# Ballast location



## mayhem (Aug 25, 2006)

Where in the bed is it best to put my ballast? I will be plowing my driveway only so I don't need to do alot of travelling with the plow hooked up. On the one hand the plow will sit out way in front of the front axle and will act like a lever with the fulcrum being a thte front axle to lift the rear off the ground so that suggests I would want the ballast as close to the tailgate as possible, but then without the plot that ballast would act as a lever to lift the front tires off the ground, so wihtout the plow I'm probably better with ballast between the wheelwells.

What do the experts recommend? I'll be using 6-8 50lb ice melt bags, supplied by my employer. Fisher's website recommends 300lb of ballast for my specific model truck and plow, which surprised me...thought it would be more.


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## TerrForms (Dec 9, 2005)

*Ballast*

Mayhem: We put 1000lbs between the back axle and tailgate on our F150 4x4. We do some road plowing and drives. Hope that helps.
JS


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## ChipsEarthWorks (Nov 25, 2003)

Between the rear axel and the tailgate, closer to the tailgate, What you want to look at as stupid as this sounds, is picture your truck on the top of a triangle and the plow tips it towards the front, the ballest as far back as possiably will tip it towards the rear and help balnace it out. Make sense? Basically as far back as possiably, if you got the slots in the bed to slid a 2x4 or 2x6 in them then put one in the last slots closest to the tailgate then fill in between the board and the gate that should work well,with the plow on or off,

Just make sure your ballest is secure and it is enough to off set the plow, If you think it is to little add more, you life will be much easier with the right amount of weight,


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## smokinspartan (Nov 24, 2004)

i got a question about the ballast too. i have a '04 Chevy 2500HD 4x4, the plow i use, is a 8ft boss steel v-plow. i have about 800lbs ballast in the rear. my question is, do you guys leave the ballast in entire season or what? will it screw up the shocks or anything? also, ive had some people tell me to put more like 1500lbs. it just seems like if i had 1500lbs loaded up there for like 4-5months, the suspension would be sagging and what not afterwards. or are the 2500HDs shocks handle that without a problem?


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## terrapro (Oct 21, 2006)

smokinspartan;352900 said:


> i got a question about the ballast too. i have a '04 Chevy 2500HD 4x4, the plow i use, is a 8ft boss steel v-plow. i have about 800lbs ballast in the rear. my question is, do you guys leave the ballast in entire season or what? will it screw up the shocks or anything? also, ive had some people tell me to put more like 1500lbs. it just seems like if i had 1500lbs loaded up there for like 4-5months, the suspension would be sagging and what not afterwards. or are the 2500HDs shocks handle that without a problem?


woah 1500lbs all the time sounds alittle much for a 2500hd. i have an 8.2 bossV on a 3/4ton chevy and i only use 300-400lbs behind the rear wheels and it is plenty to balance me out. yes 1500lbs 24/7 will kill your rear suspension pretty quick


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## weeman97 (Dec 4, 2005)

i run one of those bed x-tenders and filled it with 560lbs of sand tubes. to counter the 8ft fisher MM1 on my 1500 ram works great!


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## mayhem (Aug 25, 2006)

I tossed 400# of salt bgs between the wheelwells for the time being. I can easily shift it rearward a few feet in the unlikely event we get some white stuff and I have to haul my plow out of the mud to clear the driveway.

Thanks for the replies.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

mayhem;351269 said:


> Fisher's website recommends 300lb of ballast for my specific model truck and plow, which surprised me...thought it would be more.


What do the experts say, you answered your own question, fisher says 300lbs.

Placed correctly (all the way to the rear and as low as possible) that's probably fine. Remember the lever ratio. Your front axle acts as the fulcrum for the lever, making the multiple around 1:3. In other words the 300lbs in the rear is the same as 900lbs on the front. If you measured the distances it would seem more like 1:4 but the rear axle confuses this formula a little bit. Heavier or assisted rears will counter-act the lever effect though resistance.

I run about 2,000lbs in my 3/4 ton. the extra weight helps traction.


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## CruZer (Oct 24, 2006)

Tim, that's nice of your "employer" to supply you with ice melt / ballast.
I have to get sand from the town yard.
G


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## mayhem (Aug 25, 2006)

Helps to always make sure the facilities manager gets good service from Technology (aka, me). Always trust your low friends in low places.


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