Kioti Broken in Half

[ovrszd]

I don't recall much talk about ballast here. If the owner was using that monstrous grapple to the limit, traversing rough ground and had no ballast (or tire ballast which would not help here), the majority of the weight of the tractor and load was on the front axle and transferred through those sections of the frame. While the loader might have lifted the weight, the impact loads of traversing were likely too much. Could proper ballast have helped? I think theoretically, yes.

And if I were a Kioti rep - that's where I would go first.

This is a common debate.

If the FEL can't lift the load without the rear tires coming off the ground, adding ballast actually increases the load on the tractor front end until the rear tires return to the ground, then it begins to decrease the load on the tractor front end and increase the stress on the tractor chassis.

 

[CJONE]

This is a common debate.

If the FEL can't lift the load without the rear tires coming off the ground, adding ballast actually increases the load on the tractor front end until the rear tires return to the ground, then it begins to decrease the load on the tractor front end and increase the stress on the tractor chassis.

Yea, not much of a debate. Simple physics, the more weight on the back the more weight you can pick on the front and the more weight the front axle and frame sees at that fulcrum point. IE where the frame broke on that tractor. Unless you decrease the load on the loader the front axle sees the same load [well + or - a few pounds] Until you move then you see dynamic loads come into play. CJ

 

[MichiganIron]

What we recommend for all of our customers...if you are ballasting the tractor for Front Loader work, put the weight on the 3-point hitch. Get the ballast load behind the rear axle to better distribute the load on the tractor. Doing the statics - taking the moments about the rear axle - the same ballast weight, as tire fill, on the 3-point hitch will reduce the reaction (load) at the Front Axle by 35%. That's significant....

 

[IndyJay]

What we recommend for all of our customers...if you are ballasting the tractor for Front Loader work, put the weight on the 3-point hitch. Get the ballast load behind the rear axle to better distribute the load on the tractor. Doing the statics - taking the moments about the rear axle - the same ballast weight, as tire fill, on the 3-point hitch will reduce the reaction (load) at the Front Axle by 35%. That's significant....

Is that "instead of" or "in addition to"?

Thanks!

 

[MichiganIron]

Either, instead of or in addition to...as long as there is ballast BEHIND the rear axle to offset the moment created by the picked load, the reduction in front axle stress is the same. If the Ballast is intended for traction, which filling the tires was originally done for, tire fill works fine. If you want to pick a heavy load in ahead of the front axle of the tractor (front end loader work), put the ballast behind the rear axle to help distribute the load to both axles of the tractor.

 

[ovrszd]

Either, instead of or in addition to...as long as there is ballast BEHIND the rear axle to offset the moment created by the picked load, the reduction in front axle stress is the same. If the Ballast is intended for traction, which filling the tires was originally done for, tire fill works fine. If you want to pick a heavy load in ahead of the front axle of the tractor (front end loader work), put the ballast behind the rear axle to help distribute the load to both axles of the tractor.

Just remember that you have to deal with that ballast when in an unloaded position. Such as going up a steep hill. Tire fill doesn't create that situation. There's a right place/wrong place for both. I use both.

 

[Boss 302]

Steering wheels are overrated

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Either, instead of or in addition to...as long as there is ballast BEHIND the rear axle to offset the moment created by the picked load, the reduction in front axle stress is the same. If the Ballast is intended for traction, which filling the tires was originally done for, tire fill works fine. If you want to pick a heavy load in ahead of the front axle of the tractor (front end loader work), put the ballast behind the rear axle to help distribute the load to both axles of the tractor.

That is only true while all four wheels are on the ground. The entire load shifts to the front axle the moment the rear wheels leave the ground. Its just like car or motorcycle dynamics on acceleration and breaking. Even with ballast, the weight on the front wheels increases (even as some of it is shared on the rear axle) as the weight on the loader increases which its why when coming into a pile of fill, good wheel loader operators will curl the bucket as they drive in increasing the weight on the front axle to keep the front tires from slipping and to get a good heaping bucket load.

 

[ovrszd]

That is only true while all four wheels are on the ground. The entire load shifts to the front axle the moment the rear wheels leave the ground. Its just like car or motorcycle dynamics on acceleration and breaking. Even with ballast, the weight on the front wheels increases (even as some of it is shared on the rear axle) as the weight on the loader increases which its why when coming into a pile of fill, good wheel loader operators will curl the bucket as they drive in increasing the weight on the front axle to keep the front tires from slipping and to get a good heaping bucket load.

I have met several people, some on here, that will never concede to your point. They think ballast always lightens the load on the front axle. That is only true if you have a weak FEL.

 

[LD1]

I have met several people, some on here, that will never concede to your point. They think ballast always lightens the load on the front axle. That is only true if you have a weak FEL.

There have been a great many discussions about ballast and it's effects on the front axle over the years.

And alot of what is being said....like "ballast always lightens the load on the front"....has to be understood with some context.

I'll use my MX for example cause I am familiar with what it weighs.

I can say first hand that a 500# ballast (along with my loaded tires and wheel weights) is NOT enough to keep the rear planted.

So...without ballast.....I might be able to pallet forks a tote with 75 gallons and the rears lift. (Let's say tractor weighs 6k. So now I have 6k + 75 gallons of weight ALL on the front.

Add rear ballast of 500#....now tractor weighs 6.5k.

Lifting the SAME 75 gallons is gonna put less weight up front

However....with ballast I might now be able to pick 125 gallons before tears lift

Now I have increased front axle load to 6.5k +125 gallons. Which is significantly more than no ballast where it could only lift 6k+75 gal.

So again ...it's all in context of what is being done.

With ballast gives you the ability to lift more up front. And that gives the ability to increase front axle load.

But if you are simply talking about a fixed load up front. (moving pallets or round bales) adding counter weight will Always reduce front axle load with the same given loader load.

The absolute worst case scenario is just enough ballast to max out the loader....but leaving near 0 weight on the rears. Because that is max loader lift...plus max tractor weight all on the front axle.