Rotary Cutter How much weight for tractor for Bush Hog 2715?

[SPYDERLK]

When it was shown to me with Radial tires on a 100hp tractor, if I remember correctly they were Michelen and Firestone 18.4x38. They had 2 sets of each brand one water filled, one set with cast ballast. The footprint of the water filled tires were several inches shorter, front to back of tire footprint, than the footprint of the tires with cast ballast. The radial tire with water had only a slightly longer footprint than a bias tire, which has the shortest footprint of all tires.
scrapironford

How was tire inflation pressure measured in this comparison ... valve position?
larry

 

[scrapironford]

12 o'clock as it should be with loaded tires, with a liquid compatable guage, with one pound increments,tires cold, at ambient air temp . I check my tires every time I check my tractor fluids. With radials it is very important to have proper air pressure to take advantage of their benefits,superior traction,better fuel economy, reduced soil compaction, more comfortable ride. scrapironford

 

[piller]

Interesting discussion.
How many people are using cast belly weights for ballast?
How many manufacturers offer cast belly weights?
How many people have filled tires?

Filled tires are going to cost a lot less than cast weights. Filled tires are going to give you a lower center of gravity than wheel weights, and perhaps also cast belly weights.. I think that filled tires will be easier on clutch/brakes than cast wheel weights as was mentioned above. Cast belly weights would likely be even easier on clutch/brakes. Cast belly weights might have clearance issues.
If you don't lock the rear diff then you might have a different single tire spin/slip response with cast wheel weights, filled tires, and belly weights.

My tractor has filled bias tires, I've not had traction problems. I do plan to buy radials when the time comes for new tires.

 

[SPYDERLK]

When it was shown to me with Radial tires on a 100hp tractor, if I remember correctly they were Michelen and Firestone 18.4x38. They had 2 sets of each brand one water filled, one set with cast ballast. The footprint of the water filled tires were several inches shorter, front to back of tire footprint, than the footprint of the tires with cast ballast. The radial tire with water had only a slightly longer footprint than a bias tire, which has the shortest footprint of all tires. scrapironford

How was tire inflation pressure measured in this comparison ... valve position?
larry

12 o'clock as it should be with loaded tires, with a liquid compatable guage, with one pound increments,tires cold, at ambient air temp . I check my tires every time I check my tractor fluids. With radials it is very important to have proper air pressure to take advantage of their benefits,superior traction,better fuel economy, reduced soil compaction, more comfortable ride. scrapironford

That explains the footprint. Altho airs weight is negligible, water has significant weight. The pressure in the tire increases as you move lower. For water about 1/2PSI per foot -- a bit more for CaCl. The Fluid filled tires had smaller footprint because they had 2+psi higher pressure at ground level than did the air only tires. Correcting for this by lowering the air pressure over the liquid would yield identical static footprint. This would give identical stationary traction if the tires were identical.

Dynamic traction [and rolling efficiency] favors straight air and wheel weights tho. The mass of fluid ballast inhibits the flow that must occur as the tire deflects and rebounds. This both decreases the rolling footprint, as speed increases, as well as causing the tire to effectively run uphill. Comparatively more fuel and less traction the faster you go.

Where fluid ballast shines tho is tractor stability. Due the hi compression ratio the machine does not squat as much under load, nor lean as much on slopes. Its does not bounce as much and feels locked to the ground. Also, as others have said, the fluid eases system stress during start and stop because its rotational motion does not have to start and stop immediately if at all [as in partially filled tires]
larry