Ballasts / Rear weight information

[TomOfTarsus]

Whew, been a rough couple of weeks. I have to get my traction problem solved, DDW just flipped out about how this tractor isn't any good for our land, etc, and what a terrible mistake I'd made buying it. Make no mistake: I have hilly, lumpy ground and in just a few hours' newbie seat time I've managed to scare myself throughly. A ballast box and/or loaded tires seems like the way to go. It might be fun getting a financial allocation right now though!

Other guys wheel their garden & lawn tractors, etc around here like nothing doing, so I figure it's mere inexperience and poor setup on my part. I know one fellow around here who used to have a Kubota CUT and he never rolled it that I know of, so it can be done. I'm getting the idea that having the FEL on with no rear weight of any sort is a no-no - makes sense really, I'm feeling it out on the land.

Is a ballast box (for my little TC-18) big enough to haul wood in? I'd discussed this on a another thread, I thought that perhaps a custom built box big enough to haul 700-800 lb of firewood would act as a nice ballast coming down the hill - and could be lowered to act as a gigantic emergency brake if I started to slide.

BTW, with regards to my post above about asking NH for CG info - they declined. So I'll have to figure it out myself.

I'm too wordy - see y'all later, and thanks!

Tom

 

[art]

Tom, you might start with just rear wheel weights to help offset your loader. The rear ballast boxes no matter what it's uses are is a good way to go for many. You could build or at many tractor supply type stores they sell three point hitch frames that with wood you can make them carry most things.

 

[TomOfTarsus]

Thanks, Art, that may be cheaper and more versatile than buying a dedicated ballast box. So you're thinking wheel weights instead of tire loading? Any particular reason? Others are saying they are more expensive, & obviously don't lower the CG as much (although in my case moving it back is at least as important...).

 

[daTeacha]

Probably the cheapest way to ballast the rear and get some secondary use of it would be to get a rear carryall for the 3 point. Then get a pallet as a base, build a wooden box, and put in it whatever you want. You could get fancy and put a door on the back of it to facilitate loading/unloading. Fill it with rocks or dirt and you'll have plenty of weight.

 

[neucam]

I too would wonder if 25% weight on the rear with a loader is enough. For the front end to support 75% of the tractor weight, the loader, full bucket, rear ballast, and liquid in rear tires would severely tax the front end. Maybe the question should be how heavy is the front end when using a loader. My tractor feels very balanced with a loader and filled tires and an implement on back. Based on how easy if steers, non power steering when using the loader.

 

[quarencia]

I've been running numbers for my Kubota BX to put a weight box on the rear. I was surprised by how much weight is carried on the front axle with a full loader. I think the "at least 25% on the rear axle" makes sense. You have to hang some serious weight on the 3ph to get the front axle down to 25% of total tractor weight with a max bucket load. I think, in most cases, this would exceed the rear axle weight limit and lift the front wheels off the ground when the bucket is empty.

Attached are some picks from my spreadsheet for planning ballast weight. It takes into account tractor weight, operator weight, loader weight, load in bucket and ballast. I don't have filled tires, but that wouldn't affect front axle loading anyway.

• First pic is weight distribution with full bucket and no ballast.
  
• Second is weight distribution with full bucket and ~370 LB ballast (Little BX doesn't take much)
  
• Third is with ballast large enough to get front axle down to 25% of total weight. This requires 1565 lb ballast! Note the rear axle loading is 2969 lb!!! This exceeds the rear axle limit. This amount of ballast also exceeds the dry weight of the tractor and 3ph limit.
  

I can't say these numbers scale up for larger tractors, but my guess is they're in the same ball park for percentage of axle loading. Based on the sketches from Hazmat's other thread, I think they do.

 

[coobie]

I just bought a 2008 Kioti DK40se (41hp) with a KL401 loader.From what I have read from the specs I believe the loader will lift 2760 lbs.I have loaded the tires(R-4,s)with rim guard.I burn wood pellets for heat in the winter,a skid of pellets has a weight of 2000 lbs.Even with the tires loaded it picked the ***** end up until I bought a kubota 1000 lbs ballast box and filled it with dirt,all is well now the rear tires stay planted.coobie

 

[Gizmo2]

Nothing like a hoe for ballast and when not acting as a ballast digs pretty good too. #46 hoe = 1000lbs.

 

[TomOfTarsus]

Awright, quarencia! Now I'm jealous. I could make a spreadsheet like that, given the info (and that, given scales, which I do not have). But where'd you get the fancy graphic? That is some slick stuff, and I'd love to have the numbers. Now to find some scales.

Over the weekend, got to TSC, and yes, that loader frame looks like the way to go for rear ballast/carrying. For $119 & whatever junque I want to use to hold stuff, I'm set. Thanks to Rich (daTeacha) & others for that one.

 

[daTeacha]

I got a little inventive with mine and welded a pair of "wings" on it, properly reinforced, made from 2" channel steel. I can take the bucket off and attach it to the QA plates on the FEL and have some non-adjustable pallet forks that work well enough. They don't slide into a pallet as easily as the swinging type, but after a little trimming of the leading edge to a 45 degree angle and some judicious use of the curl/dump, I can pick up a pallet pretty nicely with the front loader. It still works on the 3 point, too.