Dealer recommended no ballast in tires

[Phred]

Chris,

You may be right but almost everyone I talk to, neighbors many who have been farming in this area for along time, swear its a big mistake.

Maybe its just my area. No personal expereince (my tires are just air), just what I hear.

Of course if you don't have any briars its a non issue, unless you come a cross nails, etc...

Fred

 

[BobG_in_VA]

My 16.9 X 28s are filled. Not sure how a thorn can tell the difference from 7500 to 8900 lbs?? Just jivin' ya. All in fun. In VA we have locust trees that have somewhat long "spikes" but don't know anyone that has lost a tire to one. I understand in TX they can though. BobG in VA

 

[MCA]

Hmm...my dealer was going to make me sign a release if I didn't get the tires filled!

MCA

 

[OkeeDon]

I casually asked my dealer about filling the tires...his response, "We won't sell a tractor with a front-end loader unless the rear tires are filled."

 

[GreenMtnMan]

My JD dealer was the same way - all tractors with loaders get loaded tires because they don't want all the new CUT buyers getting themselves in trouble. He probably took one look at me and said "this guys a rookie", and he was right /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Phred]

I think the weight of the tire does make a diference for flats since as pointed out above the filled tires do not give as much as the unfilled. And the weight of tires can add a lot, ~600 lbs per tire for a mid size ag tires (16x30s).

I will say that if you have a loader and non-filled tires you must use a ballast. That is why the dealers worry. If people forget and try and lift a full bucket of gravel it will tip over toward the front in many cases, probably more so for a small tractor.

For me this is not a big deal since I alway use a very heavy ballast on the rear.

I did not mean to deter anyone from filling the tires beacuse it is probably safer, but if you have thorns or other hazards just think it through. A lot easier to plug when its just air.

Fred

 

[GreenMtnMan]

Phred, how does using 3ph weight reduce the load on the tires? If you have 800 lbs of heavy ballast on your 3ph, and I have 800 lbs of fill in my tires, it seems to me the weight borne by the tires will be nearly the same (actually, a bit more with the 3ph ballast due to leverage and the fact that the center of gravity is shifted further to the rear).

 

[bgott]

I have 14.9- 28 bias on my TN 65, filled, and they flex like wrinkle walls when pushing a load. I only run 9 PSI. I know that's a little lower than the recommended 10 -12 PSI but I ran it down the road at different pressures and it showed the best contact pattern at 9.

 

[SageBrush]

So far, I've not filled mine on the Kubota. It does fine with gravel... to me. My dealer said to try it and see, most prefer unfilled with the R4's.. My 2wd tractor is filled and has R1's.

I did not want the extra weight with the L4330. I already sink out of site in the muddy back woods. I guess it depends on the person in the seat and how well they feel with the lite rear. The only time the rear really feels lite is when I hit a pile fast and lift, reverse, go go go .. I can make the rear wheels lift. But my old Belarus does the same thing when pushed hard and it has loaded tires. I haven't put a weight box on yet... to much work /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

But the Kubota manual I have clearly states how to fill the tires to 75%, and gives some weights.

 

[ebeacham]

After moving 45 yards of dirt without filling the tires I can tell you that I would not go back, no way no how. The extra 1000 lbs made all the difference. Maybe ( I don't know /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif ) you could put slime in the tires if you are worried about punctures.