# what do you guys use as ballast?



## serafii

i was at the shop today, pulled out the plow and threw some ballast in the bed.

got a whole bunch of work to be done to the plow. these new plows are made soo cheap compared to the old speedcast models. the moldboard and the ribs are soo flimsy.i gotta reinforce the outter ribs because ive been straightening them out atleast twice a year.

while i was there i also threw in some ballast onto the bed. hopefully it'll be enough. all i gotta do to the truck is turn the t-bars 2-3 turns.

i got a quote to sanblast and paint the plow/mount. the guy wants $300. definitely better than taking 2-3 days off work to sand/grind it down and paint it myself. only down side to it is that it wont be fisher yellow anymore. he uses a standard yellow, that he uses on all his other blast/paint jobs. its almost like the yellow from an old CASE loader.

i was just wondering what you guys use as ballast and how much. lets see some pics.


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## serafii

the last one is a picture of what it looked like when i took it home from the dealer.
poor thing went thru war


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## mercer_me

The blade looks like it's brand new now. Nice ballest set up also.


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## serafii

the plow looks like it caught a beating, the last picture is from 2006 when it was new


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## mercer_me

serafii;1106990 said:


> the plow looks like it caught a beating, the last picture is from 2006 when it was new


I just read that woops sorry. You should post some pictures after it got painted.


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## ProSeasons

A SnowMan pull plow. Works as ballast, too, among other things it does.


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## Welderguy24

ProSeasons;1107000 said:


> A SnowMan pull plow. Works as ballast, too, among other things it does.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ What he said


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## serafii

im hoping the paint shop is open tomorrow so i can bring it in, if not its going in monday and should be ready by the end of the week.

i wouldnt spend money on a back plow for a pick up with i have my new holland with a 7'-11' pull plow on it. although i love those ebling plows.


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## docsgmc

home depot ....sand bags...$1.50 for a 20 lb bag


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## OHSIX6OH

I have been using the 70lb. sand tubes from Lowes. They work great and gives you something to throw down on the ice . Only pissah is they sometimes will freeze up solid


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## Turf Commando

I use sand also ....


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## leepotter

I got 500lbs of sand bags.


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## KL&M Snow Div.

I don't plow but I still use sandbags for ballast


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## Mark13

Bags of salt or tractor weights. Sometimes both.


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## plowman4life

loaded sander/salter. plus bag salt plus snowblower


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## RBRONKEMA GHTFD

Very creative with the ballast. I use my ebling


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## serafii

Thanks, I'm just waiting for my fall clean ups to be over then I'm gonna be adding about 10-12 40kg bags of salt


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## timberjack

I use a 100 gallon slip tank, it stays on year round, bolted down to the bed. Though it's just above/ slightly ahead of the rear axle, but imagine the extra 800-900 pounds helps anyway. I make sure i load up on fuel when there's snow forecast.


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## habart30

I use 10-12 concrete blocks. May seem funny, but in Michigan its cold enough that snow fills the bed of your truck, and stays there all winter. The snow compacts the blocks so they don't slide around. Worked great for me last year


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## Moonlighter

I have four 5 gallon buckets at the tailgate 2 full of concrete and rock and 2 are salt buckets. Plus the snow blower, 6 bags of salt, spare tire, and all my tools in the bed box, I figure I am somewhere around 800 to 1000 lbs.


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## welded wrenches

*SAFE; Ballast,next too free..*

Here is next free ballast idea that is not dangerous when you wreck up.etc..Old inner tubes cut and removed the valve stem and.fill these with 5 parts course and and 1 part rock salt.and tie off the ends with zip-ties or wires.Adding the rock salt will prevent these sand tubes from freezing solid like a brick..These always soft and flexible,and not dangerous like them bricks and them store bought 70 lb.sand tubes that freeze solid like a brick also.Now which is better to hit with while in a wreck-crash a brick of a soft sand-salt filled old inner tube..just my 2 cents....good luck with your bricks..LOL


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## DrakeSabitch

I use the 60lb Quickcrete tube sand. lowes, home depot, etc sells them for a couple bucks a pop. i have about 500 pounds worth, and i fit them in between some 2x8s which i slide in the slots in the bed liner. You can get creative and make a nice box to fit them in so they dont move around and wont get in the way when u load your bed with cargo. easy to remove in the spring, just be careful you dont get rips in the bags.


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## AiRhed

I use JD tractor weights. 600lbs worth In a custom built box that is Ratchet Strapped to the Bed. I just designed and built the box a day or two ago. Its covered in 3/4in plywood and fastened with 3" construction screws. It's pretty solid.


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## AiRhed




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## GMCHD plower

AiRhed;1107823 said:


>


NICE!! Where are the pictures of your "back-up" truck?


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## Pushinsnow

I use 20 44 lb cinder blocks


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## AiRhed

That's the backup!


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## serafii

Welded wrenches, the bricks won't move forward or backwards. They are placed in a "box" made with 2x8 wood planks that slide into the slots in the bedliner. And I also have 2 2x8 planks going from the front of the bed and are screwed into the "box" with the bricks. So in case of a hard hit into a snow bank or a hard braking, those blocks aren't going anywhere. My dad has used this "system" for the last 20yrs, never any problems


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## AiRhed

Is there something over the top preventing the bricks from flying vertically out of the box and through your head in the ultra rare event of a high speed accident? Say driving to a remote site at 60mph and you get cut off by the lowballer?


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## sdaigh

I came across a bunch of old railroad rail so i torched holes in all of it to run 3/4" threaded rod through it and have a pack on each side back by the tailgate (left room up the middle for snowblower) then ran cable around the threaded rod out the tailgate gap and around the bumper bracket to hold it back incase of an accident. I have about 950lbs in back, most of that railroad rail weighs between 110-142lbs for 3' piece


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## Morrissey snow removal

i use a cat 315 36" excavator bucket in the pick up and sander in the other trucks!!!


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## the new boss 92

Mark13;1107161 said:


> Bags of salt or tractor weights. Sometimes both.


tractor weights is what i use to, bout 800lbs of them. i used 4x4 once this year out of 2 storms!


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## KMBertog

Bags of sand from Home Depot plus a couple 50 pound bags of chloride. About 300 lbs total for me.


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## ricjus001

Roofing shingles in packaging or shrink wrap.. However many bundles are needed. They are flat, heavy and dont move on a spray on bed liner.


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## Holland

650lbs of IH tractor weights, salt, toolbox full of crap, tailgate spreader and a couple fat chicks. And i hope it all comes into the cab in an accident, i dont wanna limp away from it!


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## STIHL GUY

i have 4 5 gallon buckets filled with rocks from my yard...all together they weigh 240 lbs and then 2 60 lb sand tubes for a total of 360 lbs


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## plowguy43

I use a few 2x6's like the OP, with 1 across behind the rear tires. I then fill that spot with havy sand. In the event of an accident there will just be sand everywhere, nothing that will kill you. I'll snapp a pic tomorrow.


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## procutsnow

I have (13) 70# bags of tube sand from Lowe's for a total of 910#. I run them length wise and have them ratchet strapped down. There are probably "cleaner" more professional ways to do it but they are low enough that if I drop my tailgate for visibility backing up they don't obstruct my view and it was pretty easy. Good luck.


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## joey7599

I use 4 70 pound bags of sand


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## cole22

Put a back blade on any truck well worth the money! And they work amazing!


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## cole22

Morrissey snow removal service;1161620 said:


> i use a cat 315 36" excavator bucket in the pick up and sander in the other trucks!!!


Yeah I suppose the 345 bucket won't fit between the wheel wells!


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## fargosnowpro

Those pavers are a pretty slick idea!

We use a 2x12 and 600-800lbs of sand bags depending on the truck, nothing too fancy.


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## JN16184

Bags of sand and ice melt/rock salt, usually about 600 lbs. Plus a spreader and sometimes a snowblower.


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## hedhunter9

I built a 2x4 frame on top of a 1/2" OSB board and filled it with cement.
I have made a couple different ones.

One fits between and behind the wheel wells and is anchored to the bed tiedowns at back.
This one weighs about 600 lbs. Add 4-5 bags of salt I always carry plus misc. stuff and I have 800-900lbs back behind the wheels..

I cant believe how much better the short bed standard cab F150 truck rides with this weight back there !

The other design I did was I built a box all the way to the front of the bed, but only filled the area between the wheel wells back to the tailgate. Divided by a 2x4 wall.
This one weighed about 850lbs. Anchored down same way. Add 200-300lbs of salt and stuff and this one makes the extra cab F150 ride much better as well.

What is nice about this, is, I still have use of about 85% of my bed area and can still load all the stuff I need to haul around all winter.

Bob


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## joe2113

15 bucks an hour for the package deal, in the event of a breakdown they clear off small to medium sized lots by hand. I got mine at Home Depot, but you can probably find some at any home improvement/hardware store.


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## aperfcrcle

joe2113;1162920 said:


> 15 bucks an hour for the package deal, in the event of a breakdown they clear off small to medium sized lots by hand. I got mine at Home Depot, but you can probably find some at any home improvement/hardware store.


HAHAHAHAH :laughing:


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## gutter guy

i use bags of coal, 40lb about 6 bags


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## PrimoSR

80lb. bags of salt from Menards. $6.49/bag usually put 6 of them back there.


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## LunchBox

I'm currently running a piece of curbing in my pickup, my 5500 is my service truck and thats already over loaded with tools, a welder, compressor and 100 gallons of diesel, on my international 6 wheeler cab and chassis I run 4,000 pounds of cement blocks.

In the past I've used crane blocks (the hooks), track pieces off the big crawlers, and bags of rocks.


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## roysleight

Eight used grader blades cut to length of the bed. Adds about 500# and lays flat so I still can use the bed for hauling.


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## baltz526

This year i have 10 60lb tubes of sand ratchet strapped to the rear of flat bed, wrapped in a poly tarp to protect them for reuse. I think i'll go with 15 tubes next year, still a little light.


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## AG09

joe2113;1162920 said:


> 15 bucks an hour for the package deal, in the event of a breakdown they clear off small to medium sized lots by hand. I got mine at Home Depot, but you can probably find some at any home improvement/hardware store.


:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:


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## BossPlow2010

joe2113;1162920 said:


> 15 bucks an hour for the package deal, in the event of a breakdown they clear off small to medium sized lots by hand. I got mine at Home Depot, but you can probably find some at any home improvement/hardware store.


Ahh there's no room for the bail out papers! 
jk

Merry Christmas everyone!


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## dellwas

I have two 30 litre plastic drums that are sealed with quick detach lids that are waterproof. Both are filled with dry sand, and ratchet strapped to tie metal tie-downs in the bed of the box.


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## mricefish

started out with 6inch pvc about 2foot long filled with left over concrete. lined them up across the back. make a box so they did not slide around. worked great, but was hard to put things in the back of the box (run the snow blower in etc...) Now found a deal at local fab. shop. was able to take a steel plate off their hands for scrap price holes were milled in wrong spot. I think it is 1 or 1 1/2 thick and good sized 800lb. Bolt that to the frame and does not take any storage space from the bed and only 1 or so lip to jump over. steel plate works great, just make sure you get it secured some how. 25 bucks is all i had to give so could not go wrong at all.


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## newhere

Its almost 2 and I'm at the bar right now looking for some ballast weight!!! Big girls need a purpose to!!!! "Baby did you really think I was gona sleep with you? Get in the back let's go plow you silly heffer"


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## racer47

i alwasy have salt... start out with skid we salt everthing we plow go throught 3 to 4 skids every event all my lots are within 5 miles of shop so we run back and get more when were empty bought 94 chevy 4by4 i ton dulley put truck craft aluminum dump insert on it looking for tc 130 tail gate salter tired of humping all that salt going to let skid steer do it next year


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## royallawn

the wife,lol


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## cole22

I put 1500 lbs of Sand bags in behind the wheel wells. Parking lots are mostly 2wd unless its a lot a of snow!


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## justme-

I run 2 Rubbermade Roughneck totes (18 gal I think) full of sand/salt for spreading in the rear corners near the tailgate (some years that is all) and usually several bags of sand over and just behind the axle to the tune of 600-800 lbs - total of between 1000 and 1500 lbs. The totes always fluctuate in weight since I use that for customers.
Keep in mind ballast must be behind the rear axle to offset the plow weight so the fuel tank mentioned above is adding traction from weight but it's also adding weight to the front axle not countering it. i'll try to shoot a pic tomorrow (truck's dirty- driveway is mud and I spent today hauling in 3/4 stone to fill in the worst parts (and spreading it around with the plow)


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## cole22

I should have said i start the season with that but as I go through the winter sand gets used random places etc know theirs 600 in the back of the truck know.


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## road2damascus

I use a pull plow, 45lb plates for weight lifting (they never get used anymore for the right purpose), 10lb plates to fit in smaller areas, big tool box, extra parts: Battery, alternator, angle cylinders, salt bags as well.


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## bigbadbrad

finally got some pics, saved some gear oil buckets from work this summer, filled them with gravel from my uncle's pit, had that board there all this winter, just broke it in half this past weekend scraping the ice from my driveway!!


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## comeeonn

i use a crossover and 2 side boxes stuffed full, and a 100 gal transfer tank


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## bigbadbrad

oh and the buckets were full to the top at the begining of winter, settled down a bit, i will top them off this summer for some more weight, I would say that they allready weigh probly at leats 75lbs a piece


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## WesternproGMC

I uses 85LB blocks...

most time i have 4 Blocks in but i have 2 more at home just in case i need more weight


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## ken643

I can not stop laughing Joe 2113, I am laughing my ass off, LOL LOL, Good One!!


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## odd1or2even

I put a heavy duty pallet down, then load up two layers of cinder blocks on top. Then block it up so the pallet can't slide. Take the skid steer and put the forks on to remove after the storm instead of hauling the weight around all the time. Then pop it back in when it's needed... a lot less work then loading and unloading


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## Greenmtboy

1700 pound counter weight for an excavator.


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## pooleo8

10 cinder blocks in the back. about 400 lbs


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## mercer_me

pooleo8;1295260 said:


> 10 cinder blocks in the back. about 400 lbs


I used cinder blocks once and they froze to my body so, I had to bust them up with a sledge hammer to get them out.


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## pooleo8

mercer_me;1295281 said:


> I used cinder blocks once and they froze to my body so, I had to bust them up with a sledge hammer to get them out.


lol. thats terrible. I have a bed liner so havnt had any problems. I've heard of guys having them com flying thru the back window so folks dont like to use them. I figure im safe with my cover on.


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## mercer_me

pooleo8;1295317 said:


> lol. thats terrible. I have a bed liner so havnt had any problems. I've heard of guys having them com flying thru the back window so folks dont like to use them. I figure im safe with my cover on.


I have a spray on bed liner and they froze up bad. I have head ache rack so I wasn't worried about them coming through the back window.


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## mercer_me

My boss had me go pick up 40 1 litre cases of water today. There is 18 bottles in a case and 1 litre of water weighs about 2.2 pounds so, that's 1,584 pounds of water plus the packedging and the pallet it was on so, that over 1,600 pounds. I was thinking about how good it would work for ballest becouse it weighs alot and sicne it's on a pallet it you can put it in and out in a second with a tractor with forks. But, it was a little more than I would want to haul around in a 1/2 ton truck. (I ended up taking the the top two tiers off and putting them in the front of the body before I left.)


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## Tosa93F250

mercer_me;1296095 said:


> My boss had me go pick up 40 1 litre cases of water today. There is 18 bottles in a case and 1 litre of water weighs about 2.2 pounds so, that's 1,584 pounds of water plus the packedging and the pallet it was on so, that over 1,600 pounds. I was thinking about how good it would work for ballest becouse it weighs alot and sicne it's on a pallet it you can put it in and out in a second with a tractor with forks. But, it was a little more than I would want to haul around in a 1/2 ton truck. (I ended up taking the the top two tiers off and putting them in the front of the body before I left.)


Only 1600 lbs in a 1/2ton? That's barely over the rating. In fact being a reg cab long bed that's probably still within the rating. Also, next time when they load something that heavy have them grab another pallet and push it to the front of the bed. Will handle a lot better since it isn't taking all the weight off your front tires.

How about 49 50lb bags of salt, 2450 lbs for just that plus any snow that built up in the bed. Pretty much right at 2500 lbs. Truck is rated for just under 1400lbs.

I'm pretty sure I would have plenty of ballast if I used it as a plow.


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## bigbadbrad

one of my buddies put a ton of wood pellets in the back of his shortbed 2wd ranger before, i shold ask him for the pic! talk about a low rider


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## mercer_me

bigbadbrad;1296353 said:


> one of my buddies put a ton of wood pellets in the back of his shortbed 2wd ranger before, i shold ask him for the pic! talk about a low rider


I stacked green Oak all the way up so it was level with my roof when I had my Ranger. My Ranger had an extra leaf spring on each side so it didn't squat to bad.


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## DareDog

dont run anything in the back, she squats some do to t-bars are not turned up. when first time plow went on front end would shake.


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## m.$terner

In the salt truck we put a whole pallet of salt in there (50 bags x 50 lbs/bag) =2500 lbs

In the plow truck I use 1800 lbs of pure concrete.never got stuck and hardly ever put it in 4 wheel drive. works like a charm


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## vegaman04

Looking at adding some ballast. I have access to old man hole covers that weigh 180lbs each. Trying to get some ideas of how to secure these from sliding around, ejected during a rollover and try to maintain bed space. Planing on using 6 covers and was thinking of a 3/4" sheet of plywood, cut the holes that fit the smaller rings to prevent them from sliding around. That's what i got so far.....


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## bigbadbrad

i think that if you rollover you should be woring about other things!


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## Puddle of Oil

I have about 1300 pounds of sand. It's a giant rock right now.


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## tailboardtech

I use salt but I work for the county my dads trucks usually use a pallet of salt, tractor suitcase weight or 2 round bales if we haven't sold them all yet.


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## KBTConst

I built a 4'x4' wooden box with 14" sides and put it on a oak pallet filled it with salt & sand mix it's about 1000 lbs I just put the forks on the loader and put it in and out when I need it then I always have nice sand to use if I ever need it.


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## RLM

I used to use a pallet ghat had sides about 12" tall filled with gravel & put an empty in front of it, till in crushed the empty. Now I use a empty pallet, the bagged play sand in bags, after the season I already have the sand for the kids sand box. You could buy empty sandbags & fill with something as well.


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## the new boss 92

about a 1000 in tractor weight's, 10lbs or air in my bags so they don't bottom out. i have a boss plow for front ballest just incase!


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## Herm Witte

I use a pull plow.


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## RepoMan1968

2 ton salt in spreader


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## [email protected] NJ

Between snow blowers,salt, calcium, 500-950 pounds plus my lunch box i'd add another 25 pounds :laughing:


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## dooleycorp

we put salt from are bin and dump it out after storm kind of a pain but something to do this year not a problem no snow


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## AllOutLandscape

i use a crossover tool box loaded with tools, a 100 gallon transfer tank, 5 sixty pound sand bags, and 4 one hundred pound tractor weights, pretty much forgot where the 4wd button in my truck is. right around 1100 punds


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## JLsDmax

i built a form and filled it with concrete to fit behind my wheel wells. i made it like a pallet type bottom so i can take it out with forks when im not plowing. it weights about 300lbs and i usually bring 5 or 6-50lb bags of ice melt with me, so i figure im at about 600lbs behind the tires.


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## S-205

I use a skid of salt, so 35 bags (roughly) at 80 lbs a bag is 2800lbs plus the tailgate spreader which is maybe a 300 lbs.


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## 2005_Sierra

I took a junk 445 and mounted it on a junk aluminum wheel and filled the wheel with concrete, figuring somewhere around 500 pounds, plus about 100 pounds of salt, and the weight oh whatever snow lands in the bed. Gonna try and get a picture of the weight in the next couple days.


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## Jelinek61

Greenmtboy;1295240 said:


> 1700 pound counter weight for an excavator.


Hey what brand of side toolboxes are those? they look pretty sweet.


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## Willman940

RLM;1415704 said:


> I used to use a pallet ghat had sides about 12" tall filled with gravel & put an empty in front of it, till in crushed the empty. Now I use a empty pallet, the bagged play sand in bags, after the season I already have the sand for the kids sand box. You could buy empty sandbags & fill with something as well.


Bagged salt in bags, you don't say....:yow!:


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## mcwlandscaping

JLsDmax;1416881 said:


> i built a form and filled it with concrete to fit behind my wheel wells. i made it like a pallet type bottom so i can take it out with forks when im not plowing. it weights about 300lbs and i usually bring 5 or 6-50lb bags of ice melt with me, so i figure im at about 600lbs behind the tires.


Do you have any pictures of this....i've thought about doing the same thing now that i have a piece of equipment to load it when I want it


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## Thor78

We used a toughbox tote and put 9 80lb bags of concrete with some crushed stone mixed in. Our goal was to get @ 750-800, I think we're close. We also set 2 eye bolts to make it easier to move with our machines.


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## alldayrj

guys just dropping in skids of material: be careful. without something strapping them down or blocking them in they can move. I've had 3k lb pallets of stone take off on me in a panic stop. the front of my bed is bent into the cab, but much worse can happen.

I also want to see the block of concrete that fits behind the wheel wells, I have a few bags of quikcrete getting ruined in the garage I can use up.


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## BossPlow2010

Thor78;1418287 said:


> We used a toughbox tote and put 9 80lb bags of concrete with some crushed stone mixed in. Our goal was to get @ 750-800, I think we're close. We also set 2 eye bolts to make it easier to move with our machines.


If you stop all of a sudden, (eg, an accident,) that strap will snap and that thing will come flying into your cab, may just be a nice dent, or not.

this is on a larger scale of something that happened a few cities over.


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## Santry426

1100 lb concrete block, Poured it tonite. Strip it in a few days


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## Thor78

BossPlow2010;1419078 said:


> If you stop all of a sudden, (eg, an accident,) that strap will snap and that thing will come flying into your cab, may just be a nice dent, or not.
> 
> this is on a larger scale of something that happened a few cities over.
> View attachment 108453


Yea that thought had crossed my mind. Those straps are rated for 1000lb each, but I guess we don't want to find out the hard way. Since we have no snow, plenty of time to make one better suited for the truck. I think we could use this one for our deere. We have the rears filled with beet juice, but it's still a bit front heavy with a full load. Thanks.


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## snow

Mason tub with about 15 jumbo belgium block. If its a heavier storm i have some other items i can throw in too. I also generally carry 2 or 3 bags of calcium chloride as well.


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## S-205

alldayrj;1419058 said:


> guys just dropping in skids of material: be careful. without something strapping them down or blocking them in they can move. I've had 3k lb pallets of stone take off on me in a panic stop. the front of my bed is bent into the cab, but much worse can happen.
> 
> I also want to see the block of concrete that fits behind the wheel wells, I have a few bags of quikcrete getting ruined in the garage I can use up.


Yeah no kidding, we've had a skid of salt slide right out from somebody hitting the gas too hard...  We have no tailgates in the winter usually. Always throw a rathet strap on to keep it still. The weight of the skid and material should do most of the work.


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## jjklongisland




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## 2005_Sierra

2005_Sierra;1417498 said:


> I took a junk 445 and mounted it on a junk aluminum wheel and filled the wheel with concrete, figuring somewhere around 500 pounds, plus about 100 pounds of salt, and the weight oh whatever snow lands in the bed. Gonna try and get a picture of the weight in the next couple days.


Finally got a picture of it today. 








Tire weight 230 pounds, wheels 70 pounds and concrete is about 400 pounds. So overall 700 pounds roughly

Heres the other.








Tires same weight but there no wheel in this one, all concrete.Overall this one is somewhere around 1600 pounds


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## kimber750

I use 12 50# bags of gravel and normally have at least 4 50# bags of salt. The gravel I use in the spring on my gravel drive out back.


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## Thor78

Concrete block, take 2. Made a new one to fit between the wheel wells and tailgate lip, weighs #800. This one makes me feel alot better and seems far less likely to become a missle.


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## trainhorntruck

I have my sander back there


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## Cooter24

That concrete block looks good. How is it strapped down though?


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## Thor78

Thanks. I took the picture before I put the straps back on. I have 2 #1000 straps going through the eye bolts to the cargo hooks. However, I'm not sure which is the weakest link, straps or hooks. It seems every new truck we get, the cargo hooks get weaker and weaker. I think the ones in my wife's minivan are stronger. Not a good place to cut corners, especially on a work truck IMO.


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## mwalsh9152

I have two 5 gallon pails filled with lead from work, I figure theyre about 100-125lbs each. About to start on a third one and figure four of them should be good, my lead intake at work has slowed way down though so it will likely take a while before I fill the next one. I need to work on a way to secure them against the tailgate of the new Bronco, I havent used them yet since the tailgate wont open on the current Bronco


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## oldmankent

Just poured two pieces of a three piece ballast into my truck bed today. Wish it wasn't so cold


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## RepoMan1968

salt .


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## 2006Sierra1500

Couple hundred of sand and sometimes a passenger or two


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## Dogplow Dodge

joe2113;1162920 said:


> 15 bucks an hour for the package deal, in the event of a breakdown they clear off small to medium sized lots by hand. I got mine at Home Depot, but you can probably find some at any home improvement/hardware store.


Wow,

That's a great idea for ballast....although I went the same route, mine's a little different.

I think that yours is cheaper to feed.....


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## Dogplow Dodge

You guys make me nervous with that loose stuff in the back of your trucks. I saw a semi that had the driver dead inside because of "ballast" that moved forwards and wiped out the cab.

Make sure you chain that stuff down....


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## NICHOLS LANDSCA

Dogplow Dodge;1442985 said:


> Wow,
> 
> That's a great idea for ballast....although I went the same route, mine's a little different.
> 
> I think that yours is cheaper to feed.....


 Why O Why would you post something like that, there are some things you can't unsee


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## Dogplow Dodge

NICHOLS LANDSCA;1443195 said:


> Why O Why would you post something like that, there are some things you can't unsee


Oh, come on now...

There must be just a little part of you that ........

Oh, never mind... I'm drinking way too much lately.....:laughing:


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## oldmankent

15+ 80 lbs bags and rebar. 3 pieces. At least 1200 lbs. No snow to speak of.

(Don't know why they are sideways.)


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## USMCMP5811

I toss in the Mother-in-Law


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## 2006Sierra1500

Yeah yeah yeah yeah I know its a year old thread, sorry. BUT, this post will be relevant I swear.

Still using sand boxes with 300 pounds or so in each truck, the 2500 needs a bigger box and the Tahoe just needs more weight period. Now my point, guys, secure your ballast. The storm we had a couple weeks ago with 16-18'' of wet heavy snow, the sandbox in the Tahoe slid up against the back seat. Never noticed until I needed the shovel, but it could have been worse.


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## Snow Commandor

I usually carry about 600 pounds of bagged ice melt, but the last storm we didn't salt so instead I loaded up with 10 big cinder blocks. Worked like a charm & I was able to plow most of my places in 2 wheel drive!


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## road2damascus

This year, in my 3/4 ton suburban and my gmc jimmy, i did some 80lb bags of concrete that costed 3.75 a piece. They stayed dry and will use them in the spring. In the one ton pickup, i had salt bags over weight plates.


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## eastcoastjava

FAT CHICKS are my ballast .Nah usually 7 or 8 (500LBS) sealed buckets of salt/sand mix, they come in handy, not so much for myself but when traction is needed to pull others out, or toss it on a drive.


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## Snow Commandor

I see I'm not the only one up late trolling this site! Now I don't feel so bad being here in bed browsing all the various posts on this site. Maybe someone would like to put my fat ass in the bed of their truck for ballast! Lol!


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## mwalsh9152

I loaded up with 40lb bags of wood pellets in the back of my Bronco


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## THEGOLDPRO

We use sanders, before that we just had the yard dump some sand in the beds of the trucks


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## DareDog

Use 5 60 pound sand bags works great. only have 4 in now cause 5th had hole in it.


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## sdaigh

*Old Railroad Rail*

I cut and welded a bunch of old railroad rail down and built a box around it. (approx 350-400 lbs each box)
The bottom angle iron has holes for the rear 2 box bolts on each side so each box is bolted down with 2 box bolts that go down thru the truck frame so it should hold it in case of an accident, should be alot stronger than any strap tied to the hold down brackets in the box. The rail is welded to the bottom plate in the box that the angle iron is welded t






















o!!


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## Quita1

How about a new bumper? It puts that weight right where you need it and smooths everything out real nice. It's gotta be about 300lbs. +salt,spreader,blower,etc... Oh Yeah... and THIS one aint gonna bend up when it gets backed into a frozen timber wall!


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## 99LsSilverado

I know this thread is a little old but this is my solution for my ballast. A plate that is 59x20x3.25 with a weight of 1100lbs







[/URL][/IMG]


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## GMCHD plower

99LsSilverado;2058555 said:


> I know this thread is a little old but this is my solution for my ballast. A plate that is 59x20x3.25 with a weight of 1100lbs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/URL][/IMG]


Dare I ask where you got that or how much it was? On a seperate note here is my new setup, Im going to be making a cover for it out of 3/4" plywood and some 2x4's that I will ratched strap down.


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## JLsDmax

In the past I have used a concrete block that I had made, roughly about 400 pounds. This year I am going to go a different route. I'm going to have a 1/2" thick steel plate laser cut to fit in the bed of my truck. 1/2" steel is roughly 20.4 pounds a square foot. An 8 x 4 sheet should be all the weight I need and will sit flat. I will have some holes cut out and bolt it flat to the truck bed.


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## Rick547

I use sand tubes between the wheel wells and tail gate.


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## JDosch

A skid of salt. 2,450lbs.


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## 99LsSilverado

GMCHD plower;2058559 said:


> Dare I ask where you got that or how much it was? On a seperate note here is my new setup, Im going to be making a cover for it out of 3/4" plywood and some 2x4's that I will ratched strap down.


I work at a scrap metal yard and that was part of a 6000 lbs skeleton plate that was scraped. And it cost was about $140


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## Ramitt

Dont have a pic but I use 2x2 sidewalk pavers... They weigh about a 100 each... They lay nice and flat in my bed so I can still haul stuff in it like my atv... No complaints... and my 5th wheel plate holds them to the rear of the bed


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## sdaigh

I'm not a fan of loose ballast weight or just concrete blocks in the back, if someone pulled out in front of you, or slid through an intersection and you hit them broadside, i wouldn't want a hunk of flying concrete, or steel to come smashing through my back window and take me out, or worse yet anyone else who might be in the truck with me. Please secure your ballast materials people, (let's be smart about this), even if it just slid forward hard, the front metal of the box and rear panel of the cab isn't that thick to stop a heavy object with not much surface area from punching right through into the cab!!


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## 99LsSilverado

I have yet to finish the install but I will be using two of these. They are 5/8" bed bolt that have a working limit of 1300 Lbs and a breaking strength of 4000 Lbs








These will be mounted in a frame under the bed (similar to a gooseneck ball mount) so they will be attached to the frame. And I will also have a pair of 800 Lbs WLL ratchet straps on the D-links also.


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## Herm Witte

We use pull plows as ballast. You ought to try it.


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## spikes_mn

serafii;1106922 said:


> .....i was just wondering what you guys use as ballast and how much. lets see some pics.


Attached are 2 examples, the first one is filled with seven 70# sand tubes from Menards.The second one is filled with eight 100# weights that I lucked out on finding, they came in the back of a pickup I recently purchased. Easy in easy out. There is a top and bottom piece of plywood that protects the sand bags from getting cut or the weights from bouncing around. The placement in the bed of both examples are in a way that it keeps the snowblower from moving around in transit, there is also a block screwed in behind the snowblower to keep it from rolling back and forth. Its worked out great, and both were very inexpensive (other than if i were to have to buy the weights.


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## mwalsh9152

my new plan for this year is going to be a counter balance. I hated having minimally secured ballast in the back of the Bronco without a back seat, so I finally got around to putting a trailer hitch on, and I am going to fill a 4X4 tube with lead, and have a 2X2 tube welded into it which will go into the hitch. Probably going to make it about the width of the hitch, and secure both sides with turnbuckles anchored to the hitch. 

Depending on how much that ends up weighing, I will then box the 4X4 in with some scrap 1.5" plates that we have kicking around. Ideally, Im shooting for it to be about 300-350lbs. I'll move it with the bobcat, and install it with a floor jack.


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## SnoFarmer

A wooden box isn't gping to hold in a accident.

I'm with Ya ^ counter weight Thumbs Up
It's better than putting the weight over the wheels.
When it plCed behind the wheels it balances out the vehicel.
This improves braking and handling.


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## MXZ1983

I built this box to hold my concrete block that weighs just shy of 700 lbs. 
The rear open section is large enough for 3 additional tractor weights that are 110 lbs a piece if I need them.


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## Doin_It

We take a piece of 1/2" plywood, then depending on what truck we are putting it in, cut it to the box length, if less then 8'. Using a cubic yard calculator as found by doing a Google search we decide how much weight we want. Then we will use either 2x4 or 2x6 and make a box and screw it to the plywood. We then fill it with 3/4 crush gravel and screw on another sheet for a lid. On a short box truck, using 2x6 for the box sides, you get 670lbs. Nothing moves around in the box, nothing spills, and you still have a nice level area to pile stuff.


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## sota

I'm working on something similar, but instead of gravel or other "loose" fill i'm getting cheap pavers/stones...


I calculated that a box of dimensions 41"w 12.5"h 12.5"d, divided into spaces to hold 4,4,3,4,4 stones (19 total) will net me about 456#. I have a width limitation of ~43" in the back of the jeep, hence the dimensions. 5 of 6 sides will be glued and pinned permanent. 1 side will be screwed in (top or front... haven't decided) to allow removal of stones for unloading. Materials estimate so far for wood and stones is under $50. Probably will coat it with a DIY bed liner type material just to dress it up and keep it from leaving splinters all over the interior.


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## sota

it's not perfect, but it's a hell of a lot better than the sand bags. Plus I can still put groceries and stuff back there.


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## Mark13

I use a concrete block. Should be about 3600lbs.


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## hbrady

My setup recommends 1,000 lbs of ballast but since I use counterweight I only run ~800. 13 Bags of tube sand behind rear wheels with a 2x12 brace to keep them in place. It's amazing how may trucks I see out there running nothing, nose on ground, a** in the air.


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## Mark Oomkes

Still using a back plow.........It's pretty cool to be able to make money with my counterweight.


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## theguynextdoor

I have a 4ft x 4ft x 1inch think steel plate in each truck. They weigh about 750 pounds each. Each plate has 4 heavy D-rings welded to the corners with 2 ratchet straps running through them and to the corners of the bed. I like it becuase we can still get cargo in the bed and it's easy to throw the snowblowers across them rather than lifting them over blocks and sand bags. 

Steal prices are cheap right now, so the plates were only $300 each plus the d-rings.


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