How much ballast

[Trophyduck]

I have a 45hp LS Tractor XR4145(HST)
What is the amount of ballast needed for FEL work. Minimum?
I've been looking but can't find any specifics......500lbs? 100lbs? I know more weight is a good thing but I am wondering what is necessary.....THANKS

 

[oosik]

Look at your owners manual. What does it recommend for the heaviest 3-point attachment. Will you be buying a heavy rear blade or box blade. If so - you can kill two birds with a single stone. I would hesitate to consider a bush hog as ballast. That can be a lot of weight but it's way out back and will do a lot of swinging around if you get serious with your FEL work. Plus a bush hog can limit access to tight areas.

I have a Rhino rear blade on the 3-point. It's 1050# and gives me all the ballast I will ever need for grapple work. I use my grapple, mainly, for large rocks and large chunks of my ancient Ponderosa pine. I can lift 2850 to 3000 pounds with the grapple before it become noticeably "spooky". JMHO - I don't have any recommendations in my Kubota Op Manual for ballast. The reason - attorneys & liability. I also have 1550 pounds of Rimguard in my rear tires.

View attachment 623254

 

[Reb954]

Look up what your 3 point will lift and do 25% to 50% of that. Favor the 50% if you are doing a lot of heavy bucket work and/or working on uneven ground. Some conditions may require more ballast but you almost have to try it to find out.

 

[seville009]

It all depends on what your digging into - dry dirt, mud, snow, etc

I use my brush hog in the summer because that痴 the heaviest 3pt implement I have. In the winter, my blower is already on the back.

My rear tires are also foam filled, so there痴 that added weight at the rear

 

[WranglerX]

This is kind of what my owners manual states...



Personally I have about 75% ballast weight as lift spec on FEL.. Safe ballast weight is one that always keeps rear wheel firmly on ground during any FEL work... Which means you probably can not make one to ridiculously heavy...

Dale

 

[jeff9366]

Ballast is weight which bears on the rear axle. ie: loaded tires and/or cast iron wheel weights

Counterbalance is weight installed on the Three Point Hitch.

As counterbalance is all behind the rear axle, counterbalance is more effective pound for pound than ballast.

Tell us your plan for rear axle ballast. ie: ballast material, 50% or 75% loaded rear tires and/or cast iron wheel weights.

We will suggest approximately how much counterbalance is necessary for full FEL lifts.


XR4145
SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE
Type: 3Cyl. In-line Vertical, Water-cooled 4cycle Turbo Diesel, CRDI
Model (Tier 4): L3C19-T
Engine HP (Gross): 45
PTO HP: 38.7
Rated Speed (RPM): 2,600
Displacement (cu. in): 114.7
Fuel Tank Capacity (gal): 10.6
Alternator: 12V- 70 Amps

DRIVE TRAIN
Transmission: Synchro shuttle
Speeds: F16 x R16
Brakes: Wet, Multi Disc
Steering: Hydrostatic Power Steering

PTO
Type: Independent
Mid PTO(Option): 2,000
Rear PTO: Standard (540 rpm)

LL4104
Bucker Size (in): 72
Maximum Lift height (in): 96.3
Clearance with Attachment Dump (in): 63
Reach at Maximum Height (in): 9.0
Maximum Dump Angle (deg.) 65
Maximum Rollback Angle (deg.): 34
Digging Depth (in): 4.3
Overall Height in Carry Position (in): 49.2
Lift Capacity(@ Pivot pin) (lbs.) 2,713
(( strong lift capacity for a 3,869 pound tractor, but not much lift height. ))
Breakout Force(@ Pivot pin) (lbs.): 3,802

HYDRAULIC SYSTEM
Implement pump (gpm): 8.2
Steering pump (gpm): 4.1
Total flow (gpm): 12.3
Category, 3 pt hitch: CAT 1
Hitch Lift capacity (lb.): 2,755
Lift control type: Position / Draft
Remote Valves: 2 Pairs

DIMENSIONS
Overall length with 3pt (in.): 133
Wheelbase (in.): 73.2
Min. overall width with Ag tires (in.): 62.5
Height to top of ROPS with Ag tires (in.): 93

WEIGHT
Total weight without ballast (lbs.): 3,869

 

[PILOON]

When it comes to counter ballast, 200 lbs at 2 feet is the same as 100 @ 4 ft.
Keep this in mind,
For traction the more in the wheels the better off you'll be.
In my case I have loaded tires and a 300# elevator weight hanging on my 3 point.
Works for me! (LOL, studded chains also helps)

 

[Trophyduck]

Thanks for the info and sorry for the confusion.
I was referring to counter balance. I misspoke. I've been looking at different weight boxes, DIY stuff, barrels filled, etc. And was wondering how much weight is sufficient. I don't do a lot of heavy work but there is the occasional digging/moving dirt.
I've been keeping the disk or bush hog on for that but it is cumbersome

 

[WranglerX]

I made a 2x2x1 foot steel box, and it weighs in about 500+ pounds probabl would have gone bigger but it was all the steel materials I has on hand to create with, beside I have small tractor........ Concrete weighs in at about 150 per cubic foot... And box took nine 60lb bags of sackcrete.... So design with weigh per cubic foot in mind....

There are several threads on sit about ballast or counter weight or what ever you choose to call it.... Migh try search feature....

This is what rear weight will do for you...



JD tractor weighs in at 520 pounds by JD manual...

Ballast | Definition of Ballast at Dictionary.com

Dale

 

[jk96]

Just load the rear tires and be done. Will be plenty for a 45hp tractor. If your doing loader work you'll most likely have a blade or box blade on back so why waste time on a ballest box on the 3pt that's going to get in the way.

 

[jeff9366]

I was referring to counter balance. I've been looking at different weight boxes, DIY stuff, barrels filled, etc. And was wondering how much weight is sufficient. I don't do a lot of heavy work but there is the occasional digging/moving dirt.

I've been keeping the disk or bush hog on for that but it is cumbersome.

Tell us your plan for rear axle ballast. ie: ballast material, 50% or 75% loaded rear tires and/or cast iron wheel weights.

Rear tire ballast, if any, could be 500 - 700 pounds, which effects how much counterbalance is necessary.

Is your DH providing satisfactory counterbalance, cumbersome though it may be? What does your DH weigh?

If the rear feels solidly placed on the ground during a lift when FEL cannot lift to full height due to load, you have sufficient counterbalance.

 

[ruffdog]

With my TC33D, I would just put my 700lb tiller on the 3pt and it seemed about right. I could go lighter for less demanding loader work.

 

[shooterdon]

I have the same tractor but in 40HP.

I have loaded tires.

Although Jeff is technically correct, everyone uses the word ballast to describe counter balance so lets not get into a tizzy over it.

I purchased a carry all from TSC and added about 750 lbs of lead ingots to the rear of it. Lead is easy for me to get and is very dense so I could still make use of the carry all to carry stuff. The milk crates keep the ingots from bouncing out.



I can lift almost half a cord of wood in the modified IBC tote below but have not lifted to full height as I have no need to:

 

[fruitcakesa]

On my M, I used to run with my box blade as ballast and it worked fine but it is large and cumbersome when maneuvering in tight quarters.
I built a ballast box from I beams and some scrap steel I had lying around and put 3 5gallon buckets of concrete in it. Probably weighs 400 + lbs.
That and 75% loaded tires is more than adequate for anything I need to lift And it is a much more compact load.

 

[Trophyduck]

My DH is 900lbs +/_
It works well for "ballast" when I'm digging.
I was thinking of a Carry-All and trying to think of weighs (see what I did there?) to add temporary weight to it and still use it for a carryall when no weigh it needed. I don't have access to lead unfortunately.
I do have a 55 gal steel drum......

 

[jeff9366]

My Disc Harrow is 900lbs +/_

It works well as counterbalance when I'm digging.

Tell us your existing rear axle ballast. ie: ballast material, 50% or 75% loaded rear tires and/or cast iron wheel weights.

Rear tire ballast, if any, could be '0', could be 500 - 700 pounds, which effects how much counterbalance is necessary.

 

[Shaneard]

Ballast is weight which bears on the rear axle. ie: loaded tires and/or cast iron wheel weights

Counterbalance is weight installed on the Three Point Hitch.

As counterbalance is all behind the rear axle, counterbalance is more effective pound for pound than ballast.

Tell us your plan for rear axle ballast. ie: ballast material, 50% or 75% loaded rear tires and/or cast iron wheel weights.

We will suggest approximately how much counterbalance is necessary for full FEL lifts.


XR4145
SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE
Type: 3Cyl. In-line Vertical, Water-cooled 4cycle Turbo Diesel, CRDI
Model (Tier 4): L3C19-T
Engine HP (Gross): 45
PTO HP: 38.7
Rated Speed (RPM): 2,600
Displacement (cu. in): 114.7
Fuel Tank Capacity (gal): 10.6
Alternator: 12V- 70 Amps

DRIVE TRAIN
Transmission: Synchro shuttle
Speeds: F16 x R16
Brakes: Wet, Multi Disc
Steering: Hydrostatic Power Steering

PTO
Type: Independent
Mid PTO(Option): 2,000
Rear PTO: Standard (540 rpm)

LL4104
Bucker Size (in): 72
Maximum Lift height (in): 96.3
Clearance with Attachment Dump (in): 63
Reach at Maximum Height (in): 9.0
Maximum Dump Angle (deg.) 65
Maximum Rollback Angle (deg.): 34
Digging Depth (in): 4.3
Overall Height in Carry Position (in): 49.2
Lift Capacity(@ Pivot pin) (lbs.) 2,713
(( strong lift capacity for a 3,869 pound tractor, but not much lift height. ))
Breakout Force(@ Pivot pin) (lbs.): 3,802

HYDRAULIC SYSTEM
Implement pump (gpm): 8.2
Steering pump (gpm): 4.1
Total flow (gpm): 12.3
Category, 3 pt hitch: CAT 1
Hitch Lift capacity (lb.): 2,755
Lift control type: Position / Draft
Remote Valves: 2 Pairs

DIMENSIONS
Overall length with 3pt (in.): 133
Wheelbase (in.): 73.2
Min. overall width with Ag tires (in.): 62.5
Height to top of ROPS with Ag tires (in.): 93

WEIGHT
Total weight without ballast (lbs.): 3,869

Tell us your plan for rear axle ballast. ie: ballast material, 50% or 75% loaded rear tires and/or cast iron wheel weights.

Rear tire ballast, if any, could be 500 - 700 pounds, which effects how much counterbalance is necessary.

Is your DH providing satisfactory counterbalance, cumbersome though it may be? What does your DH weigh?

If the rear feels solidly placed on the ground during a lift when FEL cannot lift to full height due to load, you have sufficient counterbalance.

Tell us your existing rear axle ballast. ie: ballast material, 50% or 75% loaded rear tires and/or cast iron wheel weights.

Rear tire ballast, if any, could be '0', could be 500 - 700 pounds, which effects how much counterbalance is necessary.

Jeff, you've ask the same thing 3 times. I think if the OP knew what he wanted to add he wouldn't have been looking for suggestions on what to add.

 

[WranglerX]

I don't use wheel ballast, because there is a lot of times I run tractor across lawn and I try to leave as little imprint as possible... This is why I have rear ballast box on 3PH... It's no there IF i don't need it.... Got to love Quick Hitches...

Dale

 

[Shaneard]

I don't use wheel ballast, because there is a lot of times I run tractor across lawn and I try to leave as little imprint as possible... This is why I have rear ballast box on 3PH... It's no there IF i don't need it.... Got to love Quick Hitches...

Dale

That's a great idea and works great for your situation. My situation it wouldn't work. I run 2 sets of rear wheel weights on each side and have 100 gallons of fluid in each rear tire. I need it for traction when plowing/discing and where I bush hog for traction/stability on the hills. I've only marked up the yard a couple times because of it being too wet and even then it wasn't that bad for driving a 60HP tractor with a loader and whatever else was hooked on the back of it in addition to the ballast/weights.

 

[Trophyduck]

Sorry. I have no rear wheel ballast now.