Ballast bx23 ballast weight

[hangnail]

looking at getting a bx23 soon, and will be doing quite a bit of FEL work. being that my yard right now has a pretty good grade on it, i will deff. need some ballast. now the local dealer fills the tires for ballast, but i was thinking of building a or buying a ballast box for the 3pt. the local dealer also doesnt recommend wheel weights, but i know a lot of others do. what is the best? i figure that filled tires is good since it lowers the center of gravity, but how much weight is actually added when they fill the tires? i also think the ballast box is going to be good for me since i wont have any real heavy implements for counter ballance. and going down a grade with a full bucket and no rear weight is pretty much a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Ken_CT]

Hangnail,
The bx23 comes with a backhoe, which is plenty of ballast.

 

[tommu56]

and manual says not to fill tires with the back hoe on!

if my hoe is off i just use my box blade and haven't had any problems

tommu56

 

[hangnail]

in not looking at the bx24 which comes with the back hoe, im looking at a new bx2350

 

[c-and-a]

Really depends on your application - if you are doing any mowing, no need to carry around the xtra weight in the tires, as well as depending on your lawn, you may leave exaggerated indents on the lawn...

All FEL - lower center of gravity works great until you get a flat and the liquid spills out.

If a mix - build your own 3pth ballast, several ideas in the project section of the forum.

Just my thoughts...

 

[Stargazer]

I think I would get a cheap/mid priced rear blade or box blade if you are moving dirt either one mite come in handy and how much will you have in time/money making a weight box that doesn't do much else.

Just my $.02

Pat R

 

[kwolfe]

I built my own ballast box using a 15 gallon plastic tub, a drawbar, scrap angle iron and conrete. The whole thing ran about $30. It should weigh in at around 300lbs which would really help you with stability. I have a bx1500.

 

[Volfandt]

I run filled rears and they provide adequite ballast for me most if the time.
We (the dealer & I) opted to go with a 3/4 fill inorder to leave some space in the tires for compaction and it seems to work out fine. We guesstimated about 115lbs per tire which gives around 230lbs +/- 10 or so.

The additonal weight doesn't hurt the turf and it's supposedly easier on the tractor in that the axles frame etc don't have to carry the weight. Course tractors are designed to carry heavy weight on the 3ph and carry it around so I don't know if that argument is 100 factual, but I was told this by more than one dealer.

When I'm doing serious digging/material moving I always have the BH mounted and in that case I have more than enough ballast.

In over 2 yrs and 226 hrs I've had no problems moving an FEL full of material around, whether I have the BH mounted or not and I have never felt the need to go mount the BH just to act as ballast.

 

[Harry c]

Add some ballast! FEL full of dirt without the BH gave me a nice ride down the hill into the neighbor's yard. I have filled tires on my BX 24. There was nothing in the way so I didn't bother to drop the bucket...Just slid along. Note: Did not have 4WD engaged. That would have helped.

Also, I have lifted a rear wheel working on a sidehill with the BH installed. Had a full bucket of granite stone.

Find some weight if you're doing loader work on a slope.

 

[kwolfe]

I figure that the tractor is pretty well balabced when nothing is attached. The FEL alone runs around 400lbs. Given, some of that weight is located toward the center of the tractor, however put 400lbs in the bucket, and you are really of balance. I thoguht about filling the tires, however a concrete black hanging off the back is good and heavy, not to mention I don't then have to justify spending more money to the CFO.

 

[Berniep]

I think you should always be in 4wd when working on any slope to prevent a runaway situation no matter how much balast you have.

 

[hangnail]

how much weight is typically in a ballast box for a 2350? i think i will have the tires filled, and will most likly have a ballast box, until i get a box blade, but who knows how things will go down at the dealer when i jump.

 

[valleydweller1]

I have a BX 2230 and have found my 48" box scraper plus filled tires to be plenty of ballast for whatever loader work I do. I've also done loader work with no weight on the back except a drawbar, I don't recommend that; I lifted the rear-end many times that day.

Greg

 

[LBrown59]

how much weight is typically in a ballast box for a 2350? i think i will have the tires filled, and will most likly have a ballast box, until i get a box blade, but who knows how things will go down at the dealer when i jump.

Some draw backs of filled tires:
To permanent
Carrying around the excessive weight when not need.
Leeaks can be a big problem
Harder to rapair tires due to the extra weight.
More weight could be hard on lawn.

 

[LBrown59]

I run filled rears and they provide adequite ballast for me most if the time.
1*We (the dealer & I) opted to go with a 3/4 fill inorder to leave some space in the tires for compaction and it seems to work out fine. We guesstimated about 115lbs per tire which gives around 230lbs +/- 10 or so.

2*The additonal weight doesn't hurt the turf and it's supposedly easier on the tractor in that the axles frame etc don't have to carry the weight. Course tractors are designed to carry heavy weight on the 3ph and carry it around so I don't know if that argument is 100 factual, but I was told this by more than one dealer.

3*When I'm doing serious digging/material moving I always have the BH mounted and in that case I have more than enough ballast.

4*In over 2 yrs and 226 hrs I've had no problems moving an FEL full of material around, whether I have the BH mounted or not and I have never felt the need to go mount the BH just to act as ballast.

1*Tires shouldn't be filled over 75%.
2*But with filled tires you are always lugging the extra weight around even when it's not needed.
3*So do I cause I never take it off, therefore I don't need filled tires.
4*Only 226 hours-you don't use yours much do you? I have 775 hours on mine.

 

[LBrown59]

in not looking at the bx24 which comes with the back hoe, I'm looking at a new bx2350

You said BX23 originally not a BX2350.
There is a big difference between these 2 Models.

 

[LBrown59]

and manual says not to fill tires with the back hoe on!

if my hoe is off i just use my box blade and haven't had any problems

tommu56

I don't fill mine a tall.

 

[LBrown59]

Hangnail,
The bx23 comes with a backhoe, which is plenty of ballast.

Yep it sure is.
So filled tires aren't needed

 

[Volfandt]

1*Tires shouldn't be filled over 75%.

FYI. 3/4 fill = 75% fill.

2*But with filled tires you are always lugging the extra weight around even when it's not needed.

3*So do I cause I never take it off, therefore I don't need filled tires.

LMAO, you're telling me that the extra 230lbs that I'm carrying around in my filled tires is unnecessary and yet you claim to ALWAYS carry your BH around which is an additional 700lbs that IS UNNECESSARY when mowing. Now which is harder on the turf.....

4*Only 226 hours-you don't use yours much do you? I have 775 hours on mine.

I use it when needed. I don't get much seat time during the winter. We don't get much snow down here but plenty of rain....

 

[hangnail]

how much does a landscape rake weight? is it enough for rear ballast?

i also plan to have 2 sets of tires, ill get some turf ones later after most of my yard work is done, and will probably leave those unfilled, but i think r4's would be the tire of choice for me.

also does anyone have a link of some pics of ballast boxes they have built or seen built. id be interested in seeing some of the better pre made ones too.

you guys also say that i could be lugging around extra weight when i dont need it with filled tires..... will or could it have any effect on machine wear? such as premature wear on bearings and hubs?