# Ballast for a '16 Chevy 2500 Duramax Diesel



## Ucla81 (Dec 31, 2016)

Hi all,

I will be starting a small biz plowing my neighborhood driveways (not a lot, maybe about 10). The driveways are long (800') and there are some slopes on the driveways (not hugely steep but definite slopes that a regular car can slide down and end up in a field). I have a Meyer 7'6" Lot Pro Plow for the front of my Chevy. It's a 2500 Crew Cab Duramax Diesel, standard bed. The question is, how much ballast should I have in the back for this work? Plowing no more than 1-1.5 ft of snow at a time, but the slopes concern me. Thanks for any replies!


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

500-700lb.
maybe more as you will be driving in your berm.

do you have a set of tire chains? just in case.

Id recommend a set of wings so you can clear a path wide enough for you tires.

what happens with a 7.6 on a full size truck is, snow spills off of the plow and ends up going back under the wheels, this can be a big hinder when the snow gets deeper.

then if you swing the plow all the way to the side its clearing a narrower path than befor.

good luck.


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## Sawboy (Dec 18, 2005)

Do a search on "ballast". Hours upon hours of info there. The subject has been beaten to death.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

I would suggest plowing more with the storm. A foot of wet snow can be a real B!tch to move, even worse pushing it up a hill.


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## Ucla81 (Dec 31, 2016)

No, I don't have a set of chains, have considered it. I don't want to tear up driveways if I can avoid it. I have searched this site (and the web in general) for info on ballast. The problem is, there are so many disagreements about it, and nothing that specifically addresses the type of Chevy I have and the Meyer plow system. Meyer won't give me a specific answer either (probably for liability purposes). Thanks for the feedback, hoping for more.....


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Becuse an exact weight # can be a personal thing

Counterweight, counter balances the weight of the plow and is placed next to the talegate.
Ballast is placed over the rear wheels for traction.

tires play a big roll, also


Are you useing any weight now?
And I 2nd plowing befor you have a foot of snow on the ground.


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## seville009 (Sep 9, 2002)

I'm just a personal plower, but I carry 800lb of sand tubes as ballast for an 8.6' MVP. Also have about 200 lbs of junk in the back too. The weight really helps alot on the slick and icy surfaces.

You can buy emergency strap in tire chains. I've usef them to get unstuck from a pile. Gives me peace of mind carrying them around.


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## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

seville009 said:


> You can buy emergency strap in tire chains. I've usef them to get unstuck from a pile. Gives me peace of mind carrying them around.


What are you doing in the pile?


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## seville009 (Sep 9, 2002)

kimber750 said:


> What are you doing in the pile?


Trying to get out.....


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## Cosmic Charlie (Feb 1, 2009)

http://ematch.fisherplows.com/vehinfo.asp

ballast calculator is included in the ematch ...


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

But they use the word ballast incorrectly, 
It is a good explanation for a counter weight.


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## Kevin_NJ (Jul 24, 2003)

Here we go again


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

There you go, again.


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## Avalanche 2500 (Dec 31, 2015)

If you were to use your Ex Wife as a rear ballast count ? even if she has a GVW of 310 ??


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Ucla81 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I will be starting a small biz plowing my neighborhood driveways (not a lot, maybe about 10). The driveways are long (800') and there are some slopes on the driveways (not hugely steep but definite slopes that a regular car can slide down and end up in a field). I have a Meyer 7'6" Lot Pro Plow for the front of my Chevy. It's a 2500 Crew Cab Duramax Diesel, standard bed. The question is, how much ballast should I have in the back for this work? Plowing no more than 1-1.5 ft of snow at a time, but the slopes concern me. Thanks for any replies!


While we're on the subject of diesel, what type of diesel additive do you use?


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## darryl g (Jan 30, 2010)

It is indeed ballast. Ballast is something used to increase a vehicle's stability. Hanging a plow on the front of a truck without anything to offset it makes it unbalanced and unstable...subject to large/sudden movements. Added weight behind the rear wheels acts to offset that imbalance and is thus indeed ballast.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Is not.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Something used to offset the weight of something else is indeed a counter weight. Just sayin.

A crane does not use ballast to keep from tipping over its fulcrum point, it uses counter weight.


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## darryl g (Jan 30, 2010)

In this case the ballast is a counter weight, but it's still ballast. Similar to ballast on the back of my TLB to offset the weight of the front loader. The purpose of ballast is to increase stability so I don't tip over with a load. It may have other benefits as well such as increased traction, but adding weight solely to increase traction is not really ballast even if it is commonly used in that context. 

Happy New Year to everyone.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

darryl g said:


> It is indeed ballast. Ballast is something used to increase a vehicle's stability. Hanging a plow on the front of a truck without anything to offset it makes it unbalanced and unstable...subject to large/sudden movements. Added weight behind the rear wheels acts to offset that imbalance and is thus indeed ballast.


What you discribe is a counter weight.
From

: a weight that provides a balance against something of equal weight
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterweight
Weight placed over the rear axel or between the axels, is not a counter weight,


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

*Ballast
*


*

a device that maintains the currentt hrough a fluorescent or mercury lamp atthe desired constant value, sometimes also providing the necessary starting voltage and current.
*


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Is not


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## darryl g (Jan 30, 2010)

ktfbgb said:


> *Ballast
> *
> 
> 
> ...


Funny but wrong definition. Lots of things use ballast to increase stability. That anyone would try to argue otherwise makes me think they're just trying to be contrary or they're just ignorant, or both.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Go ahead call me Richard.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Only a Richard would think a counter weight doesn't add to stability


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

No argument about it adding stability. I was just trying to get a rise out of Darryl, and carried the Richard comment over from a different thread lol.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

I just use this guy


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Hummm between the axels , he would be ballast



ktfbgb said:


> No argument about it adding stability. I was just trying to get a rise out of Darryl, and carried the Richard comment over from a different thread lol.


I'm aware....

ps the Richard thang was coined in the mn weather thread.



Carry on.lowblue:


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

ps the Richard thang was coined in the mn weather thread.

Ok good to know.


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## Ucla81 (Dec 31, 2016)

Again all, thanks for the replies. I use BlueDef for the Diesel Engine. I don't care whether it's called ballast or counterweight lol. I just want to know how much of it to put in the back. My decision is to put it behind the rear wheels. I know that who say to put it directly over the real wheels will say I'm making a mistake, my research and the majority of sites and responses say to put it behind the rear wheels. As far as weight? I'm going for 400 lbs. If that doesn't work the first plow, then I will go to plan B. I also realize if we get a foot of snow, that means there will be a foot of snow in the back of the pickup. Does that make a difference. One online blog suggest trying to dig out the bed just behind the rear seats, going backward to about the rear wheels. (With the 400 lbs) still back there under the snow. Im not sure if shoveling that out will help or hurt or make no difference. I have no choice but to park the truck outside. I appreciate the replies....!!!!!


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## Jeep_thing (Mar 3, 2014)

Counterweight is also ballast.
Ballast is not counterweight. (Unless behind the rear axle)


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

No such thing as 2 in 1.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

We can't give you an exact weight, as your driving style, your tires, plow, and the conditions all play a 
Factor, .


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

OP I personally don't shovel the snow out of my bed. This isn't exact science. Put enough counterweight behind the wheels to help offset the weight of your plow on the front end. You can feel it. Drive around on dry roads with the plow on and nothing in the bed. You can feel the extra weight and extra stress on the front end especially turning. Now add your 400 lbs of counter weight. Drive again. Did it unload the front end enough or do you need more? You'll feel it when you unload the front enough.


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## darryl g (Jan 30, 2010)

With my Boss V on my 2500 HD ballast is a must. If I even raise my plow without it the front end sinks a good bit and driving without it turns it into a see-saw. I never pay attention to exactly how much ballast I put in, but I usually have at least 500 pounds between the wheel wells and 2 large plastic bins full of sand and salt and my snowblower behind the rear wheels. I consider any snow that falls into the bed a bonus.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Cosmic Charlie said:


> http://ematch.fisherplows.com/vehinfo.asp
> 
> ballast calculator is included in the ematch ...
> 
> View attachment 169258


Click the link, put your truck info in the ematch, and select the plow that best matches the weight of your plow. This will give you a starting point.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

with my boss V plow, western, hiniker.
I place 500# of counterweight behind the axle and use a cross-box with tools shovels chain etc etc,, snowblower laced over the axel, the weight of fuel. and the contents of the cab as ballast.

proababely the only thing that could actually be called ballast, is weight located below the center of gravity, like the fuel tank.


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## Sawboy (Dec 18, 2005)

Ballast / Counterweight also doesn't care what kind of Chevy or plow it's used with either. It's a pickup truck and a plow. Unless you have six wheels in the front and tracks in the rear, a pickup is a pickup. Throw some weight behind and over the axle and have at it.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

I went ahead and did the ematch for my truck.

Meyer says my plow weighs just under 850#, the closet option it gave me was the Fisher 8' straight that weighs I think around 750#. Site said I needed almost 1200# of ballast for that


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## darryl g (Jan 30, 2010)

JMHConstruction said:


> I went ahead and did the ematch for my truck.
> 
> Meyer says my plow weighs just under 850#, the closet option it gave me was the Fisher 8' straight that weighs I think around 750#. Site said I needed almost 1200# of ballast for that


That can't be right...


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

JMHConstruction said:


> I went ahead and did the ematch for my truck.
> 
> Meyer says my plow weighs just under 850#, the closet option it gave me was the Fisher 8' straight that weighs I think around 750#. Site said I needed almost 1200# of ballast for that


Well I would say it's most likely less than that.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

darryl g said:


> That can't be right...





ktfbgb said:


> Well I would say it's most likely less than that.


I've had 500# back there and it seemed plenty.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

On the HD trucks right around #500 pounds give or take seems to do the job.


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## Cosmic Charlie (Feb 1, 2009)

My 15 25HD 6.0 Double Cab with Fisher 8' called for 300 pounds behind the rear wheels ... per the Fisher Calculator page


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Well not to split hairs, I carry two 100 gals of fuel. That's about 1400lbs plus the weight of the tanks and pumps. One is a tool box combo that is easily 100lbs of tools. 

One tank is ballast and the other is counterweight. Also one tank has Howell and the other is Powerservice.....White bottle.


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## Jeep_thing (Mar 3, 2014)

I have 15 bags of salt for 750# of ballast/counterweight behind the rear wheels of my 2016 super duty with an MVP3. It works fine under most circumstances (running OE stock tires) but before next event I plan to add 5 more bags to make it 1000#.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)




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## Doc Holiday13 (Dec 19, 2016)

1000.lbs works 

2000.lbs would be better


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## Avalanche 2500 (Dec 31, 2015)

SnoFarmer said:


>


 Posted below,1000- 2000 lbs.?? Rear Ballast, Come On Man!! SnoFarmer Save me some Popcorn.


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## Doc Holiday13 (Dec 19, 2016)

Avalanche 2500 said:


> Posted below,1000- 2000 lbs.?? Rear Ballast, Come On Man!! SnoFarmer Save me some Popcorn.


You're right.. He's got a 3/4 ton truck so he should be using 1500 .lbs..


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## Avalanche 2500 (Dec 31, 2015)

Doc Holiday13 said:


> You're right.. He's got a 3/4 ton truck so he should be using 1500 .lbs..


You are right, If u go by the E/match/selector , but who abides buy that.. I have a friend who's been plowing snow W/ a 2005 Silverado for 35 yrs. W/ no r. ballast. He Jokes at my Truck W/700lbs?. 1500lbs that's overkill
divide by 2 + Add a 30pk. Placed at your closed tailgate!! Your good to go , Good luck


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## Avalanche 2500 (Dec 31, 2015)

But of course W/O the same truck??:laugh:


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## Doc Holiday13 (Dec 19, 2016)

Avalanche 2500 said:


> You are right, If u go by the E/match/selector , but who abides buy that.. I have a friend who's been plowing snow W/ a 2005 Silverado for 35 yrs. W/ no r. ballast. He Jokes at my Truck W/700lbs?. 1500lbs that's overkill
> divide by 2 + Add a 30pk. Placed at your closed tailgate!! Your good to go , Good luck


I wasn't entirely joking. I carry minimum half pallet of ice melt. Preferably a full pallet.. truck rides better and it doesn't get any worse off fuel mileage.

. I'm use to my municipal plow. 26k.lbs and 10 ft blade w/o 4wd. Pushed like a bear


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

it seems that those that dont run ballast or light ballast, also complain about tire wear even though they rotate their tires every oil change


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## GMCHD plower (Nov 27, 2009)

On my 2015, given it is a gasser but I always used to run with 900-1000# in the bed, plus shovels, snow, etc. I like to have enough in the bed to level the truck out with the plow up. Now I have my "baby vbox" and I fill that with 3/4-1yrd of sand/salt mix and go with that.


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