You need balast or you will trash your front axle!!!! really?

[4570Man]

I edited my comment for clarity, but the rear axle is still the pivot point, and the amount of torque applied is the same. No, it wouldn't take 3,000lbs off the front axle, but I didn't claim it would.

You said you now have 3,000 pounds of toque raising the front axle. Also it is pretty unlikely 1,000 pounds of ballast was centered 36" behind the axel.

 

[GManBart]

You said you now have 3,000 pounds of toque raising the front axle. Also it is pretty unlikely 1,000 pounds of ballast was centered 36" behind the axel.

Yes, the 3,000lbs of torque would be working to raise the front axle. I never said it would remove 3,000lbs of load from the front axle.

Going off memory, the 3pt lift arms on even a little Ford 8N are 32" long, and anything that weighs 1,000lbs + should add at least a few more inches easily. In fact, many ballast setups (boxes, etc) have the weight behind the ball ends....I know my ballast block (steel) is that way, and I've seen lots that were similar. I'm not suggesting all tractors have lift arms that long, but clearly it's not a crazy measurement if they're that long on an 8N....I'm sure many modern CUTS have longer lift arms, or at least that long.

 

[Deere Dude]

The front axle will support anything the FEL can lift, but when really digging in and pushing is where more weight on the beefy rears comes in handy. IMO digging in and pushing with a full load of dirt is where the front end gets stressed.

I would rather have the front tires slip than get torqued beyond normal limits.

 

[Ehanson]

I know that without the reliefs in the lift & tilt circuits, I definitely would over load the front axle. I built a set of "slip over the lip of the bucket" forks. The load was heavy and compounded with the extra length, I thought, 1 - the bucket lip would fail, 2 - the fork would fail, or 3 - break the tractor. I thought about raising the relief pressures, but, It probably saves me from breaking the tractor.

 

[Leejohn]

If you can use the loader safely in 2 wd then you have the weight about right. If light on weight and you have to use 4 wd the front axle has a very big load on it and you well be putting in bearings and gears. If axle housing brakes, then axle is not strong enough for the tractor. In 4 wd and the front is doing all the work sure well do a number on it.

 

[Agvg]

You will of course not trash the axle with out ballast, but you will reduce the wear.

 

[gladehound]

So you're guessing, and basing a theory on it? How about actual numbers, because the statement above isn't how the physics work out.


This thread had a nice spreadsheet on the topic....

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ng-ballast-hitch-post2977896.html#post2977896

Another with specific examples showing how weight was removed from the front axle by adding 3pt weight.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...-distribution-free-post973991.html#post973991

No guessing. The math is the math. No theory, just proven mathematical facts.

 

[murphy1244]

No guessing. The math is the math. No theory, just proven mathematical facts.

We had a big discussion on this last summer? With oversized and he did not believe it about ballast until he did a real test on the scales. Now he is a believer.

 

[gladehound]

We had a big discussion on this last summer? With oversized and he did not believe it about ballast until he did a real test on the scales. Now he is a believer.

I think you have me all wrong. What about balast do you think I disbelieve?

 

[murphy1244]

I think you have me all wrong. What about balast do you think I disbelieve?

I am sorry, I thought you did not.

"The reason I began doubting the validity of this is because the amount of rear ballast most people use is not enough to change the weight on the front axle substantially when a heavy load is lifted. I struggle to believe that a 10% difference in weight on the front axle is going to trash it."