I bought a b2601 (has not delivered yet) with a front end loader. I will be a rookie user and have a question about ballast. I have 3pt pallet forks and a homemade carry all. The carry all is 48" x 48". My thinking was I would pile some bags of top soil, quickcrete bags and other stuff I have laying around on the carry all for ballast. Should I go with the bulky carry all or forget my cheapskate tendency and buy a ballast box?
Ballast Box or Homemade Carry All?
- Thread starter robert2601
- Start date
Goz63
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L2501, LA525 loader, QH15,Land Pride RCR1860, BB2560, SGC0660, forks
I put a box blade on the back for ballast most of the time. It comes in about 500# with the QH. The advantage of the ballast box is stability and size. Your carry all sticks out over 4 feet. You can get in tighter places with a ballast box. Secondly when you pile bags of stuff for weight, depending on the ground, could shift or fall off creating a balance issue. Decent ballast box about $300-350 and the the sand or concrete. When you look at what you have already spent that is pretty cheap for stability and size.
I think you’d be better off with a working implement like rear blade, box blade, grader/scraper etc. The only advantage of a ballast box is being shorter.
I bought a ballast box and haven’t used it since I got my grader/scraper and rear blade.
I bought a ballast box and haven’t used it since I got my grader/scraper and rear blade.
I think it depends on where you plan to use your tractor, congrats btw. If you are just doing field work anything will do. I go into the woods all the time and its a pretty crappy feeling to be turning and feel a jolt as an implement catches a tree. For that reason I went with a ballast box.
I am not too concerned about getting in tight spaces as I will mostly be using fel on open ground but it is a sloping area and I agree about the bags of stuff shifting. But I am in luck-I have a 5' box blade but I have no idea how much it weighs. Will try it first before I go with a ballast box. thanks
Cheap works... no need to to buy a ballast box. I built my "forks" to be used for several things, sprayer, carry-all, and a ballast 'drum'. I do have a dedicated pallet forks for my pallets of firewood.
If your carryall turns out to be too bulky, I would change it out later. Try it first! I do use a box blade as ballast at times, better than just a Box.
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i7win7
Well-known member
Equipment
BX2370, B2650 grapple, tree puller, trailer mover, 3 point hoist, mower, tiller
Run ballast box whenever rear implement isn't needed. Only takes a few minutes to swap implements when using QH, parking stands and having implements properly setup
www.orangetractortalks.com
Ideas to make implements QH compatible
Get the most benefit from your quick hitch. Buying new get QH compatible. Here is a photo of an implement whose manufacturer has their act together. Note how it's designed for cat 1 & 2. Also the lift arm spacing can be adjusted. Some "QH compatible" only need minor modification. This TSC...
www.orangetractortalks.com
i7win7
Well-known member
Equipment
BX2370, B2650 grapple, tree puller, trailer mover, 3 point hoist, mower, tiller
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Of course, I’m not impartial…..never saw a need for another implement. It is true that a ballast box can be more compact, but I can accommodate.
Nice job RCW !
One big advantage to a carryall like you show is it moves the ballast weight further behind the rear axle. Its like a multiplying effect on the actual weight you have on it. ie if a ballast box has 600lbs of weight centered 30" behind the axle you would only need 400lbs centered 40" behind the axle. If you put 600 on your carryall a ballast box would need 900 for the same effect.
The distances I used are just for illustration but I think I get my point across.
One big advantage to a carryall like you show is it moves the ballast weight further behind the rear axle. Its like a multiplying effect on the actual weight you have on it. ie if a ballast box has 600lbs of weight centered 30" behind the axle you would only need 400lbs centered 40" behind the axle. If you put 600 on your carryall a ballast box would need 900 for the same effect.
The distances I used are just for illustration but I think I get my point across.
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Robert - - like ctfjr said, the carry-all moves weight back aways.
I figure the carry-all weighs about 200 pounds +/-.
Without the loader on, I had almost 400 pounds on the carry-all couple summers ago. Was wet bags of topsoil and wet mulch.
Front tires were pointing skyward......being stubborn, I got stuff moved where I wanted. Kept wishing for individual wheel brakes.
It does demonstrate ctfjr's point. Wouldn't have been an issue if the loader were on.
I built this carry all from a King Kutter frame about a month ago for my B2601. Plans at DIY My Way. It has already been used for spraying, hauling seed, fertilizer etc and carrying weedeaters and other tools around my place to do work. Side panels fold in. I still need to build the removable tail gate from a couple of 2x10's. Very useful for multiple purposes!
,
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Not necessarily. My BB is not overly heavy, and I can use it without the FEl. Front (4WD) traction is compromised some without the FEL's weight, but it's still very much usable. Maybe just can't do real heavy ground-engaging.
If it were an issue, you could add front suitcase weights. However, I'd still hold that in abeyance until you see how it works first-hand.....kinda the same philosophy as not really needing one more implement....
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