JD4300 with 430 ballasting question.

[pmsmechanic]

I do expect to lift heavy loads. How does affect your FEL when you go up on weight? This is the reason i poured the lead into ammo cans so i can remove and add weight as needed.

If you were trying to level some dirt any little rock in the dirt would cause the bucket to roll over the rock instead of pushing it out of the way. There was so little weight on the front tires when the bucket was in float position that steering was really poor. In the end I decided that the right amount of weight on the 3ph was what it took to keep the back tires on the ground with the fel maxed out. I'm probably a little on the light side but I prefer that to having too much weight back there.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Also I really like your idea of ammo cans with lead in them. It's a really dense weight which will help you keep things compact. Guys on here talk about how they can use their tiller or a rear blade for a counter weight. Yes it works as I have done it but a nice compact setup with the weight as close to the tractor as possible makes it so much easier to maneuver in close quarters. I used to clean corrals with my tractor and fel. To have the ability to turn around in a tight spot without hitting the corral walls came in very handy many times.

 

[Jesustx]

If you were trying to level some dirt any little rock in the dirt would cause the bucket toroll over the rock instead of pushing it out of the way. There was so little weight on the front tires when the bucket was in float position that steering was really poor. In the end I decided that the right amount of weight on the 3ph was what it took to keep the back tires on the ground with the fel maxed out. I'm probably a little on the light side but I prefer that to having too much weight back there.

I do have a lot dirt to spread out. I am going max out the 3p ballast to dump the dirt with my fel then change the ballast for my box blade to spread the dirt with the fel and box blade.

Also I really like your idea of ammo cans with lead in them. It's a really dense weight which will help you keep things compact. Guys on here talk about how they can use their tiller or a rear blade for a counter weight. Yes it works as I have done it but a nice compact setup with the weight a close to the tractor as possible makes it so much easier to maneuver in close quarters. I used to clean corrals with my tractor and fel. To have the ability to turn around in a tight spot without hitting the corral walls came in very handy many times.

The three main reasons I did this is because my property is not that big, i can easily add/remove weight and i got the lead for less than 50 cents per pound. Once i am done fabricating my 3p ammo can carrier / hitch receiver I'll share the pictures.

 

[LD1]

How weight behind the axle relates to weight in the tires is directly related to how far back the weight is.

Not hard numbers.....but just the concept: 100 pounds hanging off the end of a boom pole may be equal to 200 lbs on the 3PH but in closer like a weight box. Which may also be equal to 300lbs of tire fluid.

Tire ballast is never a replacement for proper counterweight on the 3PH as it doesn't have a countering effect of taking weight off the front axle. And tire ballast alone is usually NEVER enough to match the strength of the loader.

The front axle is the weak link. adding ballast, but "not enough" to keep the rear of the tractor planted only adds to the weight on the front axle.

For a 3000lb tractor, I'd have no issues with 1000lbs or a little more on the 3PH.

But the issue with no tire fluid is lack of traction when using a 3PH implement. Like using a rear blade, or a disc.....drop the implement to dig in the dirt and now you effectively have no weight back there. And with a loader up front, the larger rear tires aren't doing much to aide in traction

 

[pmsmechanic]

The front axle is the weak link. adding ballast, but "not enough" to keep the rear of the tractor planted only adds to the weight on the front axle.

For a 3000lb tractor, I'd have no issues with 1000lbs or a little more on the 3PH.

But the issue with no tire fluid is lack of traction when using a 3PH implement. Like using a rear blade, or a disc.....drop the implement to dig in the dirt and now you effectively have no weight back there. And with a loader up front, the larger rear tires aren't doing much to aide in traction

I've heard that the front axle is the weak link many times on TBN. I'm not sure that's completely accurate. I've driven across the yard many times with a full fel without my rear weight. If I don't have the front wheels engaged the rear tires will stop and roll over a small rock and then the tractor will start moving again. I've muscled heavy stuff around with the rear weight installed that I can hardly lift with the fel. I'm not going to deliberately try to break the front axle but I haven't babied it either.

What your saying about tire fluid is accurate. My issue is this. I'm not comfortable with the idea of carrying all that extra weight around all the time just because I might need it once or twice a year. My work a rounds include adding more suitcase weights to the front. Let the front axle work harder. Drive faster as more speed = more traction or even lift the blade a little and do less work on each pass.

None of these are a perfect solution but in my mind it beats carrying all that fluid around that I don't need 99% of the time. Others will probably disagree but so far this works for me.