Traction Wheel weights or filled tires?

[amhicks21]

As someone who's experienced front axle bearing failure on the last 2 kubotas ive ran, i'd say go with one or the other and stick something heavy on the 3 pt for the weight transfer as well. I dont personally use any wheel weight during summer but have a 1200lb implement on most of the time and that suits me well. Im not sure if the smaller models have as many bearing problems but if you're running at max loader capacity you'll probably find it hard to steer without some 3pt weight.

 

[Phillip w]

The problem is these newer tractors are light weight. I have a 1970's allis Chalmers 185 and it is rugged and heavy. I have a koyker #5 loader on it and and don't really have much trouble. If I think I might have issues, I will put a big round bale on the back of it. It can handle it, it is quite a work horse. The only thing I have not been able to lift is the front of a John Deere 55 combine. But of cleaned up some scrap around here and lift cars, pick ups, plows, discs an old John Deere drill and what not. I also have a mf 1531. It is a joke. I have issues with being light on the back just doing dirt work. If you put a blade or mower on the back for weight, it is not the silver bullet fix and you get hung up trying to work a trench. The next problem with these newer light weight tractors is they can not and are not rugged enough to handle the excess weight. You start having trouble with axles, bearings, differentials and what not. My mf has been a total nightmare. If you have an old tractor like my allis, pile on the weight, the more the merrier. If you have a new light weight tractor be careful adding too much weight. The new one won't take it like the old one. You'll end up with some hefty repair bills. Wheel weights can be added and removed more readily than fluid in the tires. I would say either way you go is ok, just be careful and don't over do it.

 

[wmonroe]

Where you live is a big factor also. In the flat Midwest an old 2WD will do fine, but the hills at my place my lighter 4wd kubota will outwork my old ford every day. I love the old ford but I know there are certain things I just can’t use it for and go to the kubota

 

[Garandman]

Filled, because the weight is lower and R4’s don’t get a lot of flats around here. Then take the money you saved on weights and buy a ballast box.

Our L3200 is not much bigger than your B. We got the ballast box sold by DR Power (made in PA). The implement holders and tow hitch are handy. It weights 125 lbs and we loaded it with granite rocks some chain. So somewhere between 600-800 lbs and doesn稚 get in the way in the woods. They run free shipping promotions every so often.

 

[savageactor7]

I always have something hanging off the back as well - rotary mower, chipper, grader blade. The new MX has wheel weights already on it and I got the QH and a BH92 coming with it and that dealer seems to favor weights over tires.

The MX will be clearing a couple acres of woods and processing of said woods, light bush hogging, driveway maintenance, and the various hauling of crap and farm chores I do. Main FEL duty is with the grapple doing firewood.

Working farmers need filled tires or weights to pull their plows easier. I do pretty much what you do and have found that chains trump filled tires...I get stuck less often, like never and don't leave the ruts I use to with filled tires.

But chains need regular attention.

 

[Phillip w]

Where you live is a big factor also. In the flat Midwest an old 2WD will do fine, but the hills at my place my lighter 4wd kubota will outwork my old ford every day. I love the old ford but I know there are certain things I just can’t use it for and go to the kubota

I have a 4 wheel drive mf and it is a joke. My allis Chalmers will kick my mf butt any day of the week. I 've got chains for it for snow and ice. With a big round bale on the back I can go through the mud and muck that my mf will. Mf has a low clearance issue so it will bottom out and you stuck. The problem with the allis Chalmers is with its weight it will cut ruts wide and deep. The mf is so light weight that if you try to add weight, the tractor won't handle it and things start breaking down. I wish I would not have bought the massey ferguson. It is basically a throw away disposable tractor that has cost me a bundle. Still have to use the allis Chalmers for alot of things. Only thing I gained with the mf is an expensive headache. The only thing the mf has over the allis Chalmers is if working in tight areas the mf is better. The allis Chalmers is cumbersome in tight areas. There is just so much weight and raw power with the allis that the mf is a joke upside the mf.

 

[LD1]

I have a 4 wheel drive mf and it is a joke. My allis Chalmers will kick my mf butt any day of the week. I 've got chains for it for snow and ice. With a big round bale on the back I can go through the mud and muck that my mf will. Mf has a low clearance issue so it will bottom out and you stuck. The problem with the allis Chalmers is with its weight it will cut ruts wide and deep. The mf is so light weight that if you try to add weight, the tractor won't handle it and things start breaking down. I wish I would not have bought the massey ferguson. It is basically a throw away disposable tractor that has cost me a bundle. Still have to use the allis Chalmers for alot of things. Only thing I gained with the mf is an expensive headache. The only thing the mf has over the allis Chalmers is if working in tight areas the mf is better. The allis Chalmers is cumbersome in tight areas. There is just so much weight and raw power with the allis that the mf is a joke upside the mf.

Maybe you should have put a little more thought into selecting a new machine and perhaps you wouldn't have got one that is too small that you insist on calling a joke.

Seriously, you have a 9000 lb 85 hp AG tractor.
You bought a 30 hp COMPACT utility machine.

1/3rd the weight....1/3rd the power. Just what did you expect?

 

[Phillip w]

Maybe you should have put a little more thought into selecting a new machine and perhaps you wouldn't have got one that is too small that you insist on calling a joke.

Seriously, you have a 9000 lb 85 hp AG tractor.
You bought a 30 hp COMPACT utility machine.

1/3rd the weight....1/3rd the power. Just what did you expect?

Well, you just have one problem after another. The mf has a weak front end. Agco finally all but admitted it. So what good is a loader if you don't have the front end to support it. It won't pull a five foot brush hog in heavy stuff with out over heating and power issues. I took the side panels off so it would run cooler. Finally went back to mowing with my allis and a seven foot brush hog. I went back to digging with my allis. Shelled front axle 3 different times digging with the mf. Bought mf for snow removal. It won't start in cold weather and agco says I need a block heater. There is another guy having trouble starting his mf 1529 in cold weather. Dealer/agco told him he needed a block heater. So snow removal is back to using the allis cause mf won't start in the cold. The bucket on that loader is getting stress cracks all over the bucket. The bucket on koyker #5 loaders is way older and rock solid. When a 40+ year old tractor starts better in cold then this new mf, something is wrong. The issue with this thread was about adding weight. I simply recommended that he be careful. These newer tractors are made of lighter material, and if you get carried away with weight, there newer tractors won't take it. You start having problems with axles, bearings, and differentials, etc. I call it the way I see it. My father has a John Deere 4100, and it kicks my mf butt. He works it pretty hard and very few break downs. Sad to say the a 1531 mf is a throw away disposable joke of a tractor.

 

[newbury]

If you drive over a sharp stick, a wheel weight doesn't leak away into the ground.

Bruce

Yup, wheel weights, a backhoe, filled tires don't leak.

Need to know what you're actually doing with the tractor. I will say that the smaller Kubotas are light. Tire ballast is enough to offset the weight of the loader install, but not enough to also ballast what you may carry in the loader. I have loaded tires on my L3200 and I consider it necessary to keep the rear tires on the ground under everyday use. For any heavy stuff in the bucket, I absolutely add rear ballast. That will be my box blade when doing dirt work, or an 800# ballast box for other work.

I would plan on loaded tires -or- wheel weights, and then additional ballast for heavy loader work.

MX5200HST with LA1065 and BH92. Clearing some land and light duty around the farm.

Like 219 wrote WHAT DO YOU HAVE on THE TRACTOR?

My tractors - B7610 w/o filled tires, M4700 w/ filled tires are "light in the rear". With a GOOD FULL BUCKET of wet gravel I'm driving on my front wheels on either. Several times I've had the "butt pucker" experience and either have gone back and dumped some of the bucket or put more weight on the rear.

Well, you just have one problem<snip>hn Deere 4100, and it kicks my mf butt. He works it pretty hard and very few break downs. Sad to say the a 1531 mf is a throw away disposable joke of a tractor.

This guy just seems a troll.

For the OP - IF YOU CAN SWING IT
Put an attachment on the back.
By "swing it" I mean both financially and ROOM. IF you have a "critical dimension" like fitting down and turning around in narrow area even a ballast box may not fit.
But it's relatively cheap to hook up a 55 gal drum of concrete on the 3pt.

 

[Phillip w]

Hello from the "troll". The fact that these tractors are light weight is obvious because everyone is trying to figure out the best way to add weight to rear of the tractor. My dad has fluid in the tires of his little John Deere. I've seen guys add wheel weights and I've seen guy use a ballast box. I myself am not much of a fan of the ballast box, seems like a pain in the butt to me. I also watched a guy lay over a little Kubota with a ballast box. Because the little tractors can't handle a big round bale, there is another very reasonable and effective way to add weight to the rear of a tractor. Go to your local farm and home/tractor supply and purchase a draw bar for about 35 dollars or so. Then goto a farm auction and purchase some wheel weights. Slide the draw bar through the wheel weights and hook the draw bar on your tractor arms. It is simple, inexpensive, and you can keep you weight low to the ground to ensure better stability. What I am trying to caution about is the idea of putting fluid in the tires, then add wheel weights, and then a ballast box these newer tractors can't take it. Your probably going to break something. The tractors today aren't built like the old ones. You have to baby these newer tractors along or you will break something. A little weight to the rear is ok and there is more than one way to do. Just don't over do it. I am trying to point out the various ways the op can add weight and at the same time caution him against over doing it. If that is a troll so be it. And yes I'm not overly fond of modern tractors, I like the old ones better.