Ballast Loaded Tires - any down sides?

   / Loaded Tires - any down sides? #61  
Down side? Not really. Some may talk about marking the lawn, but I doubt your machine is a finish mower!

I would bite the bullet and fill it up totally now. You won't do it later and you WILL cuss every time your back end gets lite or even comes off the ground.
 
   / Loaded Tires - any down sides? #62  
there are DIY kits to fill tires.

also it might be worth contacting local tire places. rather make that, open phone book to "tires" and just start calling. many will be just for vehicles. but after dozen or so calls, you should get a hint at a few places to call. and see what they charge to come out and fill tires for you. if anything it would give you ball park figure to see if dealer is over charging, or giving a discount to ya for your local area.

on another note. personally prefer a higher ply rating in 8 to 10 range. for tractor tires, from understanding harder rubber / thicker rubber higher the ply rating. so less chance of getting a leak from a thorn or nail or like.

tubes are not that much cash, and might advise having tubes put in regardless. just a little more rubber to protect against thorn / nails / etc...

i say fill it up to the max recommended. so there is less sloshing within the tire.
 
   / Loaded Tires - any down sides? #63  
boggen - already stopped at one major tire dealership and got a quote of $781 plus tax for same amount so dealer price ain't bad. Most of the cost is in the fluid it seems as the cost is ~$4/gallon and I would be using about 180 gallons so there's what ~$720. Ain't nuthin' cheap?
 
   / Loaded Tires - any down sides? #64  
I'd let the dealer do it since they seem they have their act together and are doing it with some sort of biodegradable stuff.

I have 25 hrs on my M7040 and had a chance to operate without the tires loaded when I first got it and then had WWF added to it. Mine has cast iron rims as well. Really can't see myself going without ballast in the tires. There are too many times I do loader work - work in a manure pile, lift bales etc. without 3PT weight at the back.
 
   / Loaded Tires - any down sides? #65  
If you are not in a freezing climate one can use plain H2O, if you have tubes in your tires. If tubeless, plain H2O or salt solutions, NaCl or CaCl2, are corrosive and should not be used with steel rims. There is a commercial product available for this purpose called Rim Guard, don’t know about its cost and availability. Also, on the cheap, used automobile antifreeze drainings would work and should be available from auto repair shops as it is recycled, and should have enough anti corrosion additives remaining as to not be corrosive to steel rims.
 
   / Loaded Tires - any down sides? #66  
I don't think I could deal with snow on our hilly driveway without 90 gallons of alcohol in the tires. I also have diamond pattern chains that will go on next week.
My neighbor has a 4wd Kabota to handle a really steep hill. With chains on all 4 corners he still has problems. For some reason he refuses to load his tires. He dosen't mow with it, it's just for snow.
 
   / Loaded Tires - any down sides? #67  
I've got loaded rears on my M8540HD ROPS machine, I do not have the cast rear wheel centers. For me I definitely like having the loaded rears and would recommend going with something biodegradable.

Last week I had a heavy log sitting on just the left fork of my pallet forks, a couple of feet out from the frame, and as I raised the loader my right rear tire came off the ground, that was with a 7' box blade hanging off the back.

Remember that loaded rears adds weight but does not reduce loading on the front axle. Ballast hanging off the back of the tractor acts as a counter weight and reduces loading on the front axle.
 
 
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