Balast

[pickeringchris]

I found a chart online that said 29 gallons for my tires.
If I can lift a pumpkin with my machine it will be a pretty disappointing season. I have a tripod that loads the pumpkins on the trailer anyways. My loader will be used for moving manure.

 

[TBDonnelly]

Kioti recommends 700 pounds rear ballast.

KIOTI - run ahead of the pack!

If you plan to trailer the tractor much I would not load the tires. That's a lot of extra weight to trailer around. You'll be amazed how much traction you have just by engaging 4 wheel drive. Loading the tires does not eliminate the need for rear ballast.
Don

 

[Gittyup]

I found a chart online that said 29 gallons for my tires.
If I can lift a pumpkin with my machine it will be a pretty disappointing season. I have a tripod that loads the pumpkins on the trailer anyways. My loader will be used for moving manure.

Chris,

So how much do the pumpkins typically weight?

 

[pickeringchris]

2011 was my second year growing giants. In 2010 my best was 1030lbs. Pretty good for a beginner. This year I was plagued by bad luck and my best was 1065 lbs. really disappointing considering I had one split the first week of August at 930lbs and was doing about 30lbs per day. It was on target for 14-1500lbs :-(

Btw for the guys that ad wiper fluid for ballast do you have tube or tubeless tires??? I know wiper fluid does have some corrosion inhibitors.....

 

[PoorMansCat]

You know, the more I think about it the more I think I should just make a concrete 3ph ballast. That way she is not so heavy when I need to trailer her. I have a ABS drum that would be perfect.
I will make it 5-600 lbs.

That was my thinking as well.. Took an old home made steel safe, cut the lid off, used 3" square tubing to make attachment points for the 3pt, filled it with iron ore rocks.. Works GREAT, and I can simply drop it when I dont need it...
I had originally thought of loading the tires with antifreeze, but decided against it due to concerns over getting tire service with the antifreeze, and not being able to drop the weight when moving it...

 

[k0ua]

Chris I did both, load the tires and built ballast barrel. But I don't trailer. but when you are pulling that subsoiler, you would appreciate the loaded tires. especially with the R4 tires. and the ballast box is not going to do you any good off the tractor. So my recommendation is to do both, if you can stand the extra weight on the trailer. If you do this you will notice a big change in stability for the better, and push/pull of the tractor will be far greater than a "bare" tractor.

James K0UA

 

[TBDonnelly]

How wide is the area you plan to plant pumpkns in?

Don

 

[pickeringchris]

Thanks James. Thats what I was thinking. With the subsoiler I can't have a ballast box so the loaded tires will be golden. I just ordered a fill valve. Probably won't be here till the new year.
Looks like I will only get 250-300 lbs per tire according to the chart I found online that says 29 gallons per tire.

Don, each pumpkin gets 30' x 30'. I grow 4. They are a lot of work. Then I have regular pumpkins and other stuff I just let grow wild.

 

[pickeringchris]

FYI. I don't own a trailer big enough to move the tractor nor do I have a vehicle to pull it. So the trailering thing will be a non issue for a while. At least a year or 2.

 

[TBDonnelly]

Don, each pumpkin gets 30' x 30'. I grow 4. They are a lot of work. Then I have regular pumpkins and other stuff I just let grow wild.

What I was curious about was the size (xx feet by xx feet) of the actual planting area. I'm trying to visualize the area and pattern the subsoiler will need to follow.

Here in Michigan I've seen pumpkin fields that have individual sheds built over each of the large pumpkins.

Don