Ballast Cart Solution

[funwithahoe]

Anyone make/buy an easy way to store and remove/move your ballast box? My box has been sitting tipped over in my driveway because it is a pain to put on and really not too stable when not on the tractor. I want to build something where I could put it on in a minute and a 6 or 7 year old couldn't tip it over on themselves (or my foot).

Thanks! I always appreciate the great info on here and have used some of the great idea. - Oh and I already searched the 'Bota threads for an answer.

 

[fish6942]

I just bought 4 caster wheels that I plan to mount onto some type of 2x4 or 2x6 frame to keep the ballast box on. In my situation it'll be stored on a concrete surface so the wheels will allow me to move it a little when mounting it.

 

[rjkobbeman]

Because of storage space and my insistence of storing my tractor and implements inside required me to build some carts for my 6' cutter and 8' grading scraper.

I thought long and hard about the best way to contrstruct. Because of clearance issues (I wanted to store my implements under an existing workbench), I chose to screw two sheets of 3/4" plywood together. This was done instead of building a frame to mount the wheels. I then bought four caster wheels at home depot and bolted them to the fours corners of the plywood. Plywood and casters is it -- no framework at all.

I built one for my 900# grading scraper and one for my 1100# rotary cutter. They roll around very easily in my garage and have been quite handy.

Now that I think about it, I actually built two small ones for my cutter. This way I am using 8 casters instead of four. I did this because my cutter was heavier than the rating of four casters. The scraper is using just one.

They also make hitching up a snap!

I will build two more soon: one for my pallet forks and one for my ballast box.

 

[bstrom]

Yeah, most people seem to make a dolly with store bought castors and a frame and plywood or something. You will need to have it on a smooth level surface like concrete or asphalt, because if it's 500 pounds or more it won't roll on gravel or grass with 3 inch or smaller castors (obviously).

 

[Tom_H]

Almost all of my implements are on casters (castor is a plant whose beans produce a type of oil that you swallow to loosen up your insides ). They (the implements on dollies) roll up to the 3ph and align with the touch of a pinkie.

 

[2LMAKER]

Is there any reason not to bolt heavy duty casters to bottom of ballast box?

 

[savageactor7]

Anyone make/buy an easy way to store and remove/move your ballast box?

That's what I have and I love it for its simplicity.

When I need to I can place tractor weights or cinder blocks on that simple slide on/off holder.

Here I cobbled some cloths line to the roll-over bar to assist and make possible the cartage of long handled tools.

Now when I multi-task on the trails my bucket is always free. My creaky old knees appreciate the way less requirements to mount/dismount when I was using the bucket as a hasty tool carrier.

You don't really need a whole lot of weight, less weight properly positioned will do what you want it too.