Ballast How Much Ballast is Too Much Ballast???

[MossflowerWoods]

Hey TBN,

My buddy just offered me an approximate 1600 LB chunk of steel that fits in a 3pt frame I have that I've always planned as a Ballast/ chainsaw & wood carrier.

I have a 2011 Kioti DK50 and I've been aiming at like an 1100 LB total weight.

My question is simply when is too much Ballast TOO MUCH?!

Thanks in advance & Be well,
David

 

[pokey1416]

I have a little smaller tractor than yours (hp wise) and I leave the BH on 7 months of the year and it makes great ballast. The BH weighs 2,000 lbs. Doesn’t sound like to much to me. For winter I have a ballast box full of scrap steel (1,000 lbs) and I would have liked to have it a little heavier in case I have to do some heavy FEL work.

 

[K5lwq]

If the front wheels come off the ground you have gone a little too heavy. Up to that point you will be fine.

 

[oosik]

Perhaps another answer. Check your owners manual. What weight is your 3-point rated to lift. I would recommend that you NOT exceed that ...........

 

[ptsg]

Perhaps another answer. Check your owners manual. What weight is your 3-point rated to lift. I would recommend that you NOT exceed that ...........

Well, if he exceeds that, it won't actually lift it.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

UPDATE:

I passed on the steel. It would not fit and likely was too heavy for 3pt ballast box frame I already have, and it was literally HUGE and would have just become an obstacle in my yard. I suspect it was much heavier than he was estimating.

I did consult specs and Loader was approx 2,200 lbs & 3pt was only 2,400+...

Thanks everyone!
David

 

[WranglerX]

I used the 150 lbs per cu-ft methods to design and construct my ballast box, I have SCUT that weighs in at approx. 1400 pounds and ended up with a ballast box that is about 500-600 pounds.... Enough to counter the weight of 540 pound lift (weight) in FEL.....



Its a math problem mainly.... This is what my owners manual has to say (not really definitive) ...



Dale

 

[gsxrsquid]

What about ballast for the front end. Just got a Satoh S-370 (Beaver) in first gear high It will pop a wheelie only 15 hp so I was thinking maybe 500 pounds?

 

[Roadworthy]

I will caution you about overloading the front end. The axles in those tractors are known to break - at least in the two wheel drive models. There is some outfit "back east" which specializes in replacing the axles with new.

 

[bcp]

Several manuals I've seen have counterweight recommendations that are around 2/3 to 3/4 of FEL lift capacity.

Bruce

 

[k0ua]

David here are the specs for the KL-401 loader which your tractor should have:

Fits KIOTI DK40SE, DK45SE, & DK50SE tractors.
Maximum Lift Height 107.8"
Rated Flow (Tractor System) 10 GPM
Approximate Weight with Bucket 1284 lbs
Bucket Size Used for Specification 72"
Lift Capacity to Full Height at Pivot Pins 2,761 lbs

So if you took even the 2/3 of loader capacity as a target for the ballast. .66X2761=1822 lbs. I don't think your 1600 lbs. would be far off. As your 3pt lift capacity is north of 2400 lbs you would still have an 800 lb. reserve capacity.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

David here are the specs for the KL-401 loader which your tractor should have:
....

K0ua,

Dude you rock. That is excellent math.

As much as it pains me to say this, the truth is I'm afraid my tractor is too big for my current property and massive overkill (But I own it so...) I'm not making any big decisions regarding the tractor right now for exactly the above reason...

I'm still 100% in "Planning mode" right now as I'm about to update on my remodel thread...

But, you rock and provided the killer answer backed up with specs and math.
Be well sir.
David

 

[k0ua]

K0ua,

Dude you rock. That is excellent math.

As much as it pains me to say this, the truth is I'm afraid my tractor is too big for my current property and massive overkill (But I own it so...) I'm not making any big decisions regarding the tractor right now for exactly the above reason...

I'm still 100% in "Planning mode" right now as I'm about to update on my remodel thread...

But, you rock and provided the killer answer backed up with specs and math.
Be well sir.
David

Hi David, yes the old engineer in me is bad about thinking things thru.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Hi David, yes the old engineer in me is bad about thinking things thru.

I have a similar problem!!!

I hope all is well for you and yours.

David

 

[kenlip]

David here are the specs for the KL-401 loader which your tractor should have:

Fits KIOTI DK40SE, DK45SE, & DK50SE tractors.

Lift Capacity to Full Height at Pivot Pins 2,761 lbs

So if you took even the 2/3 of loader capacity as a target for the ballast. .66X2761=1822 lbs. I don't think your 1600 lbs. would be far off. As your 3pt lift capacity is north of 2400 lbs you would still have an 800 lb. reserve capacity.

James,
That 1,822 lbs figure would relate to the load being at the pivot pins. I would assume that the COG of the counterweight will be back from the pivot pins, in which case I would further assume that one needs to consider the torque-effect (Force x Distance) of having the COG some distance from the pins.

Is the difference going to be significant in terms of 'too much ballast'? Who knows?

 

[k0ua]

James,
That 1,822 lbs figure would relate to the load being at the pivot pins. I would assume that the COG of the counterweight will be back from the pivot pins, in which case I would further assume that one needs to consider the torque-effect (Force x Distance) of having the COG some distance from the pins.

Is the difference going to be significant in terms of 'too much ballast'? Who knows?

The pivot pins The specs are referring to are on the other end of the tractor from the ballast on the 3 point hitch. The pivot pins are what the bucket of the loader pivots around.

 

[kenlip]

The pivot pins The specs are referring to are on the other end of the tractor from the ballast on the 3 point hitch. The pivot pins are what the bucket of the loader pivots around.

OOOPS! My mistake. I (mis)read it as the pivot pins one the 3PH.

 

[grsthegreat]

I have a 1,000 pound concrete ballast box on mine and i have successfully lifted the full rated 2,700# off of my flatbed trailer with that combination. Wouldnt want to have to do it to much, as i dont think its good for the front axle.