Ballast 410 loader owners - ballast box alone ??

garchib · Jul 30, 2003

I am trying to decide if I truely need my rear tires filled in addition
to the JD ballast box filled with concrete....
Can I get an informal survey from 410 loader owners ? My concern
is the weight of filled tires on my lawn

Heath · Jul 30, 2003

I have a 4110 with the 4110 FEL. I've used the FEL many, many times with wet dirt and mud and river rock. I usually have a 5 foot Frontier box blade on the back and I've never had a problem with the rear end getting light. I believe the box blade weighs in the neighborhood of 600 lbs.
I also have a ballst box that I plan on filling with sand, but I haven't done it yet. I believe that the ballast box filled with sand will weight around 900-1000 lbs.
I can't imagine having to fill my rear tires anytime soon. If I do finally get the rear end to bounce a little, I'll just put the ballast box on.
To be totally up front, I'm always very careful about driving carefully with a full FEL load, and I always drive with the bucket very low to the ground. My property has some pretty good hills on it and I do notice a little rear-end bounce when I go downhill with a bucket full, but nothing too serious.
I think driving carefully and watching the vertical position of your bucket and rear ballast are important.

Bob_In_MN · Jul 30, 2003

I use ballast box alone. I converted the back part of my property from pasture to lawn and I know if I had more weight, I leave some tracks.

Bob

rmonio · Jul 30, 2003

I have both a Ballast Box and a Box Blade that I use for balance - both do a great job and don't cause me problems as far as the lawn is concerned.

I would never go without the weight on the back - but I don't think you need to fill the tires unless you're really concerned about weight. Here in MN (where the other Bob who posted is also from), I used my ballast box with my 460 loader this winter on ice and never really had problems (even with turf tires!).

Take care and good luck!

-Bob

755inNY · Jul 30, 2003

I have a JD 755 with 52 loader that I think is very similar in size and weight to the 4100 and 410 FEL. I use the 3PH mounted ballast box without filled tires. The combination works fine. I also mow a lot with the tractor and did not want the extra weight in the tires. My rear tires are set at the widest position. Many times I don't even use the ballast box. I only use it if I am moving heavy stuff (wet dirt or stone) with many trips over uneven or soft ground. Otherwise going slow and keeping the load low does the job. I see you have a RFM. That alone should provide enough ballast weight as long as it does not get in your way.

I suggest you have your rear tires turned out to their widest position, if they aren't already and just use rear mounted ballast. Start off carefully. You will know if you need more by the way the tractor feels with a load in the bucket. You can always fill the tires later if you find you really need to.

Jeff

kennyd · Jul 30, 2003

I use just the Ballast Box filled with regular concrete, About 1/4 yard per the rental place where I had it filled. I believe it wieghs about 1000lbs, you definatly do not need any more weight than that.

yellowsocks93 · Jul 30, 2003

I have always thought that using a loader without ballast on the back could hurt the front axle because of all the added weight. I could be wrong but when I used my 4300 in the winter with the FEL for moving snow it seemed like the steering got way to hard with only 500 lbs. of ballast on the back. Now with the 990 I am only required to have something like 550 lbs. so if I add a little more I should be fine I guess.

Nick
990 4x4 turf, 272 RFM, 430 loader, 25A flail

Wannafish · Jul 31, 2003

I have a 4010 with the 410 FEL. You do not NEED to have the tires filled to use the loader, provided you have some type of rear weight.
However...when I bought my tractor I had just purchased a new (to me) farm with a large yard to mow. With the R-4's I tended to leave some pretty good marks when turning or going up a hill (without the loader). I had the rears filled with beet juice and it made a world of difference - any marks left now while mowing are barely noticeable. In addition, if I don't feel like installing the rear ballast box when using the FEL, I don't have to. I have found the rear ballast box (or some other rear mount implement) to be a great improvement while using the FEL to pick rocks in a newly plowed field...all the bouncing over the furrows with a full bucket of rocks can get a little hairy without the extra weight!
Just my $.02 worth.

Rick