Tires 1/2 full or full-up tires?

[AKfish]

My JD owner's manual states in 3-4 instances to NOT fill the rear tires or add wheel weights. Any additional ballast weight is to be removed when the hoe is re-attached.

Warning against possible drivetrain damage, premature failure, etc. etc.

I'd like to fill my rear tires to the bottom of the rear axle line. All the weight would be below the axles and not weighing on the drivetrain.

Good idea - bad idea?

Thanks.

AKfish

 

[chh]

If the manual says to not fill or add weight, I think I would follow that advice.

 

[greenmule]

Don't know for sure,but 1/2 way full might not be a good thing? You go up a hill etc?

 

[radioman]

My manual also states to remove weight when using BH as well. But I use it primely in FEL, mowing, towing mode so the benefits having filled rears outweighs the risks big time. I even noticed more stability with filled tires. I have said this before, and will say it again- Think about the forces and weight when towing trailer or not using the stabilizer of BH while digging. I betcha there is alot more forces there then having rears filled.

IMHO, I rather have rears filled from a safety standpoint- stability when using BH and driving over hills. When I am mowing, it's a much smoother ride. Of course , last but not least - more traction in soft soils, towing. If a kubota engineer is reading this, I certainly hope you can post a comment exactly what happens with filled rears with BH attached. The stabilizers takes majority of weight off the tires when in use. The ideal position I think is having tires touching ground for stability with stabilizers pushing up as much it would go but still leave full tire print on ground. I cannot even fathom possible issue of the problem associated of add on weight and BH same time. A manual should NOT state not having weights on BX with BH without explaining why. Note: the manual explains how to fill the tires with percentage and explains the forces if not using enough ballast or too much. So why not the BH?

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent and add my 2 cents.

 

[RWolf]

I think it's more of a weight issue. BH's are a very heavy piece of equipment and adding that to the weight of the tractor on the rear wheels could potentially overload the tires.

 

[Wombat125]

Whether the tires are empty, half, or completely full doesn't change the static loading on the axles or final drives one bit.

My guess here is that JD thinks you might be able to get yourself into a situation where you have too much traction. Between the heavy hoe and loaded tires, you could possibly generate enough tractive force to roach your hydraulic pump, gearbox, or final drive. Same with braking. If you get your rig several thousand pounds over weight spec and you rapidly slow down, all that force gets translated back through the driveline.

So my suggestion is that if you're filling the tires just for ballast in order to keep the rubber side down, you shouldn't have a problem. If you load the tires and then try to move mountains, your 110 might get fussy.

 

[3RRL]

I think the guys are on the right track.
JD might be afraid of gear train damage, and I can see why.
Getting a heavier tractor moving from static to rolling has to be harder on the components. It's sort of like when you're pulling a big load... there's more strain. But then again thinking along those lines, plowing or pulling logs or FEL work etc run the same risk IMHO. Isn't that one of the things what we use our tractors for? Most of us constantly put those beasts under all kinds of stress and strain. Or maybe it's a design thing I don't see?

Personally, I can't see any disadvantage from loading the tires other than having to deal with a flat, but to me, that is not a real disadvantage, it's just something to deal with. Loaded tires and wheel weights put added weight, well, right to the ground. Unlike hanging weights on the tractor frame which puts added weight on the frame and consequently the axle bearings etc. (like a backhoe). Other than that, loading the tires is the best thing you can do for added stability and traction. I would load them full up to the top of the rim. In either case, there's a lot more weight to get going from stop whether it's hanging on or in the tires. That's the only reason I can see why they would say that.

 

[LBrown59]

My manual also states to remove weight when using BH as well. But I use it primely in FEL, mowing, towing mode so the benefits having filled rears outweighs the risks big time. I even noticed more stability with filled tires. I have said this before, and will say it again- Think about the forces and weight when towing trailer or not using the stabilizer of BH while digging. I betcha there is alot more forces there then having rears filled.

IMHO, I rather have rears filled from a safety standpoint- stability when using BH and driving over hills. When I am mowing, it's a much smoother ride. Of course , last but not least - more traction in soft soils, towing. If a kubota engineer is reading this, I certainly hope you can post a comment exactly what happens with filled rears with BH attached. The stabilizers takes majority of weight off the tires when in use. The ideal position I think is having tires touching ground for stability with stabilizers pushing up as much it would go but still leave full tire print on ground. I cannot even fathom possible issue of the problem associated of add on weight and BH same time. A manual should NOT state not having weights on BX with BH without explaining why. Note: the manual explains how to fill the tires with percentage and explains the forces if not using enough ballast or too much. So why not the BH?

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent and add my 2 cents.

Filled tires wheel weights and a BH sure is a lot of extra weight on the stapleizers.

 

[LBrown59]

I've always been told not to fill tires more than 75%.

My JD owner's manual states in 3-4 instances to NOT fill the rear tires or add wheel weights. Any additional ballast weight is to be removed when the hoe is re-attached.

Warning against possible drivetrain damage, premature failure, etc. etc.

I'd like to fill my rear tires to the bottom of the rear axle line. All the weight would be below the axles and not weighing on the drivetrain.

Good idea - bad idea?

Thanks.

AKfish

 

[radioman]

Filled tires wheel weights and a BH sure is a lot of extra weight on the stapleizers.

Stablizers are meant to handle that kind of wieght and more.