Filled my rears. WOW

[b73]

Finally had time to fill the rear tires and use the tractor.What a difference!I read someone's post on here saying it was like getting a new tractor.That sounded far fetched but now I agree.I also see now how you could break something if not careful.
Worked so good I'm gonna fill the fronts just because.

 

[weedpharma]

I recall reading something about NOT loading front tyres. Can't recall why.

Weedpharma

 

[ber72564]

I filled my Fronts and Rears with Rim Guard. Approx 220 lbs total. I have many hills and side mowing. The tractor is Rock Solid now. I have no problem allowing my son or wife mow the hills. Also when using to pull 2-4 inch shrub stumps, no slippage. Just makes sense to put the weight on the ground below the center of gravity as opposed to above the axle, or having to mess with wheel weights. Can add wheel weights in the future if more needed.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

All four tires are filled on both my 75hp and 32hp tractor. Keep in mind that loading the fronts only gets you more traction and better tire characteristics for loader use. It does not help out with stability.

 

[ber72564]

It sure seems having the extra weight in the fronts is keeping the front solid and controllable when traversing significant grade hills up, down and sideways. But mine is just a small 24HP L&G tractor not a serious tractor tractor.

 

[TripleR]

The pivoting front axle really keeps the weight from affecting stability very much. I was filling washouts yesterday and the front end remained level in spite of one front wheel or the other dropping into a hole I was filling or packing. I use to feel otherwise and I know some tractors are different, but on mine, I see no increased stability to be gained; maybe I'm wrong...

 

[ovrszd]

Yeah Larry, this is a much debated subject. I think the results vary greatly depending on the tractor in question. I only load the rears. With the FEL on the M9540 I certainly don't need any extra weight up front. When mowing with the JD2210 I want the rear tires to remain on the ground if crossing something that maxes out the front axle oscillation.

For me, only time I would benefit from loaded fronts is when carrying my 3pt mounted 10' brush cutter on the M9540 with no FEL.

My Brother's L3240 has fronts loaded. Remove FEL and carry 6' brush cutter, see improvement. Put FEL back on and see none.

 

[TripleR]

Richard, my 5740 is the same way, if I'm mowing in the hills I have to leave my FEL on.

 

[wolc123]

The arguments against loading are mainly corrosion, fuel efficiency, and lawn damage. The corrosion thing is licked today by non-corrosive liquids (like rim-guard). There is not much you can do about the decrease in fuel efficiency, or increase in lawn damage. As you have seen, there are giant increases in stability and traction from that loading, which nearly always make it worth it, especially on a tractor with a front loader. Some will argue that it is a lot better to add iron weights as needed to the rears. Putting them on or off is no "piece of cake" however. There are definitely times I would not want loaded tires, such as on my tricycle-front, log dragging tractor. That thing really minimizes "rutting" of the woods. Also, lawn-mowing is very obvious. Any job that benefits much from greater traction, or greater stability is helped a lot by loading the tires.

 

[ovrszd]

I guess I don't understand the "traction" gain of loaded front tires on an FEL tractor??

As for stability on a side slope, it's only gained when the front axle has oscillated to the stopper. By then the operator is generally retreating from the situation. When climbing vertically the FEL will keep the front tires on the ground on all but the most extreme situations, which again will be retreated from.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I guess I don't understand the "traction" gain of loaded front tires on an FEL tractor??
As for stability on a side slope, it's only gained when the front axle has oscillated to the stopper. By then the operator is generally retreating from the situation. When climbing vertically the FEL will keep the front tires on the ground on all but the most extreme situations, which again will be retreated from.

You have more weight to move into the material to be loaded. More weight gets you better traction which makes loading the bucket easier. Everyone does not load from a pile of loose material as shown in about every tractor brochure.

 

[ovrszd]

I use my FEL a LOT. I've loaded all types of material. I apply the bucket to the material to be loaded in such a way that it applies load to the front of the tractor. If more traction is needed I apply the bucket with more down drag. If less is needed I level and let the weight of the tractor do the trick. I just don't see where carrying front tire fluid around all the time is effective. Especially when I've got my FEL maxxed out carrying a load. Not sure I want/need more downward pressure applied to the front tires at that time or when moving with an empty bucket. Different strokes I guess.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I use my FEL a LOT. I've loaded all types of material. I apply the bucket to the material to be loaded in such a way that it applies load to the front of the tractor. If more traction is needed I apply the bucket with more down drag. If less is needed I level and let the weight of the tractor do the trick. I just don't see where carrying front tire fluid around all the time is effective. Especially when I've got my FEL maxxed out carrying a load. Not sure I want/need more downward pressure applied to the front tires at that time or when moving with an empty bucket. Different strokes I guess.

One of those things of you have to try it to appreciate it. Plus you would find that your front tires would hold a load better. But like you said, "different strokes". :thumbsup:

 

[ovrszd]

My brother's L3240 has loaded fronts. As I said before, the only gain I see is it handles a 3pt load better with the FEL removed. Actually, being loaded, it creates such a small air "area" that compression is lost, which is a bad thing, not a good thing. If the tire has to bulge over an obstacle it creates very high pressure during that time. Also rides rougher when not loaded. But at a glance it might appear that the tire is carrying the load better I guess. Which as I said, to do that the pressure in the tire rises dramatically. But it's all good.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

My brother's L3240 has loaded fronts. As I said before, the only gain I see is it handles a 3pt load better with the FEL removed. Actually, being loaded, it creates such a small air "area" that compression is lost, which is a bad thing, not a good thing. If the tire has to bulge over an obstacle it creates very high pressure during that time. Also rides rougher when not loaded. But at a glance it might appear that the tire is carrying the load better I guess. Which as I said, to do that the pressure in the tire rises dramatically. But it's all good.

I suppose that we can go back and forth about this forever, I found that with all of my tires loaded, my tractor ride is by far smoother and yes the air pressure goes up real quick when you put a good load on the tire, so it holds a load quite a bit better and the side wall does not just collapse. I suppose you could consider that the tire ends up over inflated when this happens, all I can say is that I have been trouble free for 8 years and counting.

 

[ovrszd]

No going back and forth here Brian. And I don't see filled fronts as causing trouble. Unless you have a flat, but that's trouble regardless.

I would be interested in you running a small test for me if you don't mind??

With no FEL load on the front of your tractor, check your air pressure in one front tire.

Then load your bucket or Grapple or whatever attachment you are using with the heaviest load you can conveniently find. Now while carrying that load, check the air pressure in the same tire.

I'd be interested in seeing how much the pressure compounds.

I think what we will find is that if an unfilled front tire is aired up to whatever pressure you find in your filled tire with a load on it, the unfilled tire would then carry the load just as well as the filled one??

Pure logic there.

I guess you could possibly see a ride improvement with filled fronts if your tractor tends to be a bit light in the front?? My brother's L3240, with filled fronts, rides like crap compared to my M9540 with unfilled fronts.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

No going back and forth here Brian. And I don't see filled fronts as causing trouble. Unless you have a flat, but that's trouble regardless.

I would be interested in you running a small test for me if you don't mind??

With no FEL load on the front of your tractor, check your air pressure in one front tire.

Then load your bucket or Grapple or whatever attachment you are using with the heaviest load you can conveniently find. Now while carrying that load, check the air pressure in the same tire.

I'd be interested in seeing how much the pressure compounds.

I think what we will find is that if an unfilled front tire is aired up to whatever pressure you find in your filled tire with a load on it, the unfilled tire would then carry the load just as well as the filled one??

Pure logic there.

I guess you could possibly see a ride improvement with filled fronts if your tractor tends to be a bit light in the front?? My brother's L3240, with filled fronts, rides like crap compared to my M9540 with unfilled fronts.

You are right, but who wants to go around continually with over inflated tires??? I can run my tires a bit below max pressure , get a nice smooth ride, put a load on the tractor, the air pressure automatically jumps up to carry the load better.

I have a 12,000lb and a 6,000lb tractor, both with all 4 tires loaded. My big tractor rides waaaaaaaay better than the small one, ALL the time.

I will try to make time to do your test tomorrow. :thumbsup:

 

[94BULLITT]

Some manufacturers advise you to not fill your front tires.

You will not see the gains in filling the fronts like when you filled your rears.

 

[edkemper]

Aren't we filling the tires for better traction? If that's the case, why wouldn't you get the same added traction by filling the fronts?

Isn't this like saying that chains on the rear are fine but you get no added traction by adding them to the front? Of course I'm speaking of a 4WD tractor.

I know that in extreme situations, I can go places with my 4WD truck with all 4 corners chained than I can with only the rears chained.

In any 4WD, added traction is added traction. Or am I wrong?

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Some manufacturers advise you to not fill your front tires.

You will not see the gains in filling the fronts like when you filled your rears.

Obviously, much smaller tires, much less weight from the smaller amount of fluid and an oscillating front axle. Only with a true 4 wheel drive machine (front & rears being the same size) would you gain the same amount of weight and as long as an oscillating axel is involved, you would never be able to double the stability.

But with the few hundred additional pounds, that extra traction helps, especially for those of us that do remove our loaders.