Recommended Ballast for 3320 with 300CX?

[Neophyte]

I have a 3320 with 300CX and 73" HD Bucket.

When I purchased my tractor, I decided not to load the tires. I did this because I was going to be using my RFM quite a bit and I wanted to be able to drop the extra weight. I ran this past my dealer and he did not seem to think it was going to be a problem as long as I used my ballast box when using the FEL.

I have the iMatch with JD ballast box (without extension) that is filled with crushed stone.

I was using the FEL on some wet loam today and I lifted the rear tires a couple of times. At one point, I mis-loaded the bucket with most of the load on the left side and the right rear tire came off the ground quite a bit. It was very unnerving. After using mostly skid steers and TLBs, I'm not used to this balancing act.

I was reading through the 300CX manual tonight and saw the following about the required minimum ballast.

Minimum Ballast = Fluid Filled Rear Tires & 1100 lb of 3-Point Hitch Ballast & 3 Wheel Weights per Wheel

Does anyone actually ballast their machine this much? How much does this add up to? How much weight do 3/4 filled tires add? How much does each rear wheel weight add?

According to the manual, a ballast box (without extension) should way between 608 lbs (sand) to 824 lbs (concrete). I'm using crushed stone, which should weigh at least as much as sand.

I'm wondering if I should have loaded my tires but I really don't want to be stuck with that weight when mowing.

I have seen some pictures out there of people adding weights to the sides or back of their ballast box. Besides the sand, how much weight can one add to the ballast box?

At a minimum, I'm thinking I may definitely want to get rear wheel weights. These can't be as easily removed as a ballast box but at least I can remove them when I start using my loader less. How much do these cost and are they easily installed/removed?

I also noticed that the larger R4 Marathoners (43x16-20) were not listed as approved rear tires for the 300CX loader. Is this because they are not actually approved or is this because they were a late addition and have not been added to the manual yet?

Do you think I should have loaded my rear tires? Any other suggestions?

 

[browns40]

Hi neo,

Yeah--that's a lot of recommended weight, and I won't dispute JD's figures on it, but I use quite a bit less fairly successfully.

If your 300 manual is same edition of mine, it was printed prior to 3x20 series coming out, (also prior to the Marathoners) so refer to recommendations for 4x10 series throughout it; they are same weight & size tractors.

I have 534 #s of box blade & 235# weight bar attached 90% of the time using the loader; ~800 #'s of log winch otherwise... either one gives me plenty of ballast for most of the loader work I've done... that said the 300CX can easily lever up the back end when under an object or loaded beyond ballast.

I don't know how much steel or granite you've got, but you could try adding them to your box then add crushed rock... those box numbers you give do seem light for ballast, and depending on the rock, could be pretty light.

 

[Neophyte]

Browns,

Are your tires loaded?

My manual mentions the 3x20 it just does not mention the R4 Marathoners.

 

[Superduper]

Why so much ballast? Let's see.... Your loader has a lifting capacity of around 1600 lbs. If you add the weight of the loader itself, which I don't know but let's say for the sake of argument, 800 lbs, you have a grand total of 2400 lbs on the front end. You WILL need to counterbalance this weight.

I don't see specifications for the 43-16-20 tires, but smaller 41-14-20 tires takes 32 gallons for 267 lbs at 75% fill with water. Standard 15-19.5 tires takes 29 gals for 240lbs. Calcium Cloride solution will increase that amount, maybe 20%. Since your tires are larger, figure somewhere around 300lbs or so, +/- with water. That gives you 600lbs of tire ballast. Add 1000 lbs at the 3PT and you have 1600lbs. Of course if your implement hangs further back, the leverage factor will increase the effect of this weight. Oops, front weight is insufficiently offset by rear ballast at this point.... Add 3 weights per side per wheel. Now we're talking somewhere near the ballpark.

The specifications for your loader almost certainly was obtained by JD through research, calculations, and testing. If your loader had lower capacity, such as with 300x or 300 loader, you won't need as much. The weight is key. Obviously, a bucketful of topsoil or mulch won't be nearly as heavy as gravel. You have a very large bucket at 73" and filled with 'wet' loam, will weigh quite a bit. In any event, to attain maximum loader capacity, follow JD recommendations for ballasting. If you do mostly mulch, or other lighter stuff (even an 800lb log is not the same as loaded to capacity at 1649 lbs), as many folks do, then you may not need the full complement of ballasting. Still, since you've managed to lift your rear on more than one occassion, you obviously need to increase your ballasting. Use your judgement but Tire fill alone may not do it.

 

[browns40]

Hi neo,

My wheels are not loaded... have toyed with the idea for traction & stability more so than loader ballast... I can lift a packed bucket of wet clay to the height I need (~9 feet)... can send the loader into relief... rear does not come up unless I'm pointing down grade.

My experience is that my tractor has an fairly effective counterweight on the back... I'd rather have a genuine 800-1000 lb Box Blade on the back though!

I have moved a lot of material with the FEL (technically, probably the majority of my hours HAVE been loader work) in digging out the attached pond... prior to adding the additional steel in the back of the BB I was not very efficient using the FEL, and did lever the back up, lift a wheel on either side, etc.

As is, the tires still rut 3 areas of my field... Once my pond is done, bushhogging will be my primary use, so I'm leaving them as is to minimize rutting & compaction.

Loading that ballast box up and practicing with the loader in a variety of materials and I think you should be fine, and still keep it lighter for mowing.