I have a ballast box with weight in it for my 2025 right now, but I'm thinking about some liquid ballast as well. I know wheel weights are available for other tractors, but I'm curious if any fit the 2025, and if so, where you can get them?
Ballast weight options for CT2025
- Thread starter kb27
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I wondered the same thing. Bobcat and Kioti wheels don't have the holes in them to mount wheel weights. Maybe the higher cost for this type of ballast prompted their elimination. According to Good Works Tractors the least costly approach is liquid ballast.
One bit of info. that I just discovered is that using foam ballast in tires voids Bobcat's warranty!
I got a quote today for Rim Guard and it looks like it's going to be close to $1/lb, and that's after I take the wheels to the tire shop and have them filled. The ballast box was less expensive on a $/lb basis, but I would like more ballast than I currently have.
Something doesn't sound right. The Rim Guard website shows a typical retail price for their product at about $0.28 per lb. $1/lb. is way over priced - jeez that's about $11/gallon. How about windshield washer fluid or one of its variants?
I got quoted $190 just to put the Rim Guard in the tire, and $2.90/gal for the Rim Guard, which is about $0.27/lb for the product alone. But, if the tire holds about 27.5 gallons, that's about $272+tax gets me really close to $1/lb.
jeff9366
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What application makes you want to add liquid tire ballast in addition to a ballast box on a 2,650 pound bare weight, 4-WD tractor with <26-horsepower?
An additional 200 pounds in your ballast box will be approximately equivalent to adding liquid to two rear tires due to leverage of rear position.
Best traction is when rear tires just begin to slip.
What tires do you have now?
An additional 200 pounds in your ballast box will be approximately equivalent to adding liquid to two rear tires due to leverage of rear position.
Best traction is when rear tires just begin to slip.
What tires do you have now?
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jeff9366
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An additional 200 pounds in your ballast box will be approximately equivalent to adding liquid to two rear tires due to leverage of rear position.
Doughknob
Veteran Member
Yep, my CT4045 "almost" tipped with 1000lbs in the bucket, 150lbs on each rear wheel and 150lbs on the 3-pt hitch. These tractors are light in the rear end.
jeff9366
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There are two main reasons to ballast rear tires.
1. increase rear tire traction
2. lower tractor center-of-gravity for work on hills
The CT2025, like my L3560, has modest engine power relative to weight. Not enough power to break rear wheel traction under most conditions. If light ground contact implements are purchased, rather than heavy ground contact implements, rear tire ballast may be necessary even for an CT2025 but I know YOU will not waste money on light, marginally effective ground contact implements.
With <26-horsepower your counterbalance and ballast should be removable.
Consider a ballast box with more internal volume to increase counterbalance weight:
1. increase rear tire traction
2. lower tractor center-of-gravity for work on hills
The CT2025, like my L3560, has modest engine power relative to weight. Not enough power to break rear wheel traction under most conditions. If light ground contact implements are purchased, rather than heavy ground contact implements, rear tire ballast may be necessary even for an CT2025 but I know YOU will not waste money on light, marginally effective ground contact implements.
With <26-horsepower your counterbalance and ballast should be removable.
Consider a ballast box with more internal volume to increase counterbalance weight:
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jd9905
New member
I decided to add my own liquid ballast after doing a bunch of research. Being on a budget, I used -20 degree windshield wiper fluid to fill my tires as I live in a colder climate. It was really simple to do and I was able to add 30 gallons to each tire that gave me about 228 lbs. per tire.
I looked at Rimguard near where I live and I was receiving quotes on the low-end $4.50 a gallon if I took my tractor tires to them, and if I had a mobile service come to my property it would have been $13.56 a gallon. If you can get it for $1 a gallon jump on it.
In all, it cost me about $120 for 60 gallons of fluid, $12 dollars for an air-water adapter and I had my own electric water transfer pump ($50). In the end, it took about 2.5 hours to do. There are a ton of videos on youtube, some good, some bad, some over-engineered but it was easy to do. The tractor handles noticeably better and is less bouncy when using the bucket or pallet forks. I am still planning on buying a ballast box as well.
I looked at Rimguard near where I live and I was receiving quotes on the low-end $4.50 a gallon if I took my tractor tires to them, and if I had a mobile service come to my property it would have been $13.56 a gallon. If you can get it for $1 a gallon jump on it.
In all, it cost me about $120 for 60 gallons of fluid, $12 dollars for an air-water adapter and I had my own electric water transfer pump ($50). In the end, it took about 2.5 hours to do. There are a ton of videos on youtube, some good, some bad, some over-engineered but it was easy to do. The tractor handles noticeably better and is less bouncy when using the bucket or pallet forks. I am still planning on buying a ballast box as well.
Midniteoyl
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Ya, the $1 a gallon price that keeps floating around is pretty much BS. It might not be $13 for the big guys buying hundreds of gallons for several machines, but it sure ain't $1.
Doughknob
Veteran Member
Do you have tubes?
jd9905
New member
No, my tires were tubeless. Supposedly, I'll have to look but the windshield wipe ingredients were non-corrosive and safe for installation without tubes.
Midniteoyl
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Yep. Washer fluid is safe to install in tubeless tires..
Doughknob
Veteran Member
How do u know this? I have done it. But inside tubes. What evidence do u have that it won't corrode rims in 20 years? Seriously, i'd like to know data/evidence then i could put it in my tubeless tires. Thanks
Midniteoyl
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If in doubt, put it in a tube. Can always add a gal or two of antifreeze (original green for steel) or bottles of anti-rust too.
I also put WWF in my 3400's old original wheels about 10yrs ago and they are still going strong. Other than that, the only evidence is the same for beat juice - testimonies from those who have done it for years.
fasttruck860
Bronze Member
When I bought my machine the dealer foam filled the tires for $500. It's slightly heavier than rim guard and my tires are now airless and puncture proof in the rear. That with a box blade is pretty good ballast. I can max out my loader capacity before the rear end gets too light.
