# Fisher Ballast Retainer Kit or make soemthing totally from scratch



## watson524 (Apr 7, 2008)

Hi all,

We have a 99 Dodge Ram 1500 with a 7.5' Fisher plow on it. Need a way to keep the samd bags and whatnot firmly behind the wheels. 

I saw a Fisher ballast retainer kit but I was wondering if it was worth it or if we could just make something ourselves. I was thinking a few 2x8"s screwed one on top of the other and then 2x8" "legs" from the bottom of that to the back of the truck so it can't slide back.

We have a factory bed liner in it that has slots for a 2" board but it's only 15" from the tailgate and aside from being well to the tailgate side of the wheel wells, I also couldn't fit some plastic bins to hold the ballast weight in that space so I was hoping to get something right up against the wheel well but be able to stop it from sliding up and over. Didn't know if bottom legs were enough. I'm only doing 3 driveways so not a lot of slamming forward so I don't think the 2 2x8"s on top of each other would "bend" over.

thanks for any input!


----------



## KJ Cramer (Aug 20, 2009)

You could definetly make your own. I use 4 rubbermaid roughneck totes filled with 150lbs of sand each, and put them in and take them out each snow event. All I do is pick'em up and put'em in and ratchet strap the four in a row acroos back of bed to the factory tie-downs at each rear corner and then one strap over the top to the side strap to hold it all in place. Between the shear weight and the ratchet straps they have never moved on me. Its a 5 minute in and out and I got my whole bed available to me when not plowing and the totes were like 5 bucks with lids each and the sand I had.


----------



## watson524 (Apr 7, 2008)

Thanks for the tip! I had never used ballast before so with this last storm (NE PA), we threw in some old shingle packs, hardended bags of quickcrete, etc and it wasn't moving around but I want to be safe. I'm going to head to home depot and pick up some containers and sand.


----------



## akblacklab (Mar 15, 2010)

Have you considered one of those tube bed extenders? Some of them can be reversed and used to create a compartment in your pickup bed.


----------



## Kenyou (Oct 13, 2007)

I have a plywood and 2x4 barrier behind the rear wheel wells. I stack about 10 bags of salt and 2 bags of sand between the barrier and tail gate. There is 24 inches between the two. It has worked great for a few years. Now I am going to build a pallet to fit in that space and put the bags of salt on that. Then I can use a fork lift to take it out and put it back in, with out breaking my back. Then I can use my truck for other things. Other wise, I have to lift everything I want to carry over the sides.


----------



## Kuzanut (Jan 18, 2009)

just remember to watch your tailgate... you can bend one into the shape of a "W" real quick... not that i'd know though.... :realmad:


----------



## cubanb343 (Dec 13, 2007)

I put a 2 x 12 in the slot of the bed behind the wheels. I put 6 80 lb sand tubes between that and the tailgate. Works perfect, and cost $0


----------



## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

cubanb343;1043191 said:


> I put a 2 x 12 in the slot of the bed behind the wheels. I put 6 80 lb sand tubes between that and the tailgate. Works perfect, and cost $0


Yep most people do this unless u want to make a project for no reason..


----------

