Wheel weights

[patrickg]

Bill, Thanks for the data point. I haven't filled my tiires yet but the reading I did indicated that there is a considerable variation in foam "stiffness" and weight. I would opt for the low density stuff. It should work fine for avoiding flat tires and not make the tractor ride any rougher than neccessary. True confession... The free surface - sloshing consideration was mine. The Kubota Guru didn't mention it, just the weight aspect. Of course he might have just supplied a simplified explanation. Anyway, I don't want to add tooooooo much weight or make it ride too much harsher as it is a bouncemobile already.

Patrick

 

[Egon]

Patrick:
use dry sand in the tires for weight. It won't slosh. If you add weight to the back use sand filled bags. Doesn't cost much.

Egon

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>use dry sand in the tires for weight...</font color=blue>

Egon,

Is this for real? I bet it would work! Make for a stiff tire though. I was looking at hour glasses today...that fine sand does go through very small holes. No doubt it could to in a valve stem...

What kind of pump do you use to do that? /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bill in Pgh, PA.

 

[Egon]

Bill:
To put it in you would probably have to take the wheel off and break a bead and just pour it in.

Somehow in one of the musty old cobweb covered files stored in the recesses of my aged mind I recall the use of lead shot for weight in some construction implement tires in days long gone. This may be a missanommer as the synapses quite regularly fail and provide me improper data.

Egon

 

[ELMO67]

I just filled my rear tires on my L3010 with washer solvent, the ride is MUCH smoother and a lot less choppy than it was before. I haven't noticed any "sloshing" or any feeling of weight transfer from the fluid filled tires.(This is with 20lbs. of air).

 

[patrickg]

Thanks Egon. Yet again I want to state that the Kubota Guru said nothing about free surface unbaffled liguid (sloshing). That part was my thinking. There is a weight consideration versus the strength of the ROPS capability of the cab. In reality, you should be able to run with a reduced liquid fill, within the design limits whatever they are (Kubota isn't sharing) but I guess they don't want to take a chance. Apparently their wheel weights are within the limits. In theory you should be able to add dry sand (or any free flowing substance that doesn't harm the wheels or tires, approaching the weight of the cast iron units. This is NOT approved by Kubota.

Well stirred (not shaken?) dry sand acts pretty much as a liquid. Some liquids (CaCl for example) promote corrosion. With sand you shouldn't see any rust since the metal would be constantly pollished (except for long periods of storage).

I think I shall NOT fill the tires with anything but one of the lowest density foams approved for tire fill, to prevent flat tires.

For those interested in CaCl solution and the like, I'm told that the truck bed liners (spray, roll, or brush on DIY or pro applied) keep the rims from deteriorating. Even small defects in the paint inside a rim will allow corrosion with calcuim chloride.

I have an as of yet unused carryall that would make a good ballast rack for sandbags. I sometimes store redicrete toooooo long and end up with a paper sack of ballast suitable for tossing onto the carryall.

Pat

 

[patrickg]

Elmo, Thanks for your input. I think I'll just skirt the issue and use the cast iron weights WHEN THEY GET HERE. Hopefully they aren't holding them for Christmas.

With wheel weights AND some ballast on the carryall I should be able to get max effort out of the FEL without the rear tires going airborn (which they easily do now AND not restrict my manuverability like with a big brush hog hanging on the 3PH.

I find one of the dificulties of FEL work is that the smaller front tires tend to sink in the soft earth quite easily when I get a full bucket and then sometimes I get wheel spin and can't back up unless I give up part of the load which is a time waster. This happens less with 1000lbs + on the 3PH but still happens. I get an uncomfortable "toooo light in the back" feeling when carrying a full bucket load especially if over uneven ground and inclines. I keep my right hand on the joystick so if the rear goes airborn or the tractor "lists" too much I can quickly lower the bucket to the ground and regain stability (and let my adreniline subside a mite).

Best to you this holiday season, Elmo.

Patrick

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Egon,

Does anyone really put sand in their rear wheels?

Seems like it would work to wear out the wheels with an abrasive effect like a rock tumbler or low powered sand blaster...

I guess if the tires were not completely filled, they could be pressurized and perform like any other ballested tire, other than a foam filled one...

Bill in Pgh, PA

 

[rdbrumfield]

I've seen a few fellows that have reduced 55 gal drums with a rod stuck through from one side to the other and a couple of bars out the top for the top link. They fill them with concrete. They don't stick out to hinder you. I suppose a fellow could even put a ball reciever out the back for a hitch if one wanted one.
I don't like to put anything in my tires. I know we all like to heap those buckets. Just remember when we have enough in the bucket to lift the back, that little front end is carrying the load and the tractor. Just be safe, a few more trips will be easier on the girl.

 

[patrickg]

rdbrumfield, That drum thing sounds good. If I recall off the top of my head correctly water weighs about 64 lbs/cuft and cement about 150. Water weighs about 8 1/2 lbs per gal so... 8.5 times 150 divided by 64 we get about 20lbs per gallon of cement so 50 gal would be about 1000lbs. Uh, yeah... I can see why you'd want to put 3PH attachments on it instead of wrestiling it on and off of a carryall. I guess my not-used-yet carryall will have to "warm the bench" a while yet.

That is roughly 6.7 cu ft of cement or about 9 bags of Redi-crete (at 3/4 cu ft per bag.) strength isn't a big issue ex ept where the 3PH attaches so I could add extra gravel/rocks or scrap metal/rebar where the hitch points aren't. This was fast and dirty math so I could be off a bit (or a lot if I remembered wrong or made bad assumptions)

If I used the "clever student" method, I'd prep a drum and standby to fill it with the leftovers from the upcoming slab pourings. A timely tip, thank you sir!

Patrick