Front Ballast: Chassis or Wheel weights?

[Weedaway]

I have a 1973 David Brown 885. It has no power steering and I've been advised against fitting a FEL as it will risk damaging the steering box and parts are NLA. Therefore I plan to be working with rear attachments only. These tractors are renowned for being front-light. If I want to ballast the front is it better to use chassis weights or wheel weights? I'm thinking if I weight the chassis then whenever I don't have much rear load I'm stressing the steering. Would using wheel weights instead reduce this stress? I can't quite get my head around it. :confused2:

 

[Tractorable]

Suitcase weights on the front would be easily adjustable and removable.

 

[boggen]

Suitcase weights on the front would be easily adjustable and removable.

View attachment 512094

x2 front suit case weights.

descent chance (purely guessing) there is already mounting holes on the frame for front weight bracket

 

[Turbys_1700]

Suitcase weights work best. If not available you can load your front tires with water.

 

[oldpilgrim]

Wheel weights put no stress on the tractor chassis or steering. Suitcase weights will. But like was posted above, are not adjustable. But they probably won't need to be .

 

[RickB]

I put wheel weights on mine. But I have a front mount snowplow so suitcase weights are problematic. And I scored a pair of wheel weights that fit at a very good price. They ar right at 100 lbs each and made a significant difference. The tractor is balanced well now with a Woods RM990 or Bush Hog SQ72.

 

[Weedaway]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, there are mount points for the frame and I could make a frame. But the genuine weights as pictured are hen's teeth here. So I would have to use available weights or make some.

Wheel weights put no stress on the tractor chassis or steering. Suitcase weights will. But like was posted above, are not adjustable. But they probably won't need to be .

Just as I thought. Thanks.

I put wheel weights on mine. But I have a front mount snowplow so suitcase weights are problematic. And I scored a pair of wheel weights that fit at a very good price. They ar right at 100 lbs each and made a significant difference. The tractor is balanced well now with a Woods RM990 or Bush Hog SQ72.

You're referring to your 885? That's good to know. There's a guy nearby with a pair of heavy (two man lift) cast iron front wheels that are off something else but he thinks would fit. He says the drawback would be likely wobble at road speeds, and I may be doing some road miles. Have you noticed wobble with your bolt-ons? And do you know what they're from?

 

[RickB]

No wobble, but my 885 has hydrostatic steering, not drag link style. My weights came from a Ferguson TO20. If your steering is tight you won't have problems.

 

[Weedaway]

Nothing tight about this old tub - except what it's done to my budget. I can add ferguson to my searches, thanks. Though that name is considered collectible around here and that inflates prices.