Tires Another Dumb Loading the Tires Question!

[rpeter]

I am trying to decide if I should have the tires of my new tractor (orange B3030 or blue TC33DA, I just can not make up my mind) loaded. I am worried about soil compaction when I am bush hogging around my newly planted tree seedlings (7 acres worth). Seems like with loaded tires I can never get rid of the weight. If I use suitcase weights on the front I can put on or take off weight when I need to. What are the pros/cons of adding weight by loading the tires, versus using front/rear “suitcase” weights /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I have a NH TC24 with UN-loaded tires and a Kubota B2910 with LOADed tires. I use the tractors for different purporses and find the unloaded tires gives me a bit more flexibility. I have both a weight box for the 3 point that works equally well on the rear end of either. I also have EZ Weights on the front wheels of the NH. EZ Weights on TC24D

For a rear mounted heavy implement, having something like EZ weights on the front tires are nice becuase the weights can be added or removed quickly and they provide balance when the FEL is not on the tactor and something heavy is on the rear. I'm on clay soil so I don't like ruts because they are difficult to repair and dry as hard as concrete. Keeping the flexibility is nice, but not as convenient.

 

[PineRidge]

My vote is go for the cast, it comes off easy when you don't need the extra weight. Click on our signature link to see how we deal with the cast weight.

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

You'll grow tired of banging cast iron weights around taking them off and putting them on. If anything, they'll stay bolted to the tractor. IF... You can keep them tight. Wheel weights have a way of working loose. Fluid ballast , because of where it' s at, tends to make a tractor more stable. (In regards to center of gravity) Just look at the folks that use tractors the most. FARMERS.... In just about every case, we'll have fluid in the tires and the MAYBE cast weights also. BTDT

I use cast weights on the FRONT of my tractors because I can't get enough weight in the front tires (due to size) Since I went exclusively to no-till, and quit chisel plowing years ago, I don't need THOUSANDS of pounds of ballast on my tractors anymore. The only tractor that I currently use fluid AND cast rear weights with is my 4020 loader tractor.

Fluid is cheaper, more stable (again, because of the center of gravity issue) and in the end, simpler for me to deal with by myself. (The rear weights on my bigger tractors are all 150 lbs PLUS, each)

 

[ronnie2005]

If all you are going to do is mow and light utility work, I would not load the tires. Later when your trees mature and you are pruning and trimming you may want to put some weight on her butt for traction to push brush.

All of mine are loaded, but I use them for tillage. But I don't go near the field when it's wet. Did it once, had to leave it there for a month, buried it so deep had to step up to get off. I have clay also and when it dried I was thinking about using dynomite to get it out. Took a week to dig it out by hand, what a mess.

 

[Paddy]

You could go with "half filled" This is not because it's a compromise. The weight is always below Center of Gravity. Max stability, but extra weight,

I was removing fluid from a old tractor the hual 1000 mi. Got about half way when 20" of snow hit. Needless to say, I stoped the draining and started plowing. After I completed the massive snow job, I thought it was a good setup.

just ideas...

Patrick

KAMA 454...in 2 weeks!

 

[Henro]

rpeter,

Three things that pop into my mind when thinking of adding weight are:

<ul type="square"> [*]Stability on side slopes

[*]Increasing traction

[*]Loader safety (keeping rear wheels on the ground)

[/list]

I'm sure there are others.

Seeing you are in PA, I wonder about your slopes. Are side slopes a concern? Maybe you are lucky and don't have normal PA (at least like we have here in Western PA) hills.

If side slope stability and loader safety are not issues, I would not worry about adding any weight until after getting some experience with the tractor.

You can easily do it yourself one way or the other later if you need to. Like you said, especially with fluid, it is not something that conveniently goes in and out quickly. Neither are weights that are real heavy... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JerryG]

Go with the cast. There are more and more "real farmers" getting away from the fluid in the tires all of the time, because of the lack of the tire forming the the soil and also because you can't as readily change weight as needed. If you use the cast, then you can change the weights as need. If you want it on the wheels, you can use a one bolt system with lifting weights and that makes them easy to get on and off.