Ballast to prevent overloading of front axle

   / Ballast to prevent overloading of front axle #1  

bdog

Elite Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
2,632
Location
Texas
Tractor
Kioti RX 7320
I have enough weight on my rear tires that tipping is not a concern. That being said looking at the physics of it weight in the rear tires does nothing to alleviate load on the front axle, and could even make it worse. A ballast box or heavy 3pt implement behind the tractor would however reduce the load on the front axle. Curious how big of a deal this is. Normally I have something on the back of the tractor but many times it is light enough that it probably isn't doing much.
 
   / Ballast to prevent overloading of front axle #2  
You've got the right idea. Always have rear ballast when doing fel work. Loaded rears help keep the back end planted, where as 3 point ballast creates a fulcrum at the rear axle which takes some of the load off of the front axle.
 
   / Ballast to prevent overloading of front axle #3  
This is debated a fair bit. If the front axle is considered to be the fulcrum rear ballast does nothing to reduce the front axle load.
 
   / Ballast to prevent overloading of front axle
  • Thread Starter
#4  
This is debated a fair bit. If the front axle is considered to be the fulcrum rear ballast does nothing to reduce the front axle load.
If you have enough rear ballast then the rear axle becomes the fulcrum point.
 
   / Ballast to prevent overloading of front axle #5  
I've done FEL loader work with and without something attached to the 3pt hitch and loaded the bucket on my small tractor to the point that I would need to put it in 4x4 and I have never had a problem, maybe I have just been lucky.
 
   / Ballast to prevent overloading of front axle #6  
In my younger years I once got a bushhog stuck under a very large fallen tree. My much younger years I assure you. When I couldn't get it out driving straight forward I tried to wiggle it out by raising and lowering the hog. I would raise the hog and the front end of the tractor would come completely off the ground then drop the hog and pop the clutch. Each time I would gain a few inches forward. I finally got the mower out. This was back in the late seventies or early eighties and that mower finally died last fall. I hadn't thought of it before but that is probably why the back wheel fell off later that year.

Anyway, consider the tree as ballast hanging off the 3-pt and I can see how adding weight BEHIND the rear wheels will take weight off the front axle and put less strain on it...... Unless you keep popping the clutch and banging it on the ground. That late sixties to early eighties Ford equipment was tough.

RSKY
 
   / Ballast to prevent overloading of front axle #7  
I like rear ballast for FEL Work.... about 500-600 pounds....

20190513_134020-jpg.604578


20190513_134501-jpg.604577


JD mower is 540 lbs by JD specs... Yes there is a low bumper on front of dead deere that is wedged under bucket lip....
 
   / Ballast to prevent overloading of front axle #8  
"Yes there is a low bumper on front of dead deere that is wedged under bucket lip...."

You shouldn't have told us this. I was trying to figure out how the Deere was balancing so perfectly!
 
   / Ballast to prevent overloading of front axle #10  
I find it comical (and disturbing) what people do with small tractors and they actually survive. I'd never to that crap with my big tractors, never.
 
 
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