Lifting safe - Ballast Box needed?

[ljjhouser]

If you don't have good pallet forks, might see if you could rent one for a day somewhere.

 

[beenthere]

OP hasn't been back to read any of these replies. Maybe soon?

 

[Jtschnel]

Thanks to all for the reply’s. I do have forks which will be used. I also forgot to mention the rear tires have fluid in them. For the lift I’ll attach a rotary cutter to the 3ph. As suggested, I’ll lift and have truck drive out from under.

Hooked up rotary cutter this afternoon and almost took out electrical box while backing up. After lift I’m going to get or fabricate a ballast box.

Again, many thanks for the guidance.

Jim

 

[Jims1025R]

Suggest not backing away unless perfectly straight away until the load is near the ground

If ballast/balance are in doubt, this is important, if it's a 2WD tractor, it will spin before being a hazard going backward. But if you're in 4WD and back up too quickly, that can tip the balance. I like the idea you're going to use ballast. As I get old, I find myself pausing and thinking a lot more than when I was young. I think to myself: Will it be quicker to do it safely noe, than to fix it after I get back form hospital later? So I stop and do it the most safe way I can think....

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

I'd recommend getting a backhoe for the rear.

That's funny.

With a backhoe on you wouldn't need a counterweight??? Then you would have something more usefull than a counter weight?

 

[grsthegreat]

a rotary cutter is plenty of rear weight.

 

[Yander]

But that's what I told my wife!

"Honey, I need some tractor ballast and it's going to cost $5,000!"

I would want ballast for that much weight. Hook up an implement or get the ballast box if you don't have implements. A much cheaper solution is a used dirt scoop that can be had for usually less than $200 on craigslist or FB Marketplace. Fill it with dirt, bricks or throw in a few bags of playground sand. You can then use it for other things besides just ballast. They are also very compact/narrow.

 

[sandman2234]

I am interested in how the unloading went? I took my trailer to the store where I bought my safe and they loaded it, then I came home and used my tractor to unload it. Nothing to it!
David from jax

 

[RoyJackson]

With a backhoe on you wouldn't need a counterweight??? Then you would have something more usefull than a counter weight?

True...but a backhoe is mighty expensive ballast.
I've had a backhoe...never had much need for one, but it came with the Deere 4520 I bought (I wanted the tractor for the cab, not the 'hoe).
Frankly, unless one has a need for a 'hoe, it's a waste of money