Ballast Weight box when???

[Redgoatea]

Okay so my 870 gets delivered this week. It has the 440 FEL and a set of forks. Been reading a lot of posts lately about people making their own weight boxes and I'll probably go that route.

But I'm clueless at to when I would need to put the box on? I've always used the skid steer and it's 10k lbs so never even thought about it.

Anyone have any recommendations as to the the use and need for a weight box on an 870????

 

[kennyd]

Okay so my 870 gets delivered this week. It has the 440 FEL and a set of forks. Been reading a lot of posts lately about people making their own weight boxes and I'll probably go that route.

But I'm clueless at to when I would need to put the box on? I've always used the skid steer and it's 10k lbs so never even thought about it.

Anyone have any recommendations as to the the use and need for a weight box on an 870????

Anytime there is either something in the bucket or on the forks.

 

[Bigfoot62]

Pretty much what KennyD said. You're talking about a tractor that only weighs 2500 pounds. (not counting loader)

You could also add water to the rear tires. It helps a lot, plus it's not in your way.

 

[Redgoatea]

Pretty much what KennyD said. You're talking about a tractor that only weighs 2500 pounds. (not counting loader)

You could also add water to the rear tires. It helps a lot, plus it's not in your way.

Thanks guys. So is that in addition to the weight box or instead of? And how do you put water in a tire?

 

[RoyJackson]

Thanks guys. So is that in addition to the weight box or instead of? And how do you put water in a tire?

You'll want the ballast (weight) box as well as the liquid ballast (might be water, might be something like windshield washer fluid for freeze protection) in the tires. The liquid ballast provides more stability when operating the tractor, but doesn't provide counterweight for the loader. The intent of rear ballast is to keep the rear tires on the ground and reduce the stress on the front axle.
Before you do a lot of research on filling tires, make sure your's aren't already filled. Just remove the valve cap and push in on the core. If there's liquid in there, you'll know immediately. You'll want the valve at 6 O'clock or around there.
If no liquid spurts out, do a search on "Filling tractor tires". There's a large number of threads on doing this (including a few of mine).

The 870 is a great tractor. I'm sure you'll enjoy yours!

 

[Deadman]

I used lead wheel weights from balancing car tires. I melted them down into lead bricks, and they weight like 50lbs each. I throw however many is needed into the box. I think my 2520 has around 1,000 lbs in it. :thumbsup:

 

[stuart]

I filled my ballast box with lead weight lifting weights (metal only).
This way I can add or remove as necessary. Currently keep about 1000 lbs in weight including the weight box itself.

 

[stuart]

Picture should have been posted as well; please excuse

 

[Deadman]

^^^^those aren't lead BTW.

 

[RoyJackson]

^^^^those aren't lead BTW.

Nope...all cast iron.

 

[stuart]

You are correct they are all cast iron but they do the job and the price was very right.

 

[Redgoatea]

Yeah I think I'll go the cheap route. I've got a couple of 55 gl drums around here. I'll just fill one with dirt and figure out to hang it off the 3 pt. 7

 

[Deadman]

Is a Ballast Box really that much compared to the price of the Tractor itself?
My JD Ballast box is one of my favorite attachments, simply because its so compact and built like a tank. I'd dislike a large 55 gal barrel behind me, because It would make backing up harder. I can back up til my ballast box is within a couple inches of my garage, and then plow snow away from there.

 

[RoyJackson]

Is a Ballast Box really that much compared to the price of the Tractor itself?
My JD Ballast box is one of my favorite attachments, simply because its so compact and built like a tank. I'd dislike a large 55 gal barrel behind me, because It would make backing up harder. I can back up til my ballast box is within a couple inches of my garage, and then plow snow away from there.

I like mine too...especially since I got it for a little less then 50% of the new price. IIRC, I paid $90 which included 600 lbs or so of sand. BTW, when I'm plowing snow, I keep a spade in the box...sometimes a shovelful or so of sand comes in handy!
I do understand guys that don't want to spend a couple, three hundred for what is, for all intents and purposes, an empty steel box. So, if they want to use a 55 gallon drum, or a wooden box full of concrete, so be it.

 

[Redgoatea]

I don't see how the price of the box versus the tractor is relevant??

An extra couple hundred bucks is an extra couple hundred bucks either way. Besides where's the fun and challenge of just buying one when I can make one. 7

 

[Mechanos]

I've been thinking of just pouring a concrete block with some hitch pins embedded in it. Might even pour a few differnt blocks of varying weights... mabye a 500lb, 750lb, and 1000lb.

 

[Redgoatea]

I've been thinking of just pouring a concrete block with some hitch pins embedded in it. Might even pour a few differnt blocks of varying weights... mabye a 500lb, 750lb, and 1000lb.

Now that is an awesome idea. I may have to steal that from ya. 7

 

[RoyJackson]

I've been thinking of just pouring a concrete block with some hitch pins embedded in it. Might even pour a few differnt blocks of varying weights... mabye a 500lb, 750lb, and 1000lb.

There's been a few TBNers (over the last 10 years) done just what you described.

 

[Deadman]

Then you have all that stuff laying around your shed or yard.........

I guess my time is too valuable to mess with all that stuff. I don't have alot of time to screw around with that stuff because I am working most of the time.

 

[rjkobbeman]

I like mine too...especially since I got it for a little less then 50% of the new price. IIRC, I paid $90 which included 600 lbs or so of sand. BTW, when I'm plowing snow, I keep a spade in the box...sometimes a shovelful or so of sand comes in handy!
I do understand guys that don't want to spend a couple, three hundred for what is, for all intents and purposes, an empty steel box. So, if they want to use a 55 gallon drum, or a wooden box full of concrete, so be it.

Then you have all that stuff laying around your shed or yard.........

I guess my time is too valuable to mess with all that stuff. I don't have alot of time to screw around with that stuff because I am working most of the time.

I love mine too. I didn't like the idea of spending almost $500 for what Roy correctly describes as an empty steel box! But I must say it looks good, matches the tractor and doesn't look like some jury-rigged "thing".

I am a handy guy, so I thought about making one myself. Then I started to figure out how long it would take to make a decent looking one. Then I added the cost of materials. The $500 didn't sound that bad after all.

Then I got to spend $100 at Home Depot for the concrete! Argggg!

But then I hitched it up and used it. They are awesome! Glad I bought mine.

Bought or hand fabricated though, they work really well. However you choose to acquire one, you will not regret it. The weight back there does amazing things to traction and balance.