# FGAW question and ballast support.



## JimRoss (Sep 23, 2003)

New Boss STD 7.5 Poly ( 633# + 100# mount ) on my 09 Chevy 1500. With 470# of sand/salt as ballast, a full tank of fuel, my FGAW is 4080 ( 3950 allowed ). My total gross is 6700# ( 7000# allowed ). I'm just a tad over on the front axle. I could try to lessen that by adding more ballast, but then I'd be over my total gross. I'm not plowing comercially, so should I leave it like it is?

Also, is this support enough to safely secure my ballast? Front boards are two 2x6's stacked with a 2x6 across the middle to keep the stacked 2 together. Then 2 boxed 2x4 frames to support the center from snaping in half during heavy braking. Pic is only six 40# sand bags. I stood them up on end and was able to add 2 more sand bags and three 50# salt bags.


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## STIHL GUY (Sep 22, 2009)

try it out and se how it works for you. you may be fine with that amount of ballast or you may want to try to add some more..you might wanna think of another way to keep the sandbags in so you can haul a blower around if you wanted to


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## JimRoss (Sep 23, 2003)

No need to haul my blower around. Just doing my drive, freinds/family if they ask. I'm not getting out of my warm truck to do their walks, they can do that themself...LOL


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## cold_and_tired (Dec 18, 2008)

I think you should try a little more ballast to bring your truck up to it's GVWR and see what that does to the front end. Even though you are a little over on the front, I don't think it's enough weight to cause a catastrophic breakdown.

As far as the ballast bracing, that sand is not going anywhere. Think about it as if your truck were standing on it's nose. That structure you built will support a few thousand pounds on it. So let's say that you have 500 lbs of ballast, you would have to stop with a force of at least 4g's to break the 2x4's. You certainly aren't going to do that with brakes alone. 

Even if you rear ended someone, I would say that the support system will perform it's duty.


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