Ballast for my Kubota L3400

[canoetrpr]

I'm awaiting eagerly the delivery of my L3400 on Tuesday.

In the meanwhile I keep having thoughts of - should I get this, should I get that whie the tractor is still being setup.

I'm getting the loader and a Woods 5ft bush hog. I was wondering if I ought to look into getting the rear tires loaded. I don't plan on lifting anything heavy but who knows. The primary reason I ended up getting the loader is thanks to you TBNers who convinced me that I would find tons of things to do with it around the farm once I had it . As I look around I can see stuff that it would come in handy for.

Part of me figures that I can always keep the mower attached as I have no real tight spots I need to work in. Or if I want to spend money on something I might as well spend it on a smaller implement like a box blade which I can use as a counter weight - and will serve another primary purpose - instead of spending money of filling the tires.

Thoughts?

 

[gordon21]

Definitely have the dealer fill the tires. My JD 790 is about the same size as your 3400 and the dealer put 4 gallons of antifreeze in each tire and then filled them with water. That protection was adequate for North Carolina winters. Weight, antifreeze and corrosion protection all in one at $6 a gallon. With the tires filled and a 400# HD box scape on the back, the rear end still gets kinds light sometimes with a filled bucket of gravel. You can do the filling yourself, but that would be a pain in the butt. The dealer does it every day and has the filling tools. You will probably be charged $50 or less to have it done if you get charged at all.

 

[EdKing]

My dealer has the tires loaded on any tractor he sells with a FEL, its always good to have extra weight on the back. I always try to have a heavy implement on the back while using the FEL, even with loaded tires.

 

[Wesdor]

Glad you decided to add the FEL. As I have posted before, I thought I didn't need one until I used my brothers. We laugh that he cost me an extra $3,000. I believe you will find the FEL a welcome addition.

Regarding weight. I do a lot of lifting with my loader, but probably don't push the limit. I always have something on the back - be it a mower, a box blade, or a tiller. Maybe I should have paid the extra to have the rear tires filled, but so far it has not caused me a problem.

That being said, it would be wiser and safer to have the tires filled. But in my case I just haven't had the money to do it the way I would want, which is to have them filled with foam. I did that to the front tires and it cost me about $90 each. At least I haven't had any more flat front tires thanks to the foam.

 

[schole]

Congratulations on your L3400. I love mine and have many envious friends.

I agree with the above posters in that loaded tires are great. They are a little harder on the lawn...depends how important that is for you. A concrete counter weight for the 3ph for <20$ improved my loader performance >50% (not to mention making me feel safer!). I take off the loader and ballast when mowing.

Shawn

 

[canoetrpr]

Good thing I decided to post here guys.. You guys are awesome!.

I just talked to my dealer. He quoted me abou $500 to get the rear tires filled with calcium chloride (I think). Said he has a tire shop do this - they put in tubes in the tires so that the calcium does not eat away the rims.

The other option he gave me was a rear weight box for $150 which I could fill with sand or concrete. That sound like a fair bit too.

Do you guys really think that getting the tires filled is worthwhile at $500? Or should I put that 500 bucks towards a heavy rear blade or box blade. I intended on purchasing the former before next winter but if I could use it as a counter weight to the loader then it might be money well spent now. I mean without the need for a counter weight I'd just buy a standard weight rear blade.

Shawn - where did you get your 3pt concrete counterweight for < $20?

We've delayed the delivery till Thursday for some other reasons so if I'm going ot get the tires filled or anything delivered I might as well make up my mind now.

-Aamer

 

[rambler]

Here is how I see it. Others see it differently, & that is fine.

Rolling over the tractor is a hassle, cost, & possibly much worse. Anything that prevents that is a good investment.

A stable loader tractor is much more fun to work with, & gets more done. That has value.

Adding the fluid has 2 negatives - heavier tractor for mowing lawns if you have wet soil, and the cost.

I own 7 tractors, over 1/2 have rear weight added. I'm used to big farm tractors mostly. I'm used to my rolling hills, and an old narrow front, IHC H loader tractor, 2wd, with 400 lbs of weight on the rear, plus I add 500lbs for big jobs. Note this is a rather light, narrow front tractor.....

I got a compact NH 1720 with loader a couple years ago. It scared the bejeeebers out of me as unstable as it was!!!!!!!! WOW. I called my tire fellow that week, and had the rear tires filled. Makes it a _much_ better tractor. So short wheelbase, so quick cornering, & the power of the 4wd keeps it moving no matter what. If the rear gets light my old H tractor quits moving. With the compact, it will turn itself over before quiting......

When in 2wd without fluid in the tires, the rear end is so light, the tractor would spin going up a hill - just no traction - that was bad for sod too. The loader is like a teetertodder, pulling weight off the rear axle. I was driving down a hill with a rather heavy wagon behind me, and the wagon wanted to jackknife me - so little weight on the rear axle, the brakes just slid the tires, no grip, no stop.

That was about the scariest week I've had with an implement in my decades on the farm with many, many farm implements. I tend to use an implement to it's capacity.

I do not know how any of you survive without weight on the back of these little fellows & a loader. I had more seat grips that week than I do over several years with the rest of my equipment......

The thing is, without any weight added, you will want to do just one thing, and not bother with the 3pt weight..... Lifting heavy, or lifting high even with a small load, makes these nimble little machines very unstable. You get a lot of weight up high, & any little slant feels real unstable.

I would want the fluid in the back wheels to balance the weigfht of the loader. Always. Then for heavy loader work, still use something on the 3pt to balance the weight of the material in the bucket.

The past 2 years have been very pleasent, & very stable with the NH 1720. A well balanced machine now, that is quit stable. Since the fluid.

--->Paul

 

[RobJ]

At that price I would almost say wait or get the weight box. If you wait altogether $500 could help on a nice implement which may be harder to come by later if yo u know what I mean. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Filling the tires later doesn't "look" like anything has changed on the tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Say if done when it has to go back for the $50 hour check up? Hmmmm?

 

[rambler]

I do agree the price is too high - take your tractor to the tire dealer yourself - you will save a healthy dealer markup in which the dealer did - nothing. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I had a mid-sized tractor tire & tube replaced (on another tractor), & 3 rear tires filled with CC for under $600. That was a service call to my farm (~20 mile trip). Any Cennex Coop or other ag type services in your area?

--->Paul

 

[johan3400]

I would just use a 3pt piece of equipment for ballast. I like the ability to have a light tractor for some applications. I keep a KK tiller on the back of mine while I use the FEL. Just MHO.