ballast box for Deere 855 CUT

[Mechanos]

I also have a JD855 with a 52 FEL.
I have my turfs set wide. Filled with 22 1/2 gallon of anti freeze and ww fluid. (each holds 5 gal anti freeze 17+ of ww fluid that will stay liquid to -30 F)
Filling the tires only took $10.oo of equipment and 1/2 days time total. Cheapest alternative for my weather zone.

If I need more than that I put my 300lb cultivator on the 3pt hitch. It is about the same weight but a lot shorter than the 5' back blade. Unless I need the back blade also..............

Good luck

Curious how much you had to pay per gallon for the anti-freeze and WW fluid. When I was looking to fill my rears, anti-freeze was close to $5 per gallon. Ended up having them filled with RimGaurd for $2.25 per gallon... installed. The tire shop also mounted the tires on the wheels for me and installed new valve stems at no additional charge.

 

[WinterDeere]

Interesting idea, Wyobuckaroo. Where can I read up on the particulars of how to do this? Equipment needed, antifreeze / ww fluid ratio, etc.?

Still got one tractor nut here at work (he owns about 35 tractors) telling me he'd just do wheel weights and ballast box / not fill the tires.

Mechanos, how difficult is it moving the filled tires and wheels from your pickup to the tractor? Seems like a tricky job, when my only front end loader is on said tractor. Had a nice overhead hoist at my last place, but haven't yet set up anything similar at the new house.

 

[Mechanos]

...Mechanos, how difficult is it moving the filled tires and wheels from your pickup to the tractor? Seems like a tricky job, when my only front end loader is on said tractor. Had a nice overhead hoist at my last place, but haven't yet set up anything similar at the new house.

Not hard at all with a loader. :laughing: I have another set of wheels/tires for the rear of the tractor. I put them on the tractor and used the loader to unload the filled tires. Then I swapped out the tires. But you don't necessarily need a loader... how about a come-along and a tree?

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

Curious how much you had to pay per gallon for the anti-freeze and WW fluid. When I was looking to fill my rears, anti-freeze was close to $5 per gallon. Ended up having them filled with RimGaurd for $2.25 per gallon... installed. The tire shop also mounted the tires on the wheels for me and installed new valve stems at no additional charge.

-------------------
Luckily, as I was contemplating this project I found a chart in a post on a web forum that listed tire sizes and capacities.
Like said my size 33x12.5-15 (tubeless) should hold 22 1/2 gallon each.
I have since looked for this chart again and can't find it. You may have better luck.

I experimented with different mixtures of anti freeze and ww fluid. As it was 5 oz anti freeze and 17 oz (22oz total) ww fluid in a 2L plastic bottle and a very cold freezer proved the best combo for my worst winter weather. Chloride is available in this area, but not an option I considered. Rim Guard would be a minimum 70 mile one way drive, and I was told it was about $8 a gallon at that time.

The equipment I used consisted of a floor jack to hold the weight of the tractor. About an $8 valve stem to garden hose adapter. I used an old 12v boat bilge pump in a bucket set up on the fender. And a pair of hot and cold water hoses from an old washer.

If you can get other products for that price that sounds like a good score.

Good luck

 

[Mechanos]

-------------------
Luckily, as I was contemplating this project I found a chart in a post on a web forum that listed tire sizes and capacities.
Like said my size 33x12.5-15 (tubeless) should hold 22 1/2 gallon each.
I have since looked for this chart again and can't find it. You may have better luck.

I experimented with different mixtures of anti freeze and ww fluid. As it was 5 oz anti freeze and 17 oz (22oz total) ww fluid in a 2L plastic bottle and a very cold freezer proved the best combo for my worst winter weather. Chloride is available in this area, but not an option I considered. Rim Guard would be a minimum 70 mile one way drive, and I was told it was about $8 a gallon at that time.

The equipment I used consisted of a floor jack to hold the weight of the tractor. About an $8 valve stem to garden hose adapter. I used an old 12v boat bilge pump in a bucket set up on the fender. And a pair of hot and cold water hoses from an old washer.

If you can get other products for that price that sounds like a good score.

Good luck

I'm familiar with how it's done... I have one of those valve adapters too. I'm just curious how much the washer fluid and anti-freeze cost to fill your tires?

 

[WinterDeere]

Stopped by the local Deere dealer today, and the three guys there all had the same advice: Try just running with just the ballast box, first. Only look at wheel weights or filled tires if I am not getting satisfaction with the ballast box.

 

[WinterDeere]

Picked up a new ballast box on Friday, and a free set of wheel weights over the weekend. I'm on my way.

 

[Mechanos]

Those weights for the x55 series are not easy to find. Can't believe someone gave them to you free.

 

[WinterDeere]

Yep... I atually tried paying him for them, and he refused. I took down a big ash in his back yard with two 32" trunks joined near the ground. He was afraid to do it, and knew a tree service would cost him dearly, so he was happy to give me the wood for free (and then some) for taking it down for him.

 

[Mechanos]

How many weights total did you get? Just two?

 

[WinterDeere]

Yep... just one pair.

Was going to pick up some concrete for the ballast box tomorrow, so now trying to figure out what kind of weight to fill it with. Manual calls for a 75% fill of CaCl2 with 400 lb. in the ballast box for ag tires, or 225 lb. in the box with turf tires, and three pairs of wheel weights in both cases.

Since I have turfs, that translates to roughly:

2 x 235 lb. CaCl2
6 x 60 lb. wheel weight
1 x 225 lb. ballast box
========
1055 lb. total

If I had ag's the recommendation is:

2 x 123 lb. CaCl2
6 x 60 lb. wheel weight
1 x 400 lb. ballast box
========
1006 lb. total

So, while the distribution is a bit different (box is not the same as having weight in or on the wheels), the numbers are pretty close. Given all the comments about the affect of filled tires on turf (Google it if you haven't heard), seems I might be best going 600+ lb. in the ballast box, and 360 lb. in wheel weights. Again, I know not quite as stable as filled tires, but likely good enough for 99% of my work?

Probably going to drive around a day or two with just bags of concrete setting in the box, but don't want to do that too long, lest I end up with cured bags of concrete in the box.

Interesting article from John Deere, discussining some of the disadvantages of filled tires: "stiffer ride / greatly reduced ride performance"...

Using liquid ballast in tires

 

[catdozer]

Just try your box first, you actually may be surprised on just what weight in the ballast box does. If not stick your wheel weights on. Etc etc. I would start from easiest removable weight to hardest. Box, wheel weights, liquid in the tire.

 

[WinterDeere]

Yep... that's the plan. Only question is... how much concrete to put in the box! I want to copy the above suggestion to sink some PVC tubes in concrete, as tool carriers. Manual calls for 250 lb. with filled turfs or 400 lb. with filled Ag's, in both cases assuming 3 pairs of wheel weights. On the ligher 655's, they call for as much as 575 lb.

My 3-point is rated at 841 lb. @ 24" behind link ends, or 1686 lb. at the link ends. I'm thinking of going somewhere around 500 lb. - 600 lb. with the concrete, and will likely do a little experimenting, but want to get a more experienced opinion on a target weight for that ballast box.

edit: user manual states numbers listed above. technical manual states Early models: 785 lb. / Late models (sn 180450-) 1005 lb., at 24" behind link arms. This information is odd, as mine is first year of production and carries sn 366633. So, does that make it a "late" model?

 

[RoyJackson]

Yep... that's the plan. Only question is... how much concrete to put in the box! I want to copy the above suggestion to sink some PVC tubes in concrete, as tool carriers. Manual calls for 250 lb. with filled turfs or 400 lb. with filled Ag's, in both cases assuming 3 pairs of wheel weights. On the ligher 655's, they call for as much as 575 lb.

My 3-point is rated at 841 lb. @ 24" behind link ends, or 1686 lb. at the link ends. I'm thinking of going somewhere around 500 lb. - 600 lb. with the concrete, and will likely do a little experimenting, but want to get a more experienced opinion on a target weight for that ballast box.

edit: user manual states numbers listed above. technical manual states Early models: 785 lb. / Late models (sn 180450-) 1005 lb., at 24" behind link arms. This information is odd, as mine is first year of production and carries sn 366633. So, does that make it a "late" model?

Read this to determine the serial numbers for a given year (scroll to the bottom of the page):
TractorData.com John Deere 855 tractor information

I think you're on target with 500 lbs, plus the box itself. That will put you at about 650-700 lbs total.

I'm going to recommend you use sand for a year...it's easy to vary weight with sand. Concrete is permanent, of course. Maybe a couple, three hundred lbs of concrete and the rest sand. Couple of options there...

 

[WinterDeere]

I like the idea of using sand. I guess I can always build the kid a sandbox when I'm done using it in the ballast box.

 

[RoyJackson]

I like the idea of using sand. I guess I can always build the kid a sandbox when I'm done using it in the ballast box.

What's it's really handy for is shoveling a few scoops in slick areas or adding some traction if you get stuck.
BTW, speaking of getting stuck...the FEL works great for "walking" you out if stuck...you put that blade on the front, you lose that advantage.

 

[WinterDeere]

Well, ignoring my own plan, I stopped at the hardware store tonight, bought 560 lb. of QuicKrete, and placed the bags in the ballast box. Found it was a little heavy with the loader, in that I could bounce the front tires almost off the ground when lowering the 3-point and stopping. Took one bag out (480 lb. + box), and she felt about right.

Then I remembered I didn't have the loader on the machine, and I should probably plan to recheck with the loader installed.

Any chance I'm going to ever want to use this ballast box without a heavy implement on the front? In other words... any reason to not go back to 560 lb. in the box?

I know the advice will be to pour on the lighter side, and plan to add a bag of sand or stone when I need a few extra pounds for heavy lift. Then I ask, how many of you take the time to stop and find extra ballast to load when you need to scoop something heavy?

 

[RoyJackson]

Then I remembered I didn't have the loader on the machine, and I should probably plan to recheck with the loader installed.

Any chance I'm going to ever want to use this ballast box without a heavy implement on the front? In other words... any reason to not go back to 560 lb. in the box?

See how if feels with the 480# when the loader is installed. In fact and if at all possible, operate for a while with the cement in the bags to see if you need the 560#. If no problem with the 480# (plus ballast box weight), then leave it there. I do suggest you keep those bags of cement dry next week when that storm hits.

 

[JD 4520]

Yeah...I like sand. Once it compacts from use, then add more sand, if desired.

How much do you figure your ballast box weighs with sand?

 

[JD 4520]

Ballast box part # BW15073, iMatch compatible:
Box is 88 pounds + sand = 616 pounds;
Box + concrete = 780 pounds;
Box + portland cement = 1,014 pounds.
If you add the extension add 8 pounds + 176 pounds for sand; 8 + 230 pounds for concrete; and 8 + 308 pounds for portland cement.
So, with concrete and no extension your ballast is 780 pounds. Concrete with the extension = 1,018 pounds.