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Proper ballast/post what you run and blade!

7' western on my 02 gmc work truck. Have an 8' stahl utility bed loaded with tools for ballast. I need a front ballast when the plow is not on.
 
7'6" Fisher MM2, I didn't use any weight last year, if I backed out of the throttle with a pile it would just fry the tires, but I only do a few small driveways and parking lots.
 
2007 Classic-Reg Cab, Long Box.

Fisher Xtreme 8.5 V-Blade up front, adding some timbrens this year and rear air bags for a possible sander instead of an overload spring.

Usually a yard of salt sand in the back which can easily weigh 2000 lbs.

I may be adding chains for the truck this year as well as afew driveways are scary to plow.

I got a feeling we are going to get a lot of snow.

:drool5:
 
i sure hope your right about that. the old farmers say it will be cold, lets hope for some wetness to go with it.

Ken
 
Blizzard 810 up front, a 1.8 CUYD Hiniker Vee box in the back, I always run 4x, been forced off the road a few times and its just safer to have that extra grab when you need it.
After last season and our double the amount of snow I don't know if my customers can take another hard winter, just getting the final $$ from a few of them. But then again I love snow so bring it on! :):):)
 
I've plowed with both types. You don't need ballast on the big ones because you've got the sander back there. But think about it, when you run out of sand salt in the small big ones (6 wheeler) you can feel a difference. I had a unit that was a dedicated snow rig and had the sander mounted right to the frame, so it didn't have the extra weight of the dump body. I had an 11' highway plow and a wing. The only time I could get that thing to do donuts in the O'Donnel's parking lot was when it was empty. The other big ones that I regularly drove weren't so susceptible to empty loads. One was another 6 wheel 5+2 with a dump body and the other was a 10 wheel 8 speed white/autocar.
Ballast def makes a difference on a little truck ( 1/2 to 1 ton) Much easier to operate with proper ballast. You don't even realize that you are compensating for a lot of stuff you wouldn't have to if you had it.
Oh, and it takes weigh off the front axle if you have your ballast behind the rear axle. It makes the axle the fulcrum point. Sure it's not 800lbs worth, but if it's 5 times the distance from the rear axle to the plow as it is from the rear axle to the ballast, it would take off 160lbs of weight if the suspension was solid. It still takes plenty off though, but it's mostly the traction benefit.
 
jmiller said:
Run a 7' 6" Western


Ran without balast last season, should have run with 600#'s.

I was looking for cast iron weights to mount in the back of the bed, but didn't find any before snow. I'm looking for an easy in / easy out in a small package for quick switching.
Click to expand...

I found 9 - 50# cast iron balast weights (450#) from a JD combine to put against the tail gate. These weights can be stacked and inter lock, so they won't slide around. I need to finish the retaining frame before the snow flies to keep the weight in the back of the bed.


450# should be enough behind the rear axle to take some weight off of the front axle and allow for 2 wheel plowing of most snows. (save those CV joints and tranfer case)
 
I run a meyers c-8 with 2 rubber track hoe tracks in the back off the biggest New Holland Rubber track unit. Bout 1000 pounds hope it works before that I plowed with no ballast and even went to Oswego where they got the 12 foot lake effect storm and got stuck once that I needed a yank out
 
Here is my setup last year. I sold the plow but I'm going to help the city this winter so I'll still be plowing.

ashford307-08.jpg


And for giggles and grins a videos):h

 
got-h2o said:
I run a set of air bag/over shocks up front on my 04. They are made by Arnott Industries and incorporate a Good Year bag around a Bilstein shock. Nice setup, and with the plow up (MVP also), I only see about 3/8-1/2" of squat with 80-90lbs in the bags. I'll give more details to anyone interested, or maybe even start a thread on the topic............
Click to expand...

tell me more about these shocks...are they only for heavy front loaded trucks... I'd like to know how much and if they improve the ride over running just bilstien shocks...

PS I don't plow...
 
Pepperidge said:
tell me more about these shocks...are they only for heavy front loaded trucks... I'd like to know how much and if they improve the ride over running just bilstien shocks...

PS I don't plow...
Click to expand...

Why dont you plow? :biggrinjester:
 
Pepperidge said:
tell me more about these shocks...are they only for heavy front loaded trucks... I'd like to know how much and if they improve the ride over running just bilstien shocks...

PS I don't plow...
Click to expand...
Yea Im want to know too. got on their site and shows nothing about 3/4 ton or even Silverados for that matter
 
got-h2o has a thread on the other site about those, i wonder if he'll want to explain about it over here. sending a PM right now...

Ken
 
Thanks Ken. I don't have much time now, but I'll keep you guys posted. Sorry for the delay, been busy and not up here as much...................:eek:
 
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