Ballast Ultimate Ballast box

[jmarotz]

Well it's not really a ballast box, but when I ran into a few rocks that the loader would not even try to lift, it was time to try something different. As you may know the 3PH is rated at 1200 lbs of lift and this 900 lb rock was no problem. It also helped having a hydraulic center like to take up the chain slack. You may also notice may harbor freight quick coupler which I would never be without, 10 seconds hooking up the box scraper or rotary mower(without the PTO. I bought this tractor with every intention of using it primarily as a lawn mower but with 100 hours on it I have yet to put the MMM on.
A few jobs I have used it on are, 2000 feet of buried pipe, moved over 100 yds of dirt building burms, 50 yds of gravel to cover the burms, 50 yds of gravel on parking area, digging and moving dirt for a 200 foot creek and now building a water falls to supply water for the creek.

 

[jmarotz]

Just in case you wanted to know how I handle small rock and the ballast I use. BTW my rear tires have fluid for additional weight.

 

[Volfandt]

Great pics
I like that grapple, what brand is it?
Have you worked it in the brush?

Those rocks look too clean, did ya hose 'em off before you transported them

 

[jmarotz]

Volfandt,
It's an American solutions grapple. Never used it for brush yet but have used it to move my straw pile, will allow you to take about 3x the amount as with the bucket alone.
As for now I could not live without it!!!

 

[RayCo]

Volfandt,
It's an American solutions grapple. Never used it for brush yet but have used it to move my straw pile, will allow you to take about 3x the amount as with the bucket alone.
As for now I could not live without it!!!

Excellent pictures. I'm also quite interested in that grapple. American Solutions? I actually had a few questions, but decided to stop being lazy and searched. In case anyone else is interested, here's the link.

American Solutions LLC

 

[ducati996]

Well it's not really a ballast box, but when I ran into a few rocks that the loader would not even try to lift, it was time to try something different. As you may know the 3PH is rated at 1200 lbs of lift and this 900 lb rock was no problem. It also helped having a hydraulic center like to take up the chain slack.

Impressive photos and capability for the Bx24 - 3pt specifications are below​

Lift capacity (at lift point) lbs. (kg) 992 (450)​

(24 in. behind LP) lbs. (kg) 661 (300)​

 

[jmarotz]

Better read your specifications book again
Page 2 Operator manual
Three point hitch, All lift points 5390 (1210) lbs
24 inches behind 3040(680) lbs

 

[Lockport]

Better read your specifications book again
Page 2 Operator manual
Three point hitch, All lift points 5390 (1210) lbs
24 inches behind 3040(680) lbs

The lower figures are lbs. IE 1210 lbs (550 kg) and 680 (310 kg) 24" aft of the lift point and thats the BX2230, it went down with the 50 series and is exactly what Ducatti996 stated.

The tractor only weighs 1290 lbs, how could it lift 2.5 tons?

 

[ducati996]

I dunno guys you might want to take up the discrepency up with Kubota - see spec that was downloaded from Kubota. The ( ) is Kilograms or the lower number

 

[ducati996]

Not to be a stickler either, but that rock isnt 900 lbs -

 

[art]

Most important is it got the job done!

 

[Volfandt]

jmarotz posted the 3ph spec's for the BX23 which are surprisingly alittle higher than the BX24.
BX23= lbs (kg) @lift point 1211(550), 24" behind 680(310)
I say surprisingly because the BX24 has 1 more hp and approx 0.8 more GPM than the BX23.
Could be that Kubota went more conservative since the 3PH links lift point was raised alittle higher than the BX23, giving it more lift height.

Kubota is known to be on the conservative side when listing specs.

 

[redharley]

Somebody will figure out the weight,most rock type's weigh around 13lb per square foot per inch of thickness give or take depending on kind of rock.But this figure will ge you close.Some body start sizing this baby up.

 

[john_bud]

jmarotz - now that's what I like to see!

jb

 

[srossman]

Excellent pictures. I'm also quite interested in that grapple. American Solutions? I actually had a few questions, but decided to stop being lazy and searched. In case anyone else is interested, here's the link.

American Solutions LLC

Thanks for the link ray. Now I've just added another thing to the list of attachments to get.