BX2380 tipping concerns

[ruffdog]

Hi David,

I did check my tire pressure a week on the weekend but the temperature here dropped considerably since then so that's on my list today.
The manual says 14 psi for rear turf tires (the ones I have) but I believe my pressure on the tires themselves are 22 in the front and 20 in the back.
14 seems odd. I may be reading the manual wrong but I always default to what the actual tire says.

Andrew

20 psi in the rears is too much....follow the manual with the 14 psi. When I had my TC33D tractor, I too used it mainly for mowing with limited loader and 3pt work. I also would leave the loader off while mowing because of weight and maneuvering. If I ever did loader work, I could always mount the tiller on the 3pt for weight. I never loaded the tires either as my snow plowing is done on the flat and never needed it.

 

[Andrew2019]

With the quick connect loader I leave it off unless I need to use it. Very handy and easy to switch.
90% of the time I don't have the loader on. Which is why these questions are coming up now.
The driveway is flat for the most part. I have a slight incline getting out but I'd either be driving up or down the incline. I'm not worried there.

I've never felt tippy with the loader off and the mower on (no ballast) even driving sideways on a slight incline in the summer.
Should I have? Or does the 60" mower shift put the centre of gravity lower? That coupled with the lack of a loader while mowing?

I apologize if I sound like an idiot or if I'm belabouring this point. I just want to use the BX properly and with an education on its limits and safety.

(responding to a post earlier my seatbelt is always on and there's only one tree where I have to lower the roll bar, only to raise it right after. The branch will be cut next year.)

Andrew

 

[tractorshopper]

Mine has R4's and they are supposed to be 20 on the rear and if I get down to 15, the tractor will lean in whichever direction is lower pressure. I don't have any experience with turf tires, so don't know what to suggest or whether that configuration would be more tippy or not just by nature.

 

[CobyRupert]

Andrew....load up that rear ballast box with some weight. Your front axle does nothing to keep you from tipping because it pivots at one point in the center. Your rear axle doesn't pivot so that is the one that keeps you stable but it needs weight to plant it to the ground. Are your rear tires fluid filled? If not, start with 300+ lbs in the box and work up from there.

:thumbsup:
The tire spacers that make rear tire stance wider, are probably unnecessary in your case, and won't fix the root of your problem, which is lack of rear ballast. You seem to be on flat ground so you're not really (what I think of) "tippy", just lacking rear weight. Can't tell from pictures how much front tires are squatting under load, but back tires look like they're almost off the ground.

Types of rear ballast usually are:
- A ballast box on 3 point hitch (behind rear axle)
- Loaded (with liquid) rear tires
- Wheel weights mounted on rear rim.

Things to consider when choosing type:
- Rear ballast located behind the rear axle (in ballast box) takes more weight off the front axle, than other types. (like a "see-saw" where rear axle is the fulcrum). - Ballast boxes are versatile, and can be easily remove or added. Ballast box may either raise or lower tractors center of gravity depending on how distributed and carried. The height of the tractor's center of gravity is most important to avoid rolling over on side hills. Lower ballast and FEL as much as possible when on sidehills. Ballast boxes add additional length...less maneuverability....but the farther away from rear axle the more effective they are (i.e. less weight req'd).
- Loaded tires where most of the liquid is below the tractors axle and may lower the tractors center of gravity more than wheel weights centered around the tractors axle. Most people do not seasonally add and remove liquid from tires, so consider if you want additional weight on lawn when mowing in summer. Looks like you could add 8 gallons (89 lb) per tire. You probably want more than 178 lbs of additional ballast if you're that tippy.
- Wheel weights are seasonally removable, and leave 3 point hitch available for other attachments.

I'm sure there's other +/- to the different types.

 

[RjCorazza]

...The driveway is flat for the most part. I have a slight incline getting out but I'd either be driving up or down the incline. I'm not worried there....

Since we're talking about fel's and stability, driving down inclines with a loaded fel is also not without risk. Without front brakes, and reduced rear weight on even a property ballasted tractor can result in an out of control slide. Always be in 4wd when descending a slope with a loaded fel.

 

[ruffdog]

Mine has R4's and they are supposed to be 20 on the rear and if I get down to 15, the tractor will lean in whichever direction is lower pressure. I don't have any experience with turf tires, so don't know what to suggest or whether that configuration would be more tippy or not just by nature.

R4 tires always run more pressure than turfs because they are stiff with more plys.

 

[ruffdog]

With the quick connect loader I leave it off unless I need to use it. Very handy and easy to switch.
90% of the time I don't have the loader on. Which is why these questions are coming up now.
The driveway is flat for the most part. I have a slight incline getting out but I'd either be driving up or down the incline. I'm not worried there.

I've never felt tippy with the loader off and the mower on (no ballast) even driving sideways on a slight incline in the summer.
Should I have? Or does the 60" mower shift put the centre of gravity lower? That coupled with the lack of a loader while mowing?

I apologize if I sound like an idiot or if I'm belabouring this point. I just want to use the BX properly and with an education on its limits and safety.

(responding to a post earlier my seatbelt is always on and there's only one tree where I have to lower the roll bar, only to raise it right after. The branch will be cut next year.)

Andrew

Do you have a belly mower or a rear mounted mower on the 3pt?

 

[JWR]

Hi troopr31

I've never heard of a rear wheel spacer.

That sounds like a thing the dealer would have to install?
Is there a link online?

Drew

Andrew -- I have read all the posts in this thread and I own a BX2200 with loader very much the same as yours in context of tipping or balance. I have ~ 800 hrs on this BX2200. My comments to you are:

1) Unless you operate on steep ground you do not need wheel spacers. No, they are not dealer install items for most people. I have much wider (6" each side) wheel spacers on my B2150 which is a little larger than yours but that is only because of steep hillside operational need. You can get rear wheel spacers from several sources. Mine are Bora brand. If you have normal tools, jack etc. you can install them yourself. As others said the wheels will not clear your mower deck if the spacers move the tires outward too much. NOT your main issue in my view.
2) These little tractors are all "tipsy" with a loader on them. Just get used to it. Keeping the loaded loader close to the ground is the main thing. YES, rear ballast makes a huge difference and YES put in your sandbags.
3) I do not run fluid in my rear tires (except on large farm tractors.) You don't really need it as long as you use the rear ballast which is better with more leverage anyway.
4) Refer to your owner's booklet (or the side of the tires themselves) but the front tires need around 20 psi while the rears need around 12 to 14 psi. Not critical and NOT the solution to your expressed issue at all. Basically irrelevant as long as the inflation is in a reasonable range. Certainly NOT what is causing your tipsy experiences.
5) While the self-appointed so called "safety" nuts will be sucked out of the woodwork on this one, I DO NOT wear seatbelts on a tractor. Specifically on a BX2200 I have had the thing tip enough to raise one rear wheel off the ground and, having enough sense NOT to be wearing a blasted seatbelt, I was able to put my fat butt over to that side and bring the tire back to earth. Generally tipping on these tractors is not a sudden jerk but rather a slow-motion sort of event. Again, if you keep the loader LOW, use plenty of BALLAST, and stay alert you will not have serious problems. If you feel it getting tipsy, slap the loader DOWN onto the ground ASAP.

 

[Andrew2019]

Hi jwr,

Thanks for the synopsis of the thread. Everyone here has given great advice.
Going through your post,
I don't think I have very steep areas, more of a rolling lawn, fairly flat, which was why I was concerned.
I'm going to put about 300lbs in the rear ballast box and see how that feels. That seems to be the consensus here.
Front Turf tires need 17 PSI, rear turf tires need 14 psi. I think I was reading the MAX psi on the tire. I'll let some air out and get closer to the manual recommended psi. I though the ride was a little too bouncy anyway.
The bucket is always low, usually 6 inches off the ground which in hindsight probably was the only thing that prevented a tip over.

I'll load up the ballast and drive around this week and post back.

Thanks guys

 

[AHNC]

"The seat of the pants" on a BX tells you it will fall over on flat ground. I have had mine on the same property for 11 years now, and know what slopes I am comfortable on while paying attention to the ground conditions. On the steeper parts I go up and down the fall line only. Scares the heck out of me on a cross slope. I think I'll check out the extenders too.