L4400 Ballast for the Keel

[Butcherofwood]

Bought the L4400 Friday and ran it this weekend. It's a sweet machine. We have a bunch of pallets with concrete roofing to load and move about a half mile. I rented a quick connect pallet fork to keep the load as close as possible. The pallets are stacked about 3 foot wide x 3 foot deep x 2 1/2 foot tall. I would guess the weight of each pallet is 600 to 800 pounds.

The back end is lifting up a bunch. It eventually dawned on me that this might not be safe. I have called the tire guys to come fill them today, which should add about 450 pounds in the back. I can also put a 7 foot plow blade on the 3 point, I would guess the blade weights 300 pounds.

Questions: Is that going to do the trick, or do I need to be looking at additional weights or a ballast box? How much weight would a guy have to add to get the full lift capacity out of the FEL and still be stable?

 

[dex3361]

Bought the L4400 Friday and ran it this weekend. It's a sweet machine. We have a bunch of pallets with concrete roofing to load and move about a half mile. I rented a quick connect pallet fork to keep the load as close as possible. The pallets are stacked about 3 foot wide x 3 foot deep x 2 1/2 foot tall. I would guess the weight of each pallet is 600 to 800 pounds.

The back end is lifting up a bunch. It eventually dawned on me that this might not be safe. I have called the tire guys to come fill them today, which should add about 450 pounds in the back. I can also put a 7 foot plow blade on the 3 point, I would guess the blade weights 300 pounds.

Questions: Is that going to do the trick, or do I need to be looking at additional weights or a ballast box? How much weight would a guy have to add to get the full lift capacity out of the FEL and still be stable?

I have on the back of my L4400 HST a box blade that weighs about 500# and a weight box with plates on top of that for a total on the rear of about 1100#(best guess method and it could be hundreds less but not more cause my implement scales are broken). The weight keeps the rear on he ground good and I also have my rear tires fluid filled.

 

[General Lee]

Bought the L4400 Friday and ran it this weekend. It's a sweet machine. We have a bunch of pallets with concrete roofing to load and move about a half mile. I rented a quick connect pallet fork to keep the load as close as possible. The pallets are stacked about 3 foot wide x 3 foot deep x 2 1/2 foot tall. I would guess the weight of each pallet is 600 to 800 pounds.

The back end is lifting up a bunch. It eventually dawned on me that this might not be safe. I have called the tire guys to come fill them today, which should add about 450 pounds in the back. I can also put a 7 foot plow blade on the 3 point, I would guess the blade weights 300 pounds.

Questions: Is that going to do the trick, or do I need to be looking at additional weights or a ballast box? How much weight would a guy have to add to get the full lift capacity out of the FEL and still be stable?

I just got a L4400 also and have playing around with it. Filled rears are not enough ballast for this tractor, not even close. I lifted a bucket full of top soil and the rear came up. I'm debating what I'm gonna do for ballast. A box blade is in my future but I don't think that will be enough alone.

Dex - you got a picture of your BB and added weight setup?

 

[dex3361]

Here is a pic of the 7 foot BB that I beefed up and the added weight box. I have six 85# plates in the box. The tractor was well balanced with the heavy rock on the front and the weigh ton the rear.

 

[General Lee]

Man oh Man! Did you have to add anything different to the hydraulics to be able operate the grapple? Why did I have see these pics?! I think I need a grapple.

 

[dex3361]

I have 2 hydraulic lines run from the back (using a rear remote) of the tractor to the front to operate the grapple. I have triple rear remotes so I can operate 3 hydraulic cylinders.

 

[countrybumpkin]

I'm in the middle of building a ballast box for mine. Looking at about 1350 lbs when done. I am building a steel frame and then pouring concrete around it. If you do a search for ballast box in the build it yourself forum, you will find a bunch of ideas.