Ballast FEL use with no ballast

[Gary_in_Indiana]

As some of you may have read in the JD Owning/Operating Forum, I have to do some repairs before I can use my 3PH. As a result, I even took off the arms themselves. The only other times I've done that have been to put on my backhoe.

Nonetheless I decided to use my tractor today to move my 26' steel trailer to get it out of the way so I can used the dozer tomorrow. Because I'm basically lazy and was in a hurry, I just hooked my safety chains together and tossed them over a bucket toothbar tooth and started backing away.

At the first turn I had quite a shock! One rear wheel came completely airborne. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I simply didn't have enough weight back there. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Laziness won out still, though. Instead of turning around and pulling the thing as I should have I just pushed it out in the front yard to get it out of the way and left it there. Sometimes it's good to be single. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RonR]

Hi Gary,

I did that pulling a sailboat (total weight of boat and trailer < 1500#).

What I didn't see was I had the tongue up in the air high enough, the rear roller bolts were plowing into the hard ground. I also was backing and turning.

Fortunately, I was in 2WD and my momentum stopped when the rear wheel went off the ground. Sure woke me up about how easy that thing is to stall or tip.............

I've learned my lesson--I always have something heavy on the rear when using FEL to move something.

Ron

 

[adegiulio]

Its funny you mention this because I was doing some loader work this weekend without ballast and had similar problems. I was skidding some pretty large logs from one side of the property to the other. I hook the chain to the I-Match and attach the logging tongs to the chain. After skidding a bunch of them I decided to start stacking them. The 4in1 is great for this by the way. Anyway, I start lifting the logs and sure enough one tire keeps lifting up a little. I manage to get some of the logs stacked and then go back to move the rest. After they were all moved I got back to trying to stack them. After nearly killing myself I decided it would be worth the 5 minutes of work to take off the 3ph and put on my backhoe. Problem solved!! And I got the stacking done a lot quicker because I didn't have to move so slowly to prevent DEATH.. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[PineRidge]

Gary unfortunately I think a lot of us have learned the hard way. When I first got my TC-40D it came with wheel weights and a rear 3 point weight bar for counterbalance when using the loader. I had removed the loader and all the extra cast iron weight early in the spring cause I had some mowing to do and I wanted to make the tractor as light as I could when pulling the RFM so as not to rut the lot.

Once I finished I pulled the RFM off and parked the tractor for the night. The next day out I needed the loader and once I reattached it to the tractor I didn't even give the rear weight a second thought, that was at least until I had a bucket full of wet dirt and was moving fairly well. The rear wheels started to come up before I knew what happened and it was just the fact that the FEL was pretty low that saved me from doing any damage other than hurting my pride.

I learned real fast to double check the rig before putting it to work on that day. Pucker factor ain't no fun when it's happening to you my friend.

 

[Freds]

Hey guys,
Is this happening without loaded tires or do you consider loaded tires to be ballast?
I've had some pretty full loads in my bucket with nothing but loaded tires without a problem... so far. I'm even thinking of getting rid of my homemade counterweight because of this. I just don't use it anymore.

 

[JDFANATIC]

I just had the tires loaded on my 2210 (delv'd last night), and though I wasn't able to give it a good work-out, it felt a lot more balanced. It will be interesting to see how it feels with some light loads in the FEL.

 

[Varmintmist]

I just loaded the tires on my 3510, Pics and explanation in the Mahindra forum.

I ran mine the day after I got it to move some 2B modified and MOST of the time with a full bucket it wasnt a problem. I got cocked on a grade while getting a load and the back went up. That in itself isnt a real problem because I was pretty much ready for it to happen. I already had the stuff to load the tires (mostly) but I really wanted that triaxel load out of my way.

I loaded them that night. Just put in a hour this morning and with approx 700LB in the tires I did manage to lift the rear digging a stump. But it sure didnt come up like it did without the weight in.

 

[adegiulio]

My tires are loaded and I still had problems. A bucket full of soil is one thing, a big tree trunk is another. Even after the backhoe was put on I was still having a little trouble with one of the tires lifting a little when I tried lifting a tree trunk that wasnt perfectly centered

 

[Jim_Fisher]

Freds,

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've had some pretty full loads in my bucket with nothing but loaded tires without a problem... so far. I'm even thinking of getting rid of my homemade counterweight because of this. I just don't use it anymore. )</font>

Placing ballast behind the rear wheels will shift some of the load from the steering axle to the rear axle. Loading the rear tires helps to keep them on the ground but doesn't take any weight off of the steering axle.

I would expect less weight on a steering axle to equate to longer seal and bearing life and less stress/wear on the steering mechanism.

Your operator's manual may be able to help you determine the proper placement and amount of weight.

 

[Freds]

Hmmm, maybe I'll hang onto that counterweight just in case then. I never really thought about the FEL picking up something that was over its capacity and needing the extra ballast. I just figured a hose would pop if I had too much in it (which I've had happen when using it to grade).