel Hill Vann]

I have a B2601 and went through the same questions. I ended up with a ballast unit that weighs approximately 450# and has multiple tubes for tools, a trailer hitch, scabbards for 2 chains saws, chain hooks and a box for miscellaneous tools.
I used the base weights as shown in the owner's manual and tried to find the ballance point

then I figured concrete weights and decided that a 20 gallon trash can was perfect for about 450#. this is the final product.

I have used it with gravel and dirt and the weight seems right for my 54" bucket.
Hope this helps
Vann

 

[Henro]

I have a B2601 and went through the same questions. I ended up with a ballast unit that weighs approximately 450# and has multiple tubes for tools, a trailer hitch, scabbards for 2 chains saws, chain hooks and a box for miscellaneous tools.
I used the base weights as shown in the owner's manual and tried to find the ballance point

View attachment 90298

then I figured concrete weights and decided that a 20 gallon trash can was perfect for about 450#. this is the final product. View attachment 90299
View attachment 90300


I have used it with gravel and dirt and the weight seems right for my 54" bucket.
Hope this helps
Vann

That looks really nice!

One question: Did you drill drain holes at the bottom of the tubes?

 

[skeets]

HERNO ,,,One question: Did you drill drain holes at the bottom of the tubes?

CHV ,,,,, Ahhhh shyt I knew I forgot sumthin

 

[Chapel Hill Vann]

Good question!
There are definitely drain holes in the bottom of each pvc tube.
I also kept the trash can lid and cut a slot out for the top link. the slot is covered with a piece of old tire inner tube so not much rain will get in regardless of the drains being there.
Vann

 

[Hkb82]

Can find these old pressure tanks around for free and it made a great ballast for me.

 

[BXHoosier]

I also used a 20 gal trash can filled with, a dead cast iron electric motor, around 50 lbs of scrap steel and bolts, and concrete. I didn’t think to add tool holders when I built it. This morning I added a holder for a scoop shovel. It’s cut from a piece of scrap composite decking cladding.

 

[SRRGC1]

As you can see just about anything can be used for ballast. Some are very thought out in design and others just ballast. The most important thing is the ballast weight. How you get there is up to you, 3 pt or filled rears or both. All depends on your purpose. Weighted rears are typically there year around, 3pt can be removed when not needed.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

good on you for realizing you need some ballast.
in my experience, with loaded tires, some but not a lot should be sufficient.
L435 loader has total lift capacity of about 1,000 lbs. (approx. 435*2.2046)
I would use use about 1/3 of this as ballast (300 pounds or even a little less) and would bet if you are operating with reasonable care and attention you will be more than fine.

In my case my ballast at the back is most commonly a logging winch. 40% of weight of max. lift of my loader but no loaded tires. After thousands of hours of heavy use never had trouble due to not enough or too much ballast.

A word of caution though.... if moving max. front weights around watch out for moving fwd or back with front tire locked to max in either direction. Slower turns speed wise and not so sharp turns is your friend for many reasons. (safety and component stress). You will break less stuff in long run (haha)

 

[jimh406]

My guess is a rear blade will be helpful. I'd consider a reasonably heavy rear blade, box blade, or grader/scraper for the ballast.

I have a ballast box, and have it used it only a couple of times in almost 3 years.