I am interested if anyone has had any experience with loaded rears on the CK30.While the tractor is terrific,I believe calcium loaded tires would give it more ballast for the FEL plus overall more traction and stability.Any comments folks? I am running Ags on mine.
Tires CK30 Load Rear Tires?
- Thread starter EldonC
- Start date
Highbeam
Super Member
The bloody thing already weighs 4000 lbs.
More weight is good for certain jobs though and since you'll never have a lightweight, you may as well make it heavier.
More weight is good for certain jobs though and since you'll never have a lightweight, you may as well make it heavier.
DK35vince
Super Member
I don't own a CK 30, but loading the rear (R-4 Ind.) tires on my DK 35 made it much/much more stable doing loader work on uneven ground and also improved traction.
Loaded my tires using windshield washer fluid.
Loaded my tires using windshield washer fluid.
wallace
Veteran Member, Approved Advertiser
EldonC if you are running just the loader and you don't have any attachments on it I would say load them but if you have something hung on the back most of the time then I would not worry about it.
dfkrug
Super Member
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- Feb 3, 2004
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- Santa Cruz Mtns, CA
- Tractor
- 05 Kioti CK30HST w/ Prairie Dog backhoe, XN08 mini-X
I think Wallace has it right: you should primarily use a 3-pt implement for counter-weighting a FEL. No counter-weight and FEL use is unsafe. JD says don't even MOUNT your FEL to the tractor without counter-weight.
Here is another reason why ballasted tires are not as good as rear counterweights: Ballasted tires (or wheel weights) do not take FEL weight OFF the FRONT tires. Only counter-weights can do this. If you are using AG tires, a loaded FEL will exceed the load capacity of many CUT front tires if you are depending on wheel weights or tire ballast to keep you from tipping. (R-4s don't have this problem cuz they have 75% more load capacity.)
I have used filled tires before and if you ever decide to remove the fluid....its is a huge PITA.
Here is another reason why ballasted tires are not as good as rear counterweights: Ballasted tires (or wheel weights) do not take FEL weight OFF the FRONT tires. Only counter-weights can do this. If you are using AG tires, a loaded FEL will exceed the load capacity of many CUT front tires if you are depending on wheel weights or tire ballast to keep you from tipping. (R-4s don't have this problem cuz they have 75% more load capacity.)
I have used filled tires before and if you ever decide to remove the fluid....its is a huge PITA.
Bob_Skurka
Super Member
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I am interested if anyone has had any experience with loaded rears on the CK30.While the tractor is terrific,I believe calcium loaded tires would give it more ballast for the FEL plus overall more traction and stability.Any comments folks? I am running Ags on mine. )</font>
Eldon, first let me state that I do not own a CK30 but have a reasonable amount of experience with equipment so based on other brand experience I would suggest you stop using your tractor's FEL until you get it properly ballasted. Now I don't have a manual for a CK30/130 loader in my office, but I suggest if you check your loader manual it might tell you how much ballast you need to put on the back of your tractor to balance it. Using a FEL safely and to full capacity has nothing to do with overall weight of the tractor, but it has a lot to do with balance. Balance is achieved with ballast.
My New Holland and my Kubota manuals both state that I am required to use BOTH fluid filled rear tires AND a weight box -or- wheel weights AND a weight box to achieve the maximum capacities out of the FEL. The Kubota is an ultra-light machine, the NH has a gross weight that is only a couple hundred pounds less than a comparable frame size Kioti. The Kubota has only a modest lift capacity, despite its lighter weight the NH will lift more than a comparable frame size/heavier Kioti. I've used many brands of commercial loaders (not TLBs but real loaders), I've never seen one that is built like a tractor, they are all built with the maximum weight on the rear of the machine. But a typical CUT style tractor has an loader that is almost an engineering afterthought. That said, I would strongly suggest that if you want the maximum performance out of your loader, you would need to balance the machine with proper weight. Any weight will improve your load. I prefer a weight box to loader tires because the weight box uses the rear axle as a fulcrum point and reduces the load on the front axle/tires and since you are running "AG" tires, that becomes an issue due to sidewall construction of R1/Ag tires.
Go back and read your owners manual. There should be something in there about counterweight or ballast. But realize that until you properly balance your machine, you are operating it in a dangerous fashion and can easily tip/roll the machine and cause yourself personal injury. You are better off to be safe than sorry.
Eldon, first let me state that I do not own a CK30 but have a reasonable amount of experience with equipment so based on other brand experience I would suggest you stop using your tractor's FEL until you get it properly ballasted. Now I don't have a manual for a CK30/130 loader in my office, but I suggest if you check your loader manual it might tell you how much ballast you need to put on the back of your tractor to balance it. Using a FEL safely and to full capacity has nothing to do with overall weight of the tractor, but it has a lot to do with balance. Balance is achieved with ballast.
My New Holland and my Kubota manuals both state that I am required to use BOTH fluid filled rear tires AND a weight box -or- wheel weights AND a weight box to achieve the maximum capacities out of the FEL. The Kubota is an ultra-light machine, the NH has a gross weight that is only a couple hundred pounds less than a comparable frame size Kioti. The Kubota has only a modest lift capacity, despite its lighter weight the NH will lift more than a comparable frame size/heavier Kioti. I've used many brands of commercial loaders (not TLBs but real loaders), I've never seen one that is built like a tractor, they are all built with the maximum weight on the rear of the machine. But a typical CUT style tractor has an loader that is almost an engineering afterthought. That said, I would strongly suggest that if you want the maximum performance out of your loader, you would need to balance the machine with proper weight. Any weight will improve your load. I prefer a weight box to loader tires because the weight box uses the rear axle as a fulcrum point and reduces the load on the front axle/tires and since you are running "AG" tires, that becomes an issue due to sidewall construction of R1/Ag tires.
Go back and read your owners manual. There should be something in there about counterweight or ballast. But realize that until you properly balance your machine, you are operating it in a dangerous fashion and can easily tip/roll the machine and cause yourself personal injury. You are better off to be safe than sorry.
albmn10
Gold Member
Eldon, let me state that i do own a kioti Ck30 and for what your uses are loading your tires would be just fine.. Or you can just get yourself a ballast box and add and remove sand bags as i do to give the extra weight as needed.. The ck30 is very well balanced, and 400lbs in your ballast box will handle anything youll lift with your k130 loader. I run a woods loader on my ck30 which will lift as much as any 30hp brand out there. Ive carried slabs of concrete weighing 1500lbs and the tractor has had no problems doing so.
I certainly do appreciate all of the fine advice and the time you folks have given me regarding my query.To clarify my reasons for thinking about loading the tires are not directly related to my FEL as I have a rear blade and always have it on when using the loader.It would weigh upwards of 300 lbs and hangs out behind it a fair amount.My interest stems from wishing to do some ploughing and other agriculture chores.While I do agree the tractor is heavy overall I do believe it is a bit light on the back end for general purpose duties and slips a bit in two wheel drive when I don't feel it should.Calcium is still the fluid of choice in my region for reasons of weight,as it is far heavier than windshield washer.
I certainly agree that the tractor must be ballasted to use the FEL to capacity as even in best case scenario it puts too high a proportion of the weight on the front axle never mind instability.I visit this forum regularly and always come away with tons of new knowledge.Thanks to all of you folks!
I certainly agree that the tractor must be ballasted to use the FEL to capacity as even in best case scenario it puts too high a proportion of the weight on the front axle never mind instability.I visit this forum regularly and always come away with tons of new knowledge.Thanks to all of you folks!
nobaddays
Member
the site below will give you the gal./weight for each of your rear tires.
http://www.tractorsmart.com/Farm_Tractor_Liquid_Tire_Ballast.htm
http://www.tractorsmart.com/Farm_Tractor_Liquid_Tire_Ballast.htm