# 2004 F150 Super Crew Ballast Question



## buffalo_dives (Jul 18, 2015)

I just put a new Fisher SD 7.6' plow on my 2004 F150 FX4 Super Crew. Does anyone have any idea as to how much ballast I should run in the bed? I have a 3" Rancho Quick Lift in front with 33x12.5 R 18 Super Swamper Truxx M/Ts. Thank you for your help.


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## Sawboy (Dec 18, 2005)

500 pounds

And get some good tires for plowing


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

300lbs at the tale-gate.

And get some good tires for plowing.


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## Flyboy77 (Jun 23, 2014)

The Fisher eMatch says you shouldn't have that plow, so that doesn't help. But if switched to SuperCab, 5.4V8, 3900FGAWR, 6.5ft bed, factory recommends 810lbs of ballast with SD plow. If 8ft bed, 1070lbs. http://ematch.fisherplows.com/vehinfo.asp

Call around to local scrap yards to see if they have any steel plate to sell that can cross behind wheel wells then bolt/clamp it down, most can cut to size needed. Scrap prices are cheap. Keeps your whole bed usable.

. . . and winter tires . . .


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

use sand bags, placed behind the rear axel, by the tale gate. then you have something to use as a traction aid for when you get stuck, and you will get stuck.


? how is he going to remove this steel plate, not everyone has a crane/loader to pick it up?


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## Flyboy77 (Jun 23, 2014)

Good point Sno, one option: 2 ton crane (engine hoist) at Harbor Freight - $180 w/coupon. or 1ton for $140cpn. http://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-capacity-foldable-shop-crane-69514.html

It would take 16 x 50# bags of sand to reach the manufactures recommended ballast of 810#. Sandbags work well too and serve dual purpose, but would take up a lot of space. Providing a suggestion. I don't know why Fisher recommends so much weight, but they do and this could achieve that and still have a lot of bed space if needed.

I guess nobody recommends following Fisher's guidance including poster, use whatever works. Add more until you have the traction you require. If you use sandbags, maybe make a 2x4 wood divider for the built-in slots to hold it by the tailgate. Sand bags when wet then frozen can become heavy sliding blocks of ice if not contained.


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## Flyboy77 (Jun 23, 2014)

Since the poster requested ballast amount as opposed to how much to meet traction requirements, can anybody explain the purpose of ballast and why the manufacturer calls for 810# or 1070#? I really don't understand why they call out more weight than all of the plow components combined.

When I looked it up for an 04 F350 SuperCab, 5.4V8, 6.8box, for a 7'6" SD it only lists 110# of ballast.

Would 800# ballast have helped, watch front wheel:


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

use 70# bags and make a ballast box like Dogplow did.

then I park my 2 stage snow blower over the rear axle and put my shovels by the cab.

your plow is attached to a lever, this is why you May need more ballast than what the plow weights. and it depends on your spring rates also...


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## buffalo_dives (Jul 18, 2015)

I was asking because its been about 20 years since the last time I plowed for myself and back then I was plowing a lifted 86 blazer with 35 inch tires and a 8 foot fisher plow and never used anything for added weight or ballast. With plowing a F150 Super Crew I just wasnt sure what the differences where going to be. I pretty much rebuilt the truck with an eye towards plowing. (Rancho quick lift and RS9000 rear shocks and the Truxx MTs a good friend who owns a off road shop runs them on all of his plow trucks and has sworn by them. And he can run pretty much any tire and cheaper ones). 
As for the fitment guide not specing the SD 7.6 for my truck the shop I bought my plow from said the weight difference is only 65 lbs total between the SD and the HT series but they dont install the HT series because they do not like the design of them with the ram instead of the chain and I dont like that either.


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## Flyboy77 (Jun 23, 2014)

I love pictures!! Thanks, learned a few things there. figured leverage came into play, didn't realize the rear can be a fulcrum, too.


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## buffalo_dives (Jul 18, 2015)

I loved that picture too. I also learned a few things


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