<font color="blue"> I think relying on a weight box or implement is asking for trouble. </font>
I'm going to give a couple of true life examples and everyone can judge as they see fit. I operate 2 different CUTs, one is small but a fairly heavy New Holland (not as heavy as a Korean machine, but still on the heavy side of the spectrum), that tractor is used often for mowing and also for FEL work. I also operate a larger Kubota, which is only very slightly heavier (300#) than the smaller framed NH, the Kubota is never used for mowing.
The NH has a weight box. The Kubota has fluid fill in the rears.
On a regualar basis the NH is out being used for loader work, quite often there is no implement on the rear, no weight box, and no additional weight other than the MMM deck, which is not even in the correct place to add proper ballast.
The Kubota, more often than not, has a heavy box blade attached, in addition to the fluid filled rears.
Typically, the heavy little NH is out doing chores like mowing, and something needs to be moved so since that tractor is under my rear end I lift and move the whatever with the FEL. If we are talking mulch or branches then there is no issue, as those are very light. If we are talking pea gravel, clay, dirt, stone, or sod, then I am making a dangerous choice as the weight box is back up the hill, tucked inside the garage. Now if I KNOW I am going out to do FEL work, then the weight box goes on the back end, but that is not the norm. SO, either I make the choice to add the weight box, or I make the choice to take my chances . . . either way, I am VERY AWARE of what I am doing. I have NEVER come close to flipping this tractor on its side.
The Kubota, on the other hand, has its weight built in via the fluid fill tires. I take it for granted that the weight is there and I never think about it. I was out moving some large granite 8" to 15" diameter cobblestones with the FEL. A large dump truckload was spilled into my ditch (on purpose) but I needed to move half of them from one side of my drive to the other side. I was working on FLAT SMOOTH LEVEL ASPHALT and simply digging into the pile, picking up a bucketload of cobblestones and moving them about 30'. On one of the trips, I was lifting the FEL and tipping it back and the load shifted to one side of the bucket, I was turning the tractor sharp to the right and the load shifted to the same side, the tractor started to tip over. I was able to slam down the bucket and spin the steering wheel to get the left wheels back down on the ground. I didn't tip, but I learned a couple lessons.
#1, wear the seatbelt
#2, even when the load in the bucket is light (there were only 6 stones in that bucket!!!) the tractor can fall over.
#3, ALWAYS be aware
There is no way that being a light tractor or a heavy tractor would have made much difference because that bucket load was so far below the capacity of the weight limit (maybe 25% or 30% of the total capacity???) that is was almost silly to think that the tractor could tip. What happened is that I took too many things for granted, and I stopped being aware.
I love the fluid fill, but the reality is that fluid fill is NOT ENOUGH ballast on most tractors. Check your owners manual and find out how much ballast you NEED. Then figure out how to get that much ballast. My guess is that you will need fluid & an implement/weigth box.
Also understand, the heavier the tractor the MORE ballast you need. Heavy tractors make great FEL machines, but they actually need more ballast because the FELs typically have more capacity.
My NH recommends fluid fill & wheel weight. OR fluid fill & a ballast box. OR wheel weights & a ballast box.
Also realize that 500# of weight in a ballast box hanging off the 3pt hitch is about equal to 750# or 800# of fluid fill because the "lever effect" from your old high school geometry class comes into play (and you told that teacher you would never use geometry when you grew up).
So if I was you, I would think long and hard about the facts, about the laws of physics and the principles of geometry as you make your decisions. I agree with Chipperman, I believe in loaded tires or wheel weights. But I also believe that that is NOT ENOUGH if you are lifting objects that are heavy or are subject to move. And your owners manual will very likely tell you that I am correct that you need more than a simple fluid fill.
