Consider cast weights instead of liquid in tires

[dieselcrawler]

I have loaded tires front and rear, and would like to add cast weights as well... if you could see my hillsides you would understand my quest for greater stability and lower center of gravity.

I have kicked around the idea of casting my own concrete weights to fit inside my rear wheels. My neighbor said he has a 5 foot piece of rail road track I can use to carry in my loader bucket or bolt on the front of the tractor. Anything to get more tire contact pressure.

 

[sixdogs]

...
I have kicked around the idea of casting my own concrete weights to fit inside my rear wheels..

There are some old threads on casting concrete and Soundguy made some excellent weights. Maybe search for the threads with the word concrete and his name. Soundguy's weights were first class but others made equally great weights. Used cast iron weights also show up at farm sales around here frequently and often times other brands, especially on more recent tractors, will somewhat interchange.

There is also a site that I have seen mentioned on the TBN that sells knock off foreign made iron weights and shipping is included pretty reasonable in the price.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I am using 10 50# suitcase weights on my BX. I built a rack that attaches to my QH when implements are off. I am in the process of adding a similar rack to the front that attaches to the frame where the snow blade system mounts. I will be able to add them with the FEL on but they will be low down (which is good). I will have the best of both worlds to add weight in increments as need to balance/leverage loads. Luckily I can still lift 50#, getting harder though. I got them from Home Depot On-Line, delivered with no freight charge. The driver had them bound on a pallet and no lift gate. He scratched his head till I told him it was in 10 pieces. Helped him uncrate and unload. Approx $1/#. Loaded tires on a BX are a waste of money.

Ron

 

[C4Ranch]

Wheel Weights - Lonestar Weights

 

[PhysAssist]

What's flat ground? :confused2:

Terry

2+ for that, our hills have hills, and the rest is swamp.

 

[PhysAssist]

We have our rears loaded at 75% with Rimguard and a 675+# ballast box, and while the Rimguard made a tremendous difference in traction and stability, we really hate to take the ballast box off because we're using the loader so much/often and we really hate having the rear wheels off the ground.

There have been numerous discussions on here about weights vs fluid vs ballast boxes, and they each have their pluses and minuses.

The main reason we added the ballast box was to reduce the front axle loading with loader use as well as for traction, and we loaded the tires for added traction to gain traction without stressing the rear axles or widening the clearance needed to fit between obstacles.

As far as I concerned, we will never have a reason to "de-weight" our tractor, and if a leak occurs (and you become aware of it) it's not that hard to rotate the tire so the puncture or leaking valve stem is on the top at 12 o'clock, but then again, my property isn't so big that a leak would leave me stranded 2 miles from my barn.

I actually wanted to have the fronts loaded as well, but our dealer wouldn't hear of it.
Thomas

 

[dirt ditch]

My 790 has 6 - 60 lbs iron weights, 180 lbs each side, 360 lbs total. The weights are compact enough to fit inside the wheels. Weights added around $900 dollars to the cost of the new tractor. Never felt like I needed more weight on this size tractor and never have to mess with calcium leaking or rusting the wheels out.

View attachment 439998 View attachment 439999

 

[MitchellB]

My tractor has pie wheel weights (over 500 pounds per wheel) and fluid filled too. It was just that way when I bought it and I've never changed it. I must say, that all that extra weight will leave nice deep tracks in the yard, even when the ground is dry; but the old girl pulls strong before I get any tire spin.

 

[tman1020]

One of the problems I'm not comfortable with in liquid in the tires option is I don't think it allows the rubber of the tire to perform quite the same way with the resistance of the liquid. My r4 tires without liquid in them grab like crazy. If I were to add liquid to them I'm not sure they would be quite as pliable and also ride even rougher. So for me I'm going to stick with steel. Plus no freezing issues to worry about or leak issues to deal with.

 

[C4Ranch]

If I were to add liquid to them I'm not sure they would be quite as pliable and also ride even rougher. So for me I'm going to stick with steel. Plus no freezing issues to worry about.

Is this based on experience or theory? BTW, filled tires done right won't freeze.