Ballast Tire ballast types
- Thread starter 491ton
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FTG-05
Elite Member
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- Jan 7, 2011
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- 2,574
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- TN
- Tractor
- Kubota L4330 GST w/FEL, Kubota RTV-XG850, Kubota ZD326S
Assuming it's not a COC violation here to post these, I always liked these two articles:
6 Reasons to Liquid Ballast your Kubota?s Tires | OrangeTractorTalks
How to Ballast your Kubota?s Tires | OrangeTractorTalks
6 Reasons to Liquid Ballast your Kubota?s Tires | OrangeTractorTalks
How to Ballast your Kubota?s Tires | OrangeTractorTalks
buickanddeere
Super Member
In an ideal world. The tires would be tubeless radials and external dry cast iron wheel weights bolted on. The most traction per lb of tractor . The quickest and least messy way to deal with flat tires too.
MMagis
Veteran Member
That’s more a matter of opinion. I prefer filled tires, I can get more weight and get that weight where I want it. And that’s not considering the huge difference in cost.
It may be worth a call to the local tire shop, one that handles farm equipment. The last tire I needed they came out and did it for me right in the field, and filled it right there. I can’t put an exact price on it, but I think the farm call was only a few bucks. I know that I had just done another tire a couple months before, and hauled/mounted it myself, and paid the exact same money (different shops).
LD1
Epic Contributor
Yea, not sure I'd call it easier to deal with if you have a flat.
If I get a flat, the WW fluid leaks out and the tire is light an managable to get repaired. Once repaired, I re-fill.
With weights, you have to deal with the weight everytime. For the price of fluid and price of weights, I can afford to loose all the fluid in each tire 10 times before I would break even. So far in 10 years of ownership it has happened twice.
If simply replacing the tires, the fluid can be pumped out pretty easy (easier than removing heavy weights IMO), and be put back in the new tires.
If I get a flat, the WW fluid leaks out and the tire is light an managable to get repaired. Once repaired, I re-fill.
With weights, you have to deal with the weight everytime. For the price of fluid and price of weights, I can afford to loose all the fluid in each tire 10 times before I would break even. So far in 10 years of ownership it has happened twice.
If simply replacing the tires, the fluid can be pumped out pretty easy (easier than removing heavy weights IMO), and be put back in the new tires.
buickanddeere
Super Member
As others have already explained, you missed this one. See explanations in two posts above.
You missed the point of "in an ideal world". Many people seem unaware that the same tire with 500lbs of external cast iron weight will pull more than if it was filled with 500lbs of liquid.
Why does anybody have to slug weights to plug a tubeless tire ? Or did you miss that point as well?
If you can't "get enough weight" on the tractor . The choice of application and equipment are less than ideal.
ovrszd
Epic Contributor
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You've tried to argue the point about cast weights being more effective than fluid before. It simply isn't true.
To plug a tubeless tire I don't even need to remove the fluid so no point there.
The idea and need for placed weight on a tractor is very broad. Totally depends on the uses. And normally has nothing to do with application or equipment selected.
LD1
Epic Contributor
Maybe I missed the discussions before.
How is weight outside the tire supposed to pull better than the same weight inside the tire?
How is weight outside the tire supposed to pull better than the same weight inside the tire?
MMagis
Veteran Member
Curious myself. Probably a lot of scientists that would want to know as well, since it defies simple physics.
