Wheel spacers or weights for slopes?

[the8080]

Good picture skyhook. I think we just have a terminology issue. We were just trying to say that the CG is the circle on your drawing and is in a fixed position on the tractor, no matter how the tractor is tipped.

The 60% on the back axle was just a reasonable number to use. Same with the 500lb ballast. Depending on rear mower weight and how it is adjusted, your rear axle weight will go up and the effect of your 200lb wheel weights will go down as a %. With 200lb ballast the original calculations show a 20% increase in stability with the 200lb wheel weight. In real life, say you increase the rear axle weight by 50% with an operator in seat and a mower lifted off the ground, then the 200lb wheel weight would give you about 15% increase in stability. The spacers still give same % stability increase as before because this is depended on the ratio of old wheel width to new wheel width. Not real scientific but will give you a feel for the relative effects of these changes. And remember, these numbers don't even try to address rollover angle, safe mowing slope, speed, etc.

 

[number9L]

Yes, that is a good drawing, picture worth a thousand words, right.

Gotcha 8080, I see where you are coming from now.

My TnT setup allowed the RH QH handle to get up into the tail light and busted it. I removed them both to keep from happening again. Yea, it looks BAD, but I am going to make a cap plate and mount in their place to tidy the tail up a little.

New 5" spacers anodized black.

Pic of "before" with 3" wheel spacers, R1's set all the way out.

First new 5" spacer on.

Both new spacers installed.

Pic of excersize weights I mounted to the drawbar. 130# total.

Hopefully I can get this thing lined out to be real good on the slopes I need to use it on from where it was stock.

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[number9L]

Well I mowed Monday for the first time with the weights and new spacers. The tractor went across all spots that I usually mow, even the steepest part by the tree on the pond bank in the pics, which is a solid 25*, with no pucker factor. It did crab, but didn't feel tippy at all.

So then I went and swapped out the finish mower for the bush hog (not running) and just drove around the new slopes that I was concerned about. This was the first time I'd been on them side slope simulating mowing and it felt fine. The area is a little bumpy from ruts forming and clumps of dirt left from having to get on it and rework the ditch. Once I get the clods smoothed out I think it will be fine on most all of it, the parts I crossed were hitting between 20-25*. There was a spot or two that I may have to do backing down, they were a little steeper and the ground / grass is still a little tender so I didn't want to make opportunities for new ruts to form.

All in all I am really satisfied with the changes. The weights made a good difference in feeling planted and taking away some pucker factor. The added width just seemed to multiply the planted feeling.

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[TomSeller]

Great news!!

 

[dragoneggs]

I am a big fan of the spacers! 2in on the rears and 1.25in on the fronts. Haven't filled my tires because of the potential hassle and not sure I wanted more weight on back as long as I have a rear implement on which I always do for balance reasons. I do a lot of FEL work.

 

[Brown Dog]

#9,
How wide is your mower ?
How Wide is your rear tires now, with Spacers ?

Glad you got your problem solved

 

[number9L]

Finish mower is 72"
Bush hog is 60"
Tractor rear is 72" (outside tread)

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[vtsnowedin]

All in all I am really satisfied with the changes. The weights made a good difference in feeling planted and taking away some pucker factor. The added width just seemed to multiply the planted feeling.

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Glad to hear it. happy mowing to yah.

 

[skyhook]

Good to hear it worked out well for ya, number9L.
With all that extra width and weight, be careful not to run over anybody's toes.

 

[TomSeller]

Right. Wide tractors take a little getting used to so you don't hit things with your wheels