FILLED REAR TIRES ON 3616

[chubby]

Just tested my 3616 after filling rear tires...impressed...like a different tractor. I bought this tractor many due to its light weight. Tractor used for brush cutting and yard prep. Clearing a couple acres of woods and turning it into lawn. Well 3616 so light I thought I was going to turn the tractor over after hitting a few holes. To pull a box blade a had to put the thing in fwd. To get a full bucket of dirt was work and lots of rear wheel spin. Not now after 40 gals in each rear tire I have a real tractor. This bad boy has got some ***** of it now. Impressive...if you own one of the 16 series tractor and don't have your rear tires filled you are missing a lot out of your tractor. This is the first tractor I have owned that didn't have the tires filled. This is something you can do yourself very easy. Well worth your time and effort

 

[DavesTractor]

Just FYI, a 75% fill of Rim Guard is 822 lbs. On a 3016, a 75% fill is 621 lbs. Rim Guard is about 10.7 lbs./gal., to figure weight with just water, cut those numbers by about 25%. For loader work and ground engaging tasks, it makes a huge difference.

 

[arrow]

Just FYI, a 75% fill of Rim Guard is 822 lbs. On a 3016, a 75% fill is 621 lbs. Rim Guard is about 10.7 lbs./gal., to figure weight with just water, cut those numbers by about 25%. For loader work and ground engaging tasks, it makes a huge difference.

Dave, I test drove two. A geared 3016 with ags and a hydro 3016 with ind. Neither was filled but both had the same rear implements( 3pt finish cutter). One 3016 was a gear, the other was a hydro. When moving into the pile of gravel the dealer has there to test fels, With both tractors in lowest range, the ags tore loose before the industrials. The dealer is willing to swap a set of 3616 tires for the ags. I do logging and snow removal. I've only had ags on my old tractor so am curious how the 43" ind would be in the woods filled with as much as they hold. Filled tire for filled, the ind tires would make the tractor weigh 500lbs more but I'd lose about an inch and a half ground clearance. I was all set to go with the ags but now I'm not as sure as the industrials provided real grunt. A leaf coverd forest floor with 6" of snow may be a different matter as I do not want to be kicking myself for choosing the loaded industrials.

 

[DavesTractor]

Arrow, this is an age old debate on ags vs IND, and there are people that feel very strongly in each direction. Wet soft soil will do much better with ags, dry conditions and hard soil seem to like IND. The extra fluid capacity of the IND may help mitigate its lack of traction in wet soft soil. Then you throw in tire chains and that is another factor. I wish I could help. In either event, the extra weight on the back does make a huge difference.

On liquid ballast, you have multiple choices. We like Rim Guard, which is basically beet juice syrup. Stays liquid to -40F or so, is nice and heavy and it is organic. If you get a leak, your animals can drink all they want and no harm, it is actually used for cattle food. And it does not rust. Seems to be the best thing going other than it is not free like water.

 

[chubby]

After pricing rim guard, I went with windshield washer fluid. $1.75 per gal. This was my first tractor that was not filled in rear tires. The light weight was nice for driving across lawns with mulch but ground work it was a joke. But now I have a different beast. Do you know if w/s washer fluid has any down side. Jugs said good till -20.

 

[DavesTractor]

At $1.75/gallon for washer fluid, that is about $0.22/lb, so that is cheaper than the installed price of Rim Guard especially if you count your labor as free. I do not know if washer fluid is corrosive, or if it is toxic to pets. Surely it is way less toxic that automotive anti-freeze. Rim Guard is way heavier, but if the windshield fluid gives you enough weight, than that is not a problem. We just have to remember that we want to add weight primarily, not gallons of fluid. A 75% fill in your rear IND tires would be 822 lbs of Rim Guard but only about 600 lbs of water/washer fluid. A lot of folks do not want to hassle with putting in their own fluid and want the 1/3rd more weight. Probably washer fluid is a good option if you aren't trying to maximize your liquid ballast and you have time to pump this stuff in yourself.

 

[Tkblacktail]

I don't have a scale, a perfect memory, or a lot of AG tractor experience (as an adult), but the dealer I bought my tractor from had 400 pounds of "Rimguard" added to each rear tire on my 3016 for a total cost of $200.

 

[DavesTractor]

I don't have a scale, a perfect memory, or a lot of AG tractor experience (as an adult), but the dealer I bought my tractor from had 400 pounds of "Rimguard" added to each rear tire on my 3016 for a total cost of $200.

You can get 310 lbs of Rim Guard in each rear 3016 IND tire at max recommended fill level of 75%. The 3616 will take 411 lbs per rear tire. Regardless, $200 to fill the rear tires with Rim Guard, even if he was mistaken on weight, is a good deal and well worth it. I think we charge $248 to fill the rears on a 3016, part of that being the 45 minutes of labor it takes to pump it in.

Did you try it before and after ballast, or did it come ballasted? The difference is very noticeable.

 

[Tkblacktail]

Interesting learning-curve I experienced from testing the front end loader at the dealer on flat ground without ballast and operating the tractor on my land with ballast; I can't claim that I would know the difference yet, but the ballast and learning to use the 3point has kept me upright so-far............

 

[chubby]

This Mahindra is my sixth tractor and the only one without the liquid ballast. With a 6' box blade on doing loader work was a joke, I would park the 3616 and use my Kioti. NOW with even just a York rake on the back but the tires filled, loader work even in the woods is a pleasure. Different tractor now, can't wait for snow. All ground engagement tools are so, so much better. I don't have to use fwd. Impressive! I was just thinking this poor little tractor is weak at best. I am surprised at the low prices on filling tires, I was quoted 800.00 for the rim guard by the local Kioti dealer. So that is when I thought I can do this, and windshield washer fluid seemed like a good ballast.