# How much weight?



## Northman (Feb 6, 2005)

How much weight should I put in the bed of my 1/2 ton, to off set the plow in the front? I am guessing about 500LBS. Going to use sand tubes. If I buy 7 sand tubes it would be 560LBS at 80LB a piece. Is this enough or to much?


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

Depends on the brand of plow and truck's cab configuration. I generally suggest 300# and go up/down from there.


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## Mowerpan (Jan 31, 2005)

Northman said:


> How much weight should I put in the bed of my 1/2 ton, to off set the plow in the front? I am guessing about 500LBS. Going to use sand tubes. If I buy 7 sand tubes it would be 560LBS at 80LB a piece. Is this enough or to much?


More the merrier, just add as much as your think. I know on my lil s-10 blazer with a 7' plow I run 700 lbs.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

You'll need to experiment a little, but of course, that requires snow.

Thats the joy of the sand tubes--easy to add or subtract as necessary. 500lbs is probably a good start.

Alot also depends on whether or not you have a posi or decent tires.


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## Northman (Feb 6, 2005)

*60LB bags of sand*

Ok, I could only find 60 LB tube sand. So I bought 17 of them for a total of 1020 LBS. I know I will need to take some out, Thinking of trying 600 LB first and put the rest in the Cherokee. This has been a problem of mine for years with the cherokee, nose heavy and getting stuck going down into low areas and lifting rear. Didnt even think of adding weight to off set the plow, DUH on me. Always had put weight in my 2 wheel drive, but never even thought about it on the plow trucks. Glad to have found this site to learn something for future use. Non-posi 3.73 gears 32 11.5 15 tires long bed k1500 homeowner use with a 700 foot gravel driveway. Ideas or what amount do you use? Heres the truck pit. http://www.plowsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=14887&d=1138495001


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

A thousand pounds is WAY too much for a 1/2 ton with any 7.5' plow. I think your Meyer weighs around 600 - 650#. Then you might want to try 400# of ballast.

Your Northman plow probably weighs around 800#. So, maybe 500# of ballast.


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## NoFearDeere (Nov 7, 2005)

Just put in enough to where the truck feels and looks ok. What I always do is put in enough ballast until the front of the truck doesnt nosedive anymore...make the front and rear at the same height. With my F-250, the truck doesnt even budge when the plow's on, but the spreader and deicer make the rear sag about 2 inches...


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## Rowski (Oct 24, 2005)

In my '01 Chevy I run about 900 to 1k lbs in the bed. Not near the tail gate. Between the wheel wells and forward to the cab.

Derek


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Ballast, should be placed rearward of the rear axle, toward the tailgate.
400lb to 600lb total, should be more than enough weight.


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## PremierLand (Jun 11, 2004)

I put 960 in the back of my truck, and it's ALOT better than the 600 I had before. Didnt need 4wd once this morning!

However for a halfton, I would think 500 would be suitiable. Give or take 100.


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## jrm123180 (Aug 23, 2004)

I fill the bed of my truck with snow for now. I'm hoping to get something like a couple of pieces of granite that I can remove easily with my engine lift


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## dj&sonplowing (Jan 11, 2006)

well idont think a load of snow willl give you much ballast,, but dont over do it,, id say 300- on a half ton would be plenty,, i tore out a tranny on myold 3/4 ton one time, i put 1000 lbs of green oak in there, while i was vplowing,, it sure helped, but put way too much strain on my tranny,, yoiu gotta have some give there, tires gotta be able to spin, or it takes out the weakest link,, being the tranny


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## GripTruk (Dec 1, 2003)

Rowski said:


> In my '01 Chevy I run about 900 to 1k lbs in the bed. Not near the tail gate. Between the wheel wells and forward to the cab.
> 
> Derek


If you had 450 pounds all the way in the back it would probably be just as effective, and would not add additional stress to the front end like your current setup. Your ballast is essentially in the middle of the truck. You have to figure your plow is hanging about 6 feet in front of the front axle, therefor you want the ballast (which is meant to counteract that weight) to be as far behind the rear axle as possible.

The point of ballast (as I see it) is not to add weight overall but to offset the effect of the plow lightening the rear by pushing down in front. By adding weight to the rear you are bringing the truck back to an even balance. If you add weight between the axles, about half of it is on the front axle.

-Jer


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## Rowski (Oct 24, 2005)

GripTruk said:


> If you had 450 pounds all the way in the back it would probably be just as effective, and would not add additional stress to the front end like your current setup. Your ballast is essentially in the middle of the truck. You have to figure your plow is hanging about 6 feet in front of the front axle, therefor you want the ballast (which is meant to counteract that weight) to be as far behind the rear axle as possible.
> 
> The point of ballast (as I see it) is not to add weight overall but to offset the effect of the plow lightening the rear by pushing down in front. By adding weight to the rear you are bringing the truck back to an even balance. If you add weight between the axles, about half of it is on the front axle.
> 
> -Jer


True...

But what happens when you put your plow on the ground and plowing? Your front end is lighter due to the weight being all the way back. What make a good pushing truck (in my opinion) is an overall heavy truck, not just heavy in the rear, lets the frontend due some work too. My plow is also on and off a lot. Usually 30 or more time a season. So when driving around with no plow and all the ballast at the rear make for a heck of a ride with the frost heaves. Also I have a little space to "pick up" stuff with out breaking my sand bags

Not trying to say your wrong. I undersrand that less weight would be required due to the lever effect. I know what works for me, has since 2001. Originally I had the weight (and less) at the rear, didn't work for my needs and taste.

Derek


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## GripTruk (Dec 1, 2003)

Rowski said:


> True...
> 
> But what happens when you put your plow on the ground and plowing? Your front end is lighter due to the weight being all the way back. What make a good pushing truck (in my opinion) is an overall heavy truck, not just heavy in the rear, lets the frontend due some work too. My plow is also on and off a lot. Usually 30 or more time a season. So when driving around with no plow and all the ballast at the rear make for a heck of a ride with the frost heaves. Also I have a little space to "pick up" stuff with out breaking my sand bags
> 
> ...


I hear ya, and if your truck can handle all that weight on a constant basis then I'm sure it's fine, I was under the impression that you had ballast that you were adding and removing each time with the plow. I understand that can be a pain in the ass so I see where you're coming from, I just figured an extra 1/2 ton of sand wasn't helping your gas mileage much. In general I think pickup trucks are heavy in the front to begin with so I really don't think you need to add much weight to the front, Even with the plow down it's still probably 200 extra pounds with the pump and frame and stuff.
Anyway, if it works for you, and it's been working for you then you might as well keep at it, I was just going "by the book" as it were.

-Jer


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## TRUE TURF LAWN (Sep 12, 2005)

You Dont Need Weight, Only If You Going To Run A Plow Biger Than A An 8 Footer.


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## Northman (Feb 6, 2005)

TRUE TURF LAWN said:


> You Dont Need Weight, Only If You Going To Run A Plow Biger Than A An 8 Footer.


You must not plow on uneven country driveways. More then once in the last 11 years I had nosed the end of the plow off downhill and it lifts the rear tires to where you couldnt get traction. This has happened in the cherokee and now with the K1500 I got this year. I could tell the difference in the handling of both of the plow setups after adding the weight. So far so good and they drive alot better and dont feel as squirrelly in the muck. The weight is a postive move for me. Went with 660lbs in truck and 720lbs in cherokee. Will let you know if I lift the rears in the future after the weight was added.


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