Owlswood
New member
Fill them. On both my 420 with a blade and the 316 with FEL the filled tires were the difference between not being able to dig effectively and actually being able to dig.
Loader Does my small tractor need wheel ballast?
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k0ua
Epic Contributor
Lots of opinions, but I have owned tractors for about 25 years, and have owned 5 of them. Take this for what it is worth, but I am a firm believer in rear tire ballast as well as 3 point ballast. The 3 point ballast does the most good, as it relieves weight off of your front axle with those big heaping load you are going to put in your Front End Loader. Now you can swear you will keep you load light all you want, but I bet you are a human, so good luck with that.
But there are times when you will not have your 3pt ballast on, for instance pulling a rear ground engaging implement of any kind. Now you have no weight on your rear end all and you need traction in the worst way. That is when you loaded tires can make the difference in pulling the implement and not pulling the implement.
Think if through and decide for yourself. Of course if your primary usage for the machine is mowing your yard you may not want loaded tires as you can't just take it out in 5 minutes and put it back when you need it. You may want as light of a machine as possible so you can mow in muddy wet conditions. But I have never regretted having as much traction as possible.
Tractor is all about Traction. Most people run out of traction long before they run out of horsepower. Anything that sticks the tractor to the dirt is a good thing to my way of thinking.
But there are times when you will not have your 3pt ballast on, for instance pulling a rear ground engaging implement of any kind. Now you have no weight on your rear end all and you need traction in the worst way. That is when you loaded tires can make the difference in pulling the implement and not pulling the implement.
Think if through and decide for yourself. Of course if your primary usage for the machine is mowing your yard you may not want loaded tires as you can't just take it out in 5 minutes and put it back when you need it. You may want as light of a machine as possible so you can mow in muddy wet conditions. But I have never regretted having as much traction as possible.
Tractor is all about Traction. Most people run out of traction long before they run out of horsepower. Anything that sticks the tractor to the dirt is a good thing to my way of thinking.
Code54
Elite Member
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2005
- Messages
- 4,307
- Location
- Putnam Co. West Virginia
- Tractor
- Kubota MX5100, Kubota BX25D,1957 Farmall Cub Lo-Boy Kubota KX91-3, BCS 853
Lots of opinions, but I have owned tractors for about 25 years, and have owned 5 of them. Take this for what it is worth, but I am a firm believer in rear tire ballast as well as 3 point ballast. The 3 point ballast does the most good, as it relieves weight off of your front axle with those big heaping load you are going to put in your Front End Loader. Now you can swear you will keep you load light all you want, but I bet you are a human, so good luck with that.
But there are times when you will not have your 3pt ballast on, for instance pulling a rear ground engaging implement of any kind. Now you have no weight on your rear end all and you need traction in the worst way. That is when you loaded tires can make the difference in pulling the implement and not pulling the implement.
Think if through and decide for yourself. Of course if your primary usage for the machine is mowing your yard you may not want loaded tires as you can't just take it out in 5 minutes and put it back when you need it. You may want as light of a machine as possible so you can mow in muddy wet conditions. But I have never regretted having as much traction as possible.
Tractor is all about Traction. Most people run out of traction long before they run out of horsepower. Anything that sticks the tractor to the dirt is a good thing to my way of thinking.
Well said! I always run out of traction before power.
Boomer07
New member
Rim Guard is worth the money!
dieselcrawler
Elite Member
Loaded tires, rear ballast on the 3ph, maybe even wheel weights.
holeycow
Gold Member
In my estimation there are 3 topics that go round and round on here with the unknowing arguing with the knowing. This is one of them. Just fill your tires.
And, btw you get better traction with filled rears whether you have fwa or not. The unknowing again...
And, btw you get better traction with filled rears whether you have fwa or not. The unknowing again...
Texasmark
Elite Member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2012
- Messages
- 3,703
- Location
- N. Texas
- Tractor
- Ford: '88 3910 Series II, '80 3600, '65 3000; '07 6530C Branson with FEL, 2020 LS MT225S. Case-IH 395 and 895 with cab. All Diesels
I just bought the 2400 with FEL and loaded the rear tires. Pink RV potable water antifreeze is the cheapest and is what I used this time, for that reason. Have used AF and it works too. When I bought the 6530 in 2007 I had them filled with automotive AF. I WILL not put CACL in the wheels of a new tractor for obvious reasons.
I don't know your situation but this time I bought the fill adapter on ebay for about $12 and the pink RV was on sale. Was a no brainer to do it myself.
I don't know your situation but this time I bought the fill adapter on ebay for about $12 and the pink RV was on sale. Was a no brainer to do it myself.
powerscol
Veteran Member
Yes get them filled. Big value for a little $$$. Heavier is better However where your at I would not use windshield washer fluid as it will freeze (most good to -20). Does it get colder there? I believe Rim Guard is rated for colder temps.
Also for snow removal you will want at least a set of chains for the front. They help greatly in steering and traction.. Quality Chain and others have good selections for our tractors. Possibly you dealer carries them and could makit part of the deal.
Last - did you get rear remotes? If available get them as a dealer install. You never know when you might need them and now is the best time to get them on.
Enjoy you new tractor, and please be safe. Use the ROPS and seat belt. They keep you safe.
Also for snow removal you will want at least a set of chains for the front. They help greatly in steering and traction.. Quality Chain and others have good selections for our tractors. Possibly you dealer carries them and could makit part of the deal.
Last - did you get rear remotes? If available get them as a dealer install. You never know when you might need them and now is the best time to get them on.
Enjoy you new tractor, and please be safe. Use the ROPS and seat belt. They keep you safe.
MoArk Willy
Gold Member
I have a B2320 Kubota and I use it primarily to mow about 3 acres. I went with turf tires and decided not to fill them because I didn't want to tear up the lawn any more than the tractor weight itself. Also with a smaller tractor the weight added with filling the tires is minimal compared to weights on the 3 pt. But after reading all the posts here I think that if my tractor wasn't primarily a mower I would have filled the tires. Just my 2 cents.
Weedy Fields
Bronze Member
my .02
If your concerned about traction and it would work out leaving chains on all the time its the best option.
I have a small old wheel horse that I leave chains on all the time. very rarely do I have issues with traction even with its open rear end.
I also have a 4610 with rear tires filled with calcium chloride. It spins all the time, I also have hung an approx 900lb flail mower on the 3 pt for help but as the tires are getting down on tread life nothing helps much. Traction ultimately happens where the tire meets the ground, this is where all improvement needs to be looked at first.
If your concerned about traction and it would work out leaving chains on all the time its the best option.
I have a small old wheel horse that I leave chains on all the time. very rarely do I have issues with traction even with its open rear end.
I also have a 4610 with rear tires filled with calcium chloride. It spins all the time, I also have hung an approx 900lb flail mower on the 3 pt for help but as the tires are getting down on tread life nothing helps much. Traction ultimately happens where the tire meets the ground, this is where all improvement needs to be looked at first.
