Ballast Need help with wheel weights for Kubota L3830

[Joe013]

New member/1st post
I purchased a 2003 Kubota L3830 last fall and want to use wheel weights rather then fill the tires. Kubota only has the 64 lb weights - 3 per side for a total of 384 lbs for my tractor. The spacing is 3 holes at 8 7/8". I would like more weight but can't find any to fit my rims. They are 24" rims with 6 holes. Does anybody know of anything that will work on my tractor? If nothing is available I will get the tires filled. Do they have to be filled to a prescribed level or can that vary depending on how much weight you want on the rear? Thanks, Joe

[RaydaKub]

I don't know anything about your tractor. But you want the tires filled to 75%. The idea is to leave some air cushion for when you hit a bump, but also keep the rim submerged to minimize the chance of rust. Fortunately, this is easy, just put the valve stem at 12:00 and fill in the liquid (burp every once in a while) until the burp is all liquid.

Then you get into tubed tires, CaCh vs Rimguard vs water vs washer fluid vs antifreeze vs RV antifreeze. There are gobs of threads on this stuff, just look around.

Oh, and welcome to TBN!

[Joe013]

Thanks, I live in NW Pa so wont be filling with water! I also have a BX2230 with FEL, snowblower, & 60" mower deck. Great tractor - esp. the snowblower - throws snow clear into the next county! It does help that our property ends at the county line. Joe

[pmhowe]

You should consider a ballast box or other type of rear ballast. There are lots of threads regarding ballast box vs using a rear implement vs rear tire weights etc. Also some very innovative approaches to ballast boxes that are also tool carriers. I have a ballast box for my tractor and find that it really helps when using the loader. Also helps for working on hills.

You have a great tractor! You will love it. I envy you your snowblower.

[kuboman]

I put 165 lb weights on L 3130 with 24" rims. They don't fit the way they are suppose to but there was no problem and they looked good.

[Joe013]

Thanks for the info. I was hoping to add about 500 lbs in wheel weights to help with traction when mowing our steep pasture. That plus a ballast box or implement while using the loader. With the backhoe attached I can operate the loader well although an extra 4 or 5 hundred lbs would be perfect. Filling the tires will add over 1000 lbs and with the 1000 lb plus backhoe amounts to overkill. The farm we acquired has been idle for many years and I know there will be a few flat tires before it's all cleaned up which is one reason I'm not keen to fill the tires. I do like the idea of a ballast box that can double as a tool carrier.

[RaydaKub]

If you are worried about the steep slope, you can't do any better than filled tires. The weight is added as low to the ground as it gets. It is the only way to add weight and lower the COG. There is the drawback of carrying that weight all over. You gotta do what works for you, but the stability from filled tires cannot be matched any other way.

[xring100]

New member/1st post
I purchased a 2003 Kubota L3830 last fall and want to use wheel weights rather then fill the tires. Kubota only has the 64 lb weights - 3 per side for a total of 384 lbs for my tractor. The spacing is 3 holes at 8 7/8". I would like more weight but can't find any to fit my rims. They are 24" rims with 6 holes. Does anybody know of anything that will work on my tractor? If nothing is available I will get the tires filled. Do they have to be filled to a prescribed level or can that vary depending on how much weight you want on the rear? Thanks, Joe

Welcome. I'm pretty sure its okay to fill them less than 75%. Just can't overfill them. But in my experience more weight = better i regret not ordering my wheels with cast centers and i have 1800-1900 lbs of rim guard

Dave

[azbinder]

These are cast weights and have holes around the center to bolt it to the wheel disc and then notched holes around the outer edge to stack several weights together. You might be able to bolt two weights, one inside the disc and the second inside the disc/ Use 3 bolts to go all the way through the disc and both weights. Then you can stack two or three weights on the inside and outside. Upwards of 500# per side. I just don't know how much stress it would put on the rear end of the tractor. When you add liquuid to the tires, the weight bacically goes directly to the ground.

[RaydaKub]

Welcome. I'm pretty sure its okay to fill them less than 75%.

If you are using tubeless tires (and depending on what you use for fill), you risk corrosion of the rim because it is constantly exposed to the oxygen in the tire. It doesn't happen over night, but there's lots of rims that have rusted out from it. At the 75% mark, you keep the rim submerged. If you use a tube, yeah, put in what you want.