Because to me it's pretty cut and dried, and I did try
calling corporate when I first read it.
There is a simple chart that shows tractor ballast require
ments for tread width above 59 inches and below 59 inches.
When you look at the "above 59 inch" line it has what to
use as 3pt ballast if you are using wheel weights or are
using tire ballast.
If you look at the "tread width under 59" line it says
twice "LOADER USE NOT APPROVED"
Pictures in all 3 of the manuals show "tread width" is the
distance from center to center on the rear wheels.
In a "Selecting Tread Width" chart in the operators manual
it shows all the widths you can get with your tractor depending on what tire/wheel combo you have.
For R1s it shows up to 54". With R4's it shows 42 one way
and 43.8" with the wheels flipped. I have yet to see a tractor
on a lot with R4's with the wheels flipped even to get the 1.8"
difference as it makes the tire stems more difficult to get
to.
It seems pretty simple to me but that's why I asked the question
here as there are a lot of 42 43 44 owners who have the same
manual I do, so far no one has said you need to read.....somewhere else in the manual.
I'm not a glutton for punishment but I would LOVE for someone
to show me I am reading this wrong and cause mass laughter
on the forum!
My complaint is not about the tractor.
If this is ballasted properly it should be just fine if operated safely.(I HOPE)
My problem is buying something for a particular use and then
reading it isn't approved for that use.
Deere could very easily put that in the sales brochure instead
of showing pictures of narrow tracked, R4 equipped tractors
with loaders.
In the above mentioned chart it's just BLANK where the 3 point
ballast weight should be listed because LOADER USE IS NOT
APPROVED. Wouldn't it be better to say "LOADER USE NOT APPPROVED"
but if you DO use a loader add wheel weights, add tire ballast
AND add the 7 8 900 whatever to the 3 point? That way you
relieved yourself of responsibility but still offer some
safety suggestions.
On the 4210 the R4's cannot be jacked out past 43.8 inches
and the R1's only to 54.7. Maybe the R1s on the 4310's can
be, but certainly not the R4s and every dealer I've talked
to in the past couple of years have said he R4's are the
most popular tire. Any Deere dealers tell anyone they weren't approved for loader use on your 4310 4410?
I WANT Deere to keep selling small tractors, as I want Kubota
to as well. Producing sales flyers showing uses for the
tractors that are accepted by the public as normal but that
Deere only after the sale tells you the tractor is not
approved for is just wrong.
This is too dumb of a toe stubbing mistake for such a big
company to do.
I notice in your profile you have some big tractors, would
you have been shocked if you got home with your purchase and
read USE OF A DISK OR CULTIVATOR ON THIS 3 POINT IS NOT APPROVED?
del
more snow today, too much to work the dirt, too little to
have fun plowing...
