Concrete or Blocks in ballast box??

I vote concrete for max weight.

kirkphoto said:

Should I fill a ballast box with concrete or block for weight? What do you guys think??

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Is your goal to be able to use blocks to vary the weight in your ballast box?

kirkphoto said:

Should I fill a ballast box with concrete or block for weight? What do you guys think??

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What tractor?
What is the tractors main use?
Without knowing the answers I would vote small 1/2" stone. A solid concrete filled ballast box for my 2320 would be far too heavy for some of it's duties.

Gizmo2 said:

What tractor?
What is the tractors main use?
Without knowing the answers I would vote small 1/2" stone. A solid concrete filled ballast box for my 2320 would be far too heavy for some of it's duties.

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The tractor is a 1026R. The ballast will be used for the 53" loader and the Artillian forks.

kirkphoto said:

The tractor is a 1026R. The ballast will be used for the 53" loader and the Artillian forks.

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Just remember: With Concrete, it's a "One and Done", unless you line it with plastic with a ReBar lift ring. Even with that, if you ever want to lift out that block, you might want to think of surrounding it with 1/2" plywood. I can see the 'pour'.....bulging the box so you may not be able to get it out......~S

Scotty370 said:

Just remember: With Concrete, it's a "One and Done", unless you line it with plastic with a ReBar lift ring. Even with that, if you ever want to lift out that block, you might want to think of surrounding it with 1/2" plywood. I can see the 'pour'.....bulging the box so you may not be able to get it out......~S

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Good point... Thanks

I went through the same debate a month or so ago when I bought my ballast box. Ultimately I decided to go with concrete as I concluded that it would be a bit difficult to have too much ballast. Just my $.02 worth.

RonS said:

I went through the same debate a month or so ago when I bought my ballast box. Ultimately I decided to go with concrete as I concluded that it would be a bit difficult to have too much ballast. Just my $.02 worth.

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Snow plowing with my 2320 I have the ballast box half full of 1/2 inch stone. Loader work and fork work I fill it. Basically summer time the ballast box is full, winter half full.

Remember those round plastic weights they used to make? I was hoping to find some on ebay, etc... and use those for the box.

Gizmo2 said:

Snow plowing with my 2320 I have the ballast box half full of 1/2 inch stone. Loader work and fork work I fill it. Basically summer time the ballast box is full, winter half full.

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Just taking a 'tip' from Gizmo, You could do two pours, with plastic in between. You'd still have to plastic and rebar lift ring on each layer! I'm still a little concerned about the 'bulge' factor that wouldn't allow you to retrieve them! Maybe clamps on the box to slightly 'Concave' it before the pour would be an idea. Poured concrete, in a bulging box, just is not gonna let you pull them out! Thought of 'Patio' Blocks? You'd have infinent weight control, with less mess than loose stone........~Scotty

Scotty370 said:

Just taking a 'tip' from Gizmo, You could do two pours, with plastic in between. You'd still have to plastic and rebar lift ring on each layer! I'm still a little concerned about the 'bulge' factor that wouldn't allow you to retrieve them! Maybe clamps on the box to slightly 'Concave' it before the pour would be an idea. Poured concrete, in a bulging box, just is not gonna let you pull them out! Thought of 'Patio' Blocks? You'd have infinent weight control, with less mess than loose stone........~Scotty

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I take out between 2 and three five gallon pails for the winter and just dump them back in come summer. For winter I keep one of these in the box when I get stuck

, not that it ever happens:hide: but just in case.

Scotty, one could line the box with 1/4 plywood and the pull it out once the concrete was cured that should leave enough room.

Common' Gizmo.............

.............It's August, and my back hurts even looking at one of those! As you know, I'm in Buffalo NY, and when everything else fails........."Pull 'er into Four Wheel Drive" and wait 'til Spring. The Wife and I both have Jeeps, as a Plan "B"!!:lol:

Gizmo2 said:

Snow plowing with my 2320 I have the ballast box half full of 1/2 inch stone. Loader work and fork work I fill it. Basically summer time the ballast box is full, winter half full.

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I do similar as I take my loader off in winter and add my front mount snowblower. Really depends on your individual ballast needs. For me my needs change so ballast needs to change. Filling full of concrete would not work for me. Right now I simply use sand and add/subtract as needed. I find 3/4 full works best for me. This is nice as it leaves a recessed storage area for stuff. I just place a rubber mat on top of the sand.

Hi Everyone, Hi Jeff!

I'm just a little confused about this discussion of lining the box so that sections of the concrete can be added and removed. The ballast box is built such that the top isn't completely open. It is partially covered on two sides of the opening. Therefore, you couldn't just stack in poured sections and take them out here and there. The only way you could do this would be to leave plenty of room so that these slabs could be tipped up and pulled out vertically. Even then, I wouldn't think that it would be very easy to manipulate one of these sections in this way. Plus, you'd be leaving a lot of empty space around the blocks and then have these blocks sliding around in there. Maybe I'm missing something...

As in this thread, I prefer crushed stone for the versatilty and non-permanence.

Ensoll said:

Hi Everyone, Hi Jeff!

I'm just a little confused about this discussion of lining the box so that sections of the concrete can be added and removed. The ballast box is built such that the top isn't completely open. It is partially covered on two sides of the opening.

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I guess you could build a form and pour lengthwise rectangular vertical slabs. Then take them out of the form and simply drop & slide into place under the front and back rims, then the open middle. You essentially create perfectly sized patio blocks. Just add a lifting ring to at least the the one in the open middle area.

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Seams like a lot of work to me. Sand or stone is so much easier to deal with.

Ensoll said:

Hi Everyone, Hi Jeff!

I'm just a little confused about this discussion of lining the box so that sections of the concrete can be added and removed. The ballast box is built such that the top isn't completely open. It is partially covered on two sides of the opening. Therefore, you couldn't just stack in poured sections and take them out here and there. The only way you could do this would be to leave plenty of room so that these slabs could be tipped up and pulled out vertically. Even then, I wouldn't think that it would be very easy to manipulate one of these sections in this way. Plus, you'd be leaving a lot of empty space around the blocks and then have these blocks sliding around in there. Maybe I'm missing something...

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Yeah Scotty what about that????:nunu::lol:

My "Bad" I guess........

........I thought that they were like, 1/4" sides that were just forming an open topped box!!!!!!! I don't have one, just visualizing what your contending with! My 'ballast' consists of just a rear implement: IE Tiller or Back-hoe hanginging off the back. (Low-Tech) Granted, If yours has 'Lips', on it, your more or less tied to a grandular material! Lead Shot, would probably work great, but then the front wheels might be off the ground ! ~Scotty