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Ballast Weight with Auto Level Rear Suspension

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hobbyguyshawn

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I've mounted a plow to the front of my '24 3500. She's a SRW with the 6.7 HO and Auto Level Rear Suspension.

I knew that I was going to have to add ballast weight to the bed but what I seem to have completely over looked is the Auto Level in the rear. I've added almost 1,400 lbs to the bed and not a single pound has shifted away from the front axle. The rear axle and total vehicle are obviously heavier, but the auto level just jacks the bed back up and keeps the weight on the front.

I haven't done weights with the ballast installed and the plow off to see how those numbers change from before the plow installed, but something tells me I will find the same results with no weight transfer happening.

Has anyone been here before, and if so, how did you manage to get the weight off the front axle?
 
hobbyguyshawn said:
I've mounted a plow to the front of my '24 3500. She's a SRW with the 6.7 HO and Auto Level Rear Suspension.

I knew that I was going to have to add ballast weight to the bed but what I seem to have completely over looked is the Auto Level in the rear. I've added almost 1,400 lbs to the bed and not a single pound has shifted away from the front axle. The rear axle and total vehicle are obviously heavier, but the auto level just jacks the bed back up and keeps the weight on the front.

I haven't done weights with the ballast installed and the plow off to see how those numbers change from before the plow installed, but something tells me I will find the same results with no weight transfer happening.

Has anyone been here before, and if so, how did you manage to get the weight off the front axle?
Click to expand...

The auto-level suspension will have no impact on weight transfer, just ride height.

If the ballast weight is behind the rear axle it will remove weight from the front axle regardless of the auto-level leveling the truck. It’s about weight placement, not ride height.

If you added 1,400lbs without any weight coming off the front axle then the CG of the ballast weight is centered over the rear axle or forward of it, move the weight CG behind the rear axle. Realistically all the weight needs to be behind the rear axle.
 
Right right right, this is why we ask when we are clearly stuck looking in the wrong direction. Thanks for clearing that up. Currently the added weight is about 75 behind / 25 forward of the axle. Back to the drawing board I guess
 
hobbyguyshawn said:
Right right right, this is why we ask when we are clearly stuck looking in the wrong direction. Thanks for clearing that up. Currently the added weight is about 75 behind / 25 forward of the axle. Back to the drawing board I guess
Click to expand...

You’re probably good then, and the lack of sag from the auto-level just makes you think it’s not transferring weight.
 
AH64ID said:
You’re probably good then, and the lack of sag from the auto-level just makes you think it’s not transferring weight.
Click to expand...
I wish that were the case, but unfortunately it's not just a visual observation.

Scale Weights with full fuel and an otherwise empty truck

Before Plow Installed
Front - 4,970 lbs
Rear - 3,280 lbs
Total - 8,250 lbs

With Plow Installed (no ballast / counter weight)
Front - 7,150 lbs
Rear - 2,615 lbs
Total - 9,765 lbs

With Plow and 1,400 lbs added to bed
Front - 7,150 lbs
Rear - 4,092 lbs
Total - 11,242 lbs
 
hobbyguyshawn said:
I wish that were the case, but unfortunately it's not just a visual observation.

Scale Weights with full fuel and an otherwise empty truck

Before Plow Installed
Front - 4,970 lbs
Rear - 3,280 lbs
Total - 8,250 lbs

With Plow Installed (no ballast / counter weight)
Front - 7,150 lbs
Rear - 2,615 lbs
Total - 9,765 lbs

With Plow and 1,400 lbs added to bed
Front - 7,150 lbs
Rear - 4,092 lbs
Total - 11,242 lbs
Click to expand...
I don’t know from experience with a snow plow, but it seems like you would need more than 1400lbs of counter weight.

It would seem your plow is mounted on a long lever so it is putting more force downward than its actual weight.

It seems your count weight would need to be heavier and at least 2 or 3 feet behind the rear axle pivot point to negate 2180lbs of or more a plow hanging at least 3’ in front of the front axle.

The attached picture (highlighted text) shows how the length of the lever affects the weight. The picture is from the 250TL loader manual for my New Holland tractor.
 

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Are you also using Alt Trailer Height?

Not that it's going to make any significant difference, but maybe a little?
 
hobbyguyshawn said:
I wish that were the case, but unfortunately it's not just a visual observation.

Scale Weights with full fuel and an otherwise empty truck

Before Plow Installed
Front - 4,970 lbs
Rear - 3,280 lbs
Total - 8,250 lbs

With Plow Installed (no ballast / counter weight)
Front - 7,150 lbs
Rear - 2,615 lbs
Total - 9,765 lbs

With Plow and 1,400 lbs added to bed
Front - 7,150 lbs
Rear - 4,092 lbs
Total - 11,242 lbs
Click to expand...

The weight needs to be much further aft, and if you can’t move it aft you need more weight aft of the rear axle.
 
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