Ballast TLB 110 - To Fill or Not to Fill

[RonPaul2012]

Ok here's the story, When I remove the backhoe from the 110 and put on the 3 point kit I put on a half plastic drum full of concrete. It has a 2 inch receiver built in so I can pull my trailer when out cutting firewood. The problem is the tractor still "feels" light on the back tires. I read on this site about swapping side to side for stance but I would like to add weight. JD does not recommend filling the tires. Is it because of hydro-drive or wear on brake parts from the inertia of the fluid? I may swap tires for stance and while I had them off I thought about casting some concrete wheel weights. I understand the extra weight is still inertia but it would not be fluid in motion. I drive on side roads, so I get'er rollin. I would just like some input from the real world. Should I fill with Mag-Chloride or make solid weights.

 

[kennyd]

They don't recomend filling the tires because when the hoe is mounted you can overload the rear axle. I think you just need to add more concrete to your drum for more ballast.

 

[Peiffer Rental]

Adding Fluid to the rear tires actually adds no weight to the Rear axle housing or final drives.. Ballast Box and the like, yes.. Cast weights or fluid, no.. The increased traction from Filling would add load to the drivetrain only.. I suspect Deere's concern is the tractor being "overworked" With the BH installed combined with the Fluid.. This of course depends on what your trying to push, pull, dig or drag.. With the combination of Fluid and Hoe.. If you're the only operator and have some sense.. I say load'em up..

 

[jenkinsph]

From my experiences with the 110 you need about 1200 to 1500 lbs on the 3PH for loader work.

I agree with KennyD that the reason not to add wheel weight is because of the backhoe. When you have the backhoe on and need to raise the rear wheels to reposition the added weight would be a problem for you.

I don't need to remove my hoe much that is why I bought the 4520 but that said my box blade weighs 1250 lbs and works well for loader work.

 

[ME83]

I loaded my rears with Rimguard, mag chloride is still corrosive but not as much is sodium chloride. Rimguard is a little heavier than water, both tires filled is suppose to be 1100 lbs. Even with the rears filled you need something on the back if you are moving a lot of weigh with the loader, a york rake is enough.

The backhoe stabilizer arms still lift the rear fine. Sometimes in softer ground I help them by also pushing down with the hoe. Filled tires and wheel weights don't load the axle, they will give better traction but the lack of traction R-4 tires give more than even it out. I live in New England and have some decent hills, everyone around here loads the rear tires of tractor loaders for the much appreciated stability.

I put wheel spacers on the back tires in order to clear tire chains during winter. The front tires I swapped side to side to give a little wider stance to match the rear.

 

[AKfish]

I wrestled with this question a fair bit, too! I finally decided it wasn't worth the added stress on the hoe stabilizers or the possible strain on the tractor frame, either.

After several hundred hours using the hoe (almost 900 on the TLB, now); it's sometimes a bit disconcerting with the positions on hillsides and humps and low spots with the noises and twists and angles that the tractor and hoe are put into... I do my best to avoid unequal loading and torqueing on the frame and the mount when I'm working the machine. Not always possible, certainly. But why add another 1,200lbs or so hanging (literally with the stabilizers pressured down) off the rear axle in a position that might be higher or lower than the hoe or FEL?

Never mind the questions regarding axle and rear differential "loading".

Finally, added wheel spacers to the rears and chains all around for winter, late fall and early spring crawling around in the woods clearing trees and debris.

Works just fine. With the hoe off; I bought the iMatch quick hitch and the ballast box with extension. Filled with concrete. Don't know the weight - but it's enough and the iMatch makes it really easy to switch between the rear blade or rototiller, etc.

AKfish

 

[jenkinsph]

I loaded my rears with Rimguard, mag chloride is still corrosive but not as much is sodium chloride. Rimguard is a little heavier than water, both tires filled is suppose to be 1100 lbs. Even with the rears filled you need something on the back if you are moving a lot of weigh with the loader, a york rake is enough.

The backhoe stabilizer arms still lift the rear fine. Sometimes in softer ground I help them by also pushing down with the hoe. Filled tires and wheel weights don't load the axle, they will give better traction but the lack of traction R-4 tires give more than even it out. I live in New England and have some decent hills, everyone around here loads the rear tires of tractor loaders for the much appreciated stability.

I put wheel spacers on the back tires in order to clear tire chains during winter. The front tires I swapped side to side to give a little wider stance to match the rear.

I would be concerned that the hoe would have a hard time raising the machine to get up and over a ditch bank. I think the stabilizers can handle the weight more easily than the hoe.

The weight added to the rear wheels does load the axles when the wheels are raised, and in turn this loads the frame and hoe.

 

[ME83]

There are a lot of people on this board with loaded rear tires on various tractors. Here we have one of the heavier built machines with a stronger frame that is made for constuction duty and you guys seem more afraid to load the tires.

I guess it depends what you are using your tractor for. I pull a heavy trailer up and down the road at times, I'm in the woods on hills, grading inclines, etc. I know the loaded tires give me much more stability and safety and they are never in the way (don't forget braking in 2wd is only your rear tires, the more weight on them the better). I have over 500 hrs on my 110 and have had 0 problems. From what you have described I think loading the tires will be the best option.

 

[kennyd]

There are a lot of people on this board with loaded rear tires on various tractors. Here we have one of the heavier built machines with a stronger frame that is made for constuction duty and you guys seem more afraid to load the tires.

I guess it depends what you are using your tractor for. I pull a heavy trailer up and down the road at times, I'm in the woods on hills, grading inclines, etc. I know the loaded tires give me much more stability and safety and they are never in the way (don't forget braking in 2wd is only your rear tires, the more weight on them the better). I have over 500 hrs on my 110 and have had 0 problems. From what you have described I think loading the tires will be the best option.

From the online User Manual, there is more said about it but it would not copy/paste.

IMPORTANT: Avoid damage! Damage to tires and drive train will occur if:
Ballast is added when the backhoe is installed.
Ballast is added to the front of this machine or the front tires.
Remove ballast from machine when no longer needed to extend drive train life and avoid excessive soil compaction and rolling resistance.



Ballasting Machine
Ballasting this machine should not be done with backhoe installed. It is recommended that if ballast is needed, a ballast box totalling 567 kg (1250 lb), or a 567 kg (1250 lb) box scraper be mounted to the 3-point hitch.

 

[two_bit_score]

From the online User Manual, there is more said about it but it would not copy/paste.
IMPORTANT: Avoid damage! Damage to tires and drive train will occur if:
Ballast is added when the backhoe is installed.
Ballast is added to the front of this machine or the front tires.
Remove ballast from machine when no longer needed to extend drive train life and avoid excessive soil compaction and rolling resistance.
Ballasting Machine
Ballasting this machine should not be done with backhoe installed. It is recommended that if ballast is needed, a ballast box totalling 567 kg (1250 lb), or a 567 kg (1250 lb) box scraper be mounted to the 3-point hitch.

Sounds good enough to me.