SacandagaBrad
Gold Member
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
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