Tires My lesson learned on loaded tires

[SacandagaBrad]

I've had my TC24 about a month, during the wettest Oct - early Nov I can ever remember. When I bought the machine, I equipped it with a FEL, MMM, back blade, and rear blower. I insisted on turfs due to my soft lawn, and I mean SOFT! Also decided not to load the tires for fear of sinking in too deep during the wet seasons. In fact, the tractor came with tubed, CaCl loaded turfs that the dealer tried to get me to take at no extra charge. No. I could always leave the rear blade on for ballast.

Reality - working on the front yard where it is the wettest, the weight of the loader alone causes the front wheels to press in more than the rears, even with the blade on the back. Moving #2 stone, the fronts still didn't break the sod (the turf really spread out the weight), but the rear was dangerously light. More than once had to dump a few stones out of the bucket to feel grounded. And I had to leave it in 4WD just to back up a slight incline if I didn't have the blade on the back. Then I put a pin hole in the side wall of the tire and figured I better get tubes.

So back to the dealer with the tires in the back of the truck and I decided to get them loaded at the same time. Cost me about $100 plus my time to end up with loaded tires that they originally tried to give me at no cost! I had them only put 20 gallons of washer fluid in each tire - 160 pounds plus the weight of the tire. Put them on the tractor tonight and tried a bucket of stone (with the blade on the back), like night and day. Feels so much more stable. Drove on the lawn that is so soft, it has running water in the sod, tractor actually leaves less of print due to it being better balanced.

Lesson - If you're running those big fat turfs and are worried about the extra weight of having them loaded, don't worry. Get them loaded, you don't have to get them loaded to the max. The extra 320 pounds made an incredible difference and it feels safer. I doubt there are many places that are any softer than where I live.

I know I am preaching to the choir for those of you with loaded tires. I offer this experience for anyone trying to decide which way to go and hope it helps them make the best choice. I now agree with the policy many dealers have - sell a tractor with FEL, it has to have loaded tires.

Brad

 

[grandad]

Right on, Brad! Only one word of caution, though. If your tires are just partially loaded, you need to be extra careful using your road gear to move at higher speeds. The juice in a less than fully loaded tire can slosh around enough to cause a control issue at high speeds. You probably knew this, but thought I'd mention it anyways.

 

[PineRidge]

Brad there has been a LOT of talk here at the boards about filled tires vs cast weighted tires. I agree with your thinking that if you need inexpensive weight added to your rears then by all means fill er up! But, cast iron wheel weights although not cheaper initally are a better choice. If you aren't pulling that FEL around when you are mowing your back forty its real simple to take the rear cast weights off the tractor to do less soil compaction. This also holds true when preparing seed beds, cultivation and the like where soil compaction will actually hurt you. Filled tires were once used years ago by ALL the farmers, today they use cast iron.

I'm always open to better ideas. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Filled tires are not the only solution to adding weight. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Koby]

I think the best choice is one that best fits each individual's situation. I don't agree that wheel weights are the best choice for everyone. Myself, I needed stability on hills, and loaded tires do keep a lower C.G. then weights. Knowing that I would never have a need to remove the weight, I chose liquid fill over weights. Traction has not been a problem for me, although some say that cast weights provide better traction. Just adding ballast to the wheels when using a FEL is WAY more important than the method of doing so.

 

[fwc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Myself, I needed stability on hills, and loaded tires do keep a lower C.G. then weights )</font>

I think you could say this about Partially loaded tires, but full tires would spread the weight about equally above and below the center of the axle. So your reference CG for any added weight , Iron or Liquid would be the same on level ground but having full tires sideways on an incline would actually give your more weight at a higer point down the hill so it would be pulled by gravity more.

FWIW.

Floyd

 

[Junkman]

The max amount that is suggested for filled tires is 75% of the total volume of the tire. Given this, 2/3 will be below the axle and the 1/3 above.

 

[SacandagaBrad]

I agree there are other options. My surprise was how well the turfs "float" on the soft ground and the added weight did not make any noticable difference in leaving tracks. With only the mower on in the summer, I don't think it is going to matter one way or the other. If I had R-1s or R-4s, I might have noticed a difference. My manual also says that I cannot add wheel weights to the turfs, so I guess I don't really have that many options.

I also mentioned earlier that they were only partially filled. The dealer put in 20 gallons in each tire, I'm not sure there is much room for any more than that and still keep it at 75% of the total volume.

I tried working today in an area that no piece of equipment on tires should be, attempting to grade out fully saturated muck with some rocks in the mix. Kind of like trying to spread crunchy peanut butter on fresh bread. I'll leave that do the dozer for a "rough" smoothing and then wait till spring for the fine grading and seeding.

 

[farmyid]

"Filled tires were once used years ago by ALL the farmers, today they use cast iron"

I wonder what the pounds per square inch of not filled ag tires versus filled industrial tires? which causes more soil compaction? I am pretty sure the unfilled ag tires have a heavier PSI on the soil, or at least similar.
I filled my R4's. Mark

 

[art]

What you experienced is the balancing of your tractor. Many tractors are unbalanced for one reason or the other, the attachments we add on and worse yet right from the manufacturer. Some are easier to adjust and bring in some not. A two wheel drive should be balanced at 75% of the weight on the rear. A four wheel drive should be at 60% rear for three point use or 65% for towing. Loaders move to the 70 to 75%. You were obviously way to heavy on the front for what you have stated.

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> My manual also says that I cannot add wheel weights to the turfs, so I guess I don't really have that many options. </font>
My TC25D Operator's Manual specifically indicates that with either Ags (max 220 pounds/rear wheel) or R4s (max 150 pounds/ rear wheel) I can also use liquid ballast. While the manual mentions that weights are not available for turfs, it doesn't mention anything about not using them.