Ballast Kubota M7040 front tire ballast

[fleminj2pa]

Why do you think Kubota puts the caution in their owners' manuals?
Dave M7040

I don't know why they put it in there but I'm going to find out. What I do know is that in this day and age, a lot of disclaimers are put out by manufacturers because some hack lawyer somewhere sued them over something idiotic and won. In many cases, they don't have to thing to do with common sense or practical application. Why can't you buy a decent gasoline can these days? Same reason....

"The heavier and faster the wheel spins the greater the force effect you will experience..." Top speed on this tractor in high/high is 18.4 MPH...I ran it at 15 mph with absolutely no evidence of any of these theoretical problems. Maybe those next 3.4 mph would make a difference but I doubt it. However, I don't know that for sure so I'm going to keep researching this until I do.

 

[TomSeller]

What I do know is that in this day and age, a lot of disclaimers are put out by manufacturers because some hack lawyer somewhere sued them over something idiotic and won..

What if Kubota did not put that clause in there and someone was transporting their tractor with front tires filled at 18.4 mph around a curve and lost control because it overcame the power steering and slammed into a school bus full of TBN member's kids killing or maiming them all? I bet these "hack" lawyers would be getting lots of calls from TBN members intending legal action against Kubota because they filled the front tires without it being recommended claiming "it didn't say not to". People like to say these lawsuits are frivolous but when they themselves stand to benefit, they lawyer up almost every time.

I prefer to use tools within the manufacture's recommendations.

 

[fleminj2pa]

What if Kubota did not put that clause in there and someone was transporting their tractor with front tires filled at 18.4 mph around a curve and lost control because it overcame the power steering and slammed into a school bus full of TBN member's kids killing or maiming them all? I bet these "hack" lawyers would be getting lots of calls from TBN members.

What I'm looking for...who I'm looking for, is someone who actually filled their tires and as a result lost control. Hypothetical theory notwithstanding, we've been in the tractor tire business since 1955 and have filled thousands of tires over the years. Not once have we ever had any customer come back to us and describe any of these conditions or symptoms. I'll tell you what has happened...on ocassion someone has talked one of our techs into short filling a tire below the 85% full recommendation because they didn't want to pay for a full, proper fill and then they took it out and ran it down the road at top speed and the tractor took to hopping like a jackrabbit. There's your "sloshing" effect for you. As far as gyroscopic effect...we're not talking about a Mazeratti here, we're talking about a tractor that spends most of it's time going 5-10 mph. I ran it at 15 mph and experienced no such symptoms. We can talk about ground speed vs. revolutions per mile or any other abstract theory out there but all I'm interested in hearing about are real world, hands on experiences of a problematic nature. So far, I haven't heard anyone say, "I filled my tires to the valve at top dead center and this is the bad thing that happened to me."

As far as Kubota is concerned, I plan to see if I can get someone from Kubota to tell me why they put this disclaimer in their Owner's Manual. I doubt that will happen. In the over litigated society we live in today, manufacturers of just about anything are faced with a nightmarish world of "what if's"...what if some stupid *** takes our product and does this brain dead thing? Well, OK, I guess we better put a disclaimer on it to cover our butts. I'll be sure to report back if I learn anything of a real and significant nature...and I'll be extra careful to avoid schoolbuses.

 

[bruceatlam]

"I'll be sure to report back if I learn anything of a real and significant nature...and I'll be extra careful to avoid schoolbuses."

Particularly those full of TBN members kids --------------- !!!!!!!!!!

 

[fleminj2pa]

Once again, if anyone has a real world, first hand experience to share that would shed light on this issue, I'm all ears. I don't want to be rude, but the rest of this conjecture, theory and abstract BS is a useless waste of time. I'm afraid I see this discusson turning ridiculous when it starts to go to killing and maiming a schoolbus full of kids...TBN member kids or otherwise. Next, we'll be discussing the political ramifications of liquid ballast in front tractor tires. Geez!

 

[FTG-05]

I have the same warning in my Kubota owner's manual and I filled my front tires with RV AF and WW fluid. I've see no ill effects or apparent loss of control or steering or both. I haven't tried to run any races with my tractor but I do run it down one mile gravel road when moving recycled concrete and I've seen no problems with front loaded tires.

Good luck!

 

[big bubba]

so is it safety liability or potential mechanical failure? i'm all ears...don't know myself... should have gone beyond physics 101 yrs ago...

 

[whis]

As long as you are moving when turning I don't see a problem, no different than something real heavy in front bucket

 

[TomSeller]

I think you would have to be turning while at high speed which most people don't do on a tractor.

 

[big bubba]

I think you would have to be turning while at high speed which most people don't do on a tractor.

would agree with you on that (in terms of safety) good pt. mechanical? not sure