sided my tractor: question about weight

[marcelPL]

I sided my little iseki tractor a few weeks ago. I got off really lucky, because a tree was almost in the way.

You can find some photo's here in this thread:

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/iseki/414683-oops-sided.html

This little tractor has limited options to install a ROPS. But i can add a solid amount of weight to the bottom of the tractor on the structure of the FEL.

The question is: is there a maximum (or rule of thumb) on how much weight you can add to a tractor without hurting the structural integrity, or ability to manoeuvre?

The weight of my little iseki tx1300F is about 600 kg's (some 1300 lbs).

thanks, M.

 

[RNeumann]

I’ve never heard of a maximum. A few common areas to add weight include filling the tires with liquid, adding wheel weights and adding weight to the 3 point. You have the idea about wanting the weight low- obviously the tires is as low as you can get. They also sell wheel spacers to increase your track width.

 

[dieselcrawler]

X2 on wider rear wheel track if at all possible. Next, loaded tires, and maybe rear wheel weights. Otherwise, adding weight in any fashion to the bottom of the tractor will help, but there has to be a practical aspect to it.

 

[jeff9366]

This little tractor has limited options to install a ROPS. But i can add a solid amount of weight to the bottom of the tractor on the structure of the FEL.

Adding weight to the front will make the rear come off the ground easier and will add strain to the spindly front axle.

Ballast should be added to the tires and/or wheels and counterbalance added to the Three Point Hitch. Pound-for-pound counterbalance is more effective due to leverage. Counterbalance on the Three Point Hitch is supported by the robust rear axle.

Most subcompact tractors have such small tires that adding liquid ballast does not accomplish anything, rear wheel weights are preferable.

Increasing the rear wheel spread will be more effective at improving stability than filling the rear tires with liquid and/or adding rear wheel weights.


It is time for you to begin a search for a 1,200 kg tractor.

Five reasons owner/operators trade up from Subcompact Tractors:
More tractor weight.
More FEL lift capacity.
More ground clearance.
Three-range (3) HST (Lower LOW, Higher, HIGH) ~~ rather than two-range (2) HST.
Larger wheels and tires yield more tractive power pulling ground contact implements and logs, pushing a loader bucket into dirt and pushing snow. Larger wheels and tires permit heavier tractors to bridge holes, ruts and tree debris with less operator perturbation.

 

[marcelPL]

Ok, all thanks for info and observations. I am new in the world of agro and tractors (8 months now), until that moment all i knew/did was check air in my car's tyres. I am just trying to acquire knowledge (and tools) really fast.

The iseki has the option to put wheels in two positions, i already use the widest position.

This filling with liquid sounds like something i can use. Maybe in combination with wheel weight. The tyres maybe relatively small, but so is the whole tractor. What stuff is used to fill the tyres? And can i do this myself?

@Jeff: i realise now that i should have looked for something bigger, but money for this area is limited. I am trying to start using about half an acre to grow stuff and sell it, if this proves successful i will probably look to upgrade the tractor as a first thing. By now i have learned that weight is the ultimate factor on tractors. Weight = power.

What is HST? (sorry i am a complete idiot in this field)

@Dieselcrawler:
>>Redheaded wife, 7 kids, 5 horses/ponies, some cats, 4 dogs

You lucky b*sterd

 

[jeff9366]

HST = Hydrostatic transmission, the sole option on most new subcompact tractors and the transmission which equips 90% of new compact tractors in USA.

Tire Ballast: Comparing Types of Liquid Tire Ballast | OrangeTractorTalks

 

[ptsg]

HST = Hydrostatic transmission, the sole option on most new subcompact tractors and the transmission which equips 90% of new compact tractors.

Tire Ballast: Comparing Types of Liquid Tire Ballast | OrangeTractorTalks

HST equips 90% of the compact tractors in the US. In Europe, it's maybe 15 to 20%. Since Marcel is located in Poland, that percentage might be even less.

HST in Europe is not that common as most people use the tractors for farming that need that gear drive power for ground engaging implements or for other tasks that requires power. Most of the time it needs to be special ordered if the costumer really wants an HST tractor.

 

[CADplans]

You can add too much weight,,
a week after a hard rain, you will know the weight is too much,,
when the tractor sinks to its belly in the mud,, :thumbdown:

We over-weighted a tractor back in the 1970's that tractor was always stuck,,,

 

[dieselcrawler]

@Dieselcrawler:
>>Redheaded wife, 7 kids, 5 horses/ponies, some cats, 4 dogs

You lucky b*sterd

Agreed... add spoiled to that, and you'll almost have me figured out!

And on the wheel track stability issue, I'll add this... my wheels at widest setting were too narrow for my liking, so a built and added 4.5 inch wide spacers between the wheel 'dish' and the rim hoop mounting tabs, gaining 9 inches total. Huge difference in how it handles sidehills. Which I have 117 acres of, so I built a roll cage too, since I want to live to be spoiled by the redhead... *grin*

 

[marcelPL]

Ok once again for info and visions. This HST is new to me. For sure here in Poland there will not be a lot of this. Like myself, most people that do not have 50 acres or more do not care about having the newest and latest stuff. My little iseki is actually 40 years old. But i am really happy with it, it makes that i can do a lot of maintenance myself. I learned a lot in the past 8 months

@Greg: Really interesting what you describe (not the redhead ). Do you have any detailed photo's of what is looks or how it is built? I am not native english speaking, it is hard to get a vision of what you describe. And this could be a feasible and cheap solution to my problem, also adding weight at wheel-base level at the same time.