I my BX too heavy?

[KeithInSpace]

Hard to believe. I'd love to do a PSI analysis of tractor weight vs. contact patch area, but I'd wager to say that the BX distributes its own weight as well as any lawn tractor half its weight.

Sure it weighs more, but it has to be a point load for that weight to transfer more than a few inches through the earth.

I used a cherry-picker mounted on an F550 recently that left ruts in my settled earth. Huge weight coupled with high pressure front tires.

If you're overly concerned, let a couple lbs of air out of your tires. That'll distribute the weight even more and better over uneven surfaces. Do it all the time when running my truck in the sand...works fabulously. Just don't do heavy FEL work thusly equipped.

 

[DGS]

Thanks to all of you that have replied as it is very helpful advice so far
Just to let everyone know my tilebed is set 24" in very heavy clay the clay tiles are surrounded by crushed gravel so that should be no problem in that respect
The Health dept in my county are real strict in enforcing thre rules and regulations and that makes me very parenoid about what I should do if this fix doesn't work
These guys will evict you from your own home and I have seen them do this many times around here
The BX runs 10psi back and 12psi front so that should be fine I think
I really do not want to have to lose my tractor for something smaller as I have done so much with the BX
Moving 40+ yds earth
Tilling my garden 25'X80'
Snowblowing my drive plus the neighbours also
Finally lots of very enjoyable hours mowing my lawn
Again thank you for all your ideas
Regards
DGS

 

[TripleR]

If you figure the actual amount of weight of your tractor divided by four, the difference in weight on any wheel is not going to decrease a great deal with a smaller tractor. I just don't see how enough weight transfer is going to occur through two foot of clay and then gravel to even be felt let alone do damage.

If you are still concerned, you might want to mow across or at an angle on your lines, so you don't have two tires going over the same line all along the way. I also change my pattern every on a rotating basis to cut down on soil compaction by running over the same set of tire tracks every time I mow.

Just some thoughts.

 

[radioman]

DGS, you welcome- I am sure you are happy with your BX, hopefully you will be able to sleep at night now. No need to listen to plumber comments since he may not know the actual weight of the BX. I am sure he saw the FEL and automatically assumed it like a heavy construction equipment.

 

[KeithInSpace]

If you figure the actual amount of weight of your tractor divided by four...

Well, you had to go and start introducing math...

Let's say the contact patch of the front tires is, conservatively, 3 inches by 5 inches. Let's also say, very conservatively that 2/3 of the weight of the tractor is over the front wheels and also, very conservatively, that the tractor is outfitted to weigh 3,000#.

That means there is 2,000# on 30 square inches of contact patch on the front tires.

By extension, there is roughly 67 lbs of weight per square inch in a VERY conservative analysis.

Not that I've tried, thought about trying, or wanted to try running over my foot with my BX tractor, but I'd bet money that it woudn't even hurt.

Given that you say our bed is 24" deep, I don't see any fathomable way that your BX distressed the tile in that manner. The weight distribution is just far too great to impart any force on an object 24" in the ground, especially in clay which has, as a fundamental component, high shear strength.

This is not a reason to give up your BX. Please...don't mention that possibility again. It just hurts too much.

 

[kthompson]

About 40 years back we had same type of tiles that failed same way with nothing more man made than push lawn mower and one horse wagon with wood in it crossing the line. Now it was about 12 inches deep. Some tile failed that never had more than a cow or such walk over it. But pounds per square inch probably is more than your tractor.

 

[marvindmartien]

If you calculate the square inches of rubber that touches the ground compared to your old Cub, I yould bet that your BX is lighter! You have greater weight distribution on those large tires. Maybe your broken tyle is from high pressure gas evacuation. Got to watch those frank and beans.

 

[bp fick]

Clay tile, from that era, were a fired clay tile. They are porous, filled with miniature flaws, and all it takes is a bit of water and the freeze thaw cycle and you have larger portholes, cracks and fissures. The OP's tile are many decades old, as he described them.

Countless freeze/thaw cycles, frost heave, earth movement, compression, constant exposure to moisture. Tile are almost always exposed to moisture because that is their job. Eventually, failure is assured. Clay tile have been in use as sewer and potable water since the time of the Roman Empire. I witnessed 2000 year old tile in the eastern Med.

Your Kubota had little to nothing to do with this.