Buying Advice Last minute advice, delivery Fri./Do I fill tires

Anonymous Poster · May 8, 2003

My L 3830 is suppose to be here tomorrow. It has La723 fel/ 509 backhoe. Should I fill the tires? cost aprox. $150. Live on a hill/steep drive. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

JATO_RaT · May 8, 2003

I'm trying mine without filling. If I should want to fill them, its really pretty easy to do yourself. I filled my L48's myself. Of course, out here we don't need to worry about freezing so a anti freezing agent was not needed. If your putting a backhoe on, it's doubtful you will need to fill the rears. Realize that you do not ballast the fronts. Rat

Anonymous Poster · May 8, 2003

Guess I 'm tring to think ahead to winter for snow removal without the hoe. Would you need it if you just had the fel with boxcutter on the back on a fairly steep drive? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Anonymous Poster · May 8, 2003

I'm a fairly new tractor owner, and there are more experienced people here who can advise you -- but I've done a lot of research on the forums (fora?) and here's what I think.

With a backhoe or a box scraper on the back, the additional weight will do a lot to offset the weight of a loaded FEL up front. That said, 3-pt attachments are unlikely to do as much to promote stability as filling the tires, which will lower the tractor's center of gravity, thereby making it more stable. This comparison is probably more true for the backhoe example ( with lots of weight up high) than the box scraper example (with the weight down low), and I personally would love to have both the boxscraper and the filled tires. It's tough to have too much stability -- especially when you have slopes.

I had my tires filled. Just my $0.02.

chrisjbell · May 8, 2003

<font color="blue"> Realize that you do not ballast the fronts. </font>

I filled my fronts as well as the rears. When I put my BH on I get really light in the front, even with the FEL. I actually need more weight up there - but with FEL there's no room for the suitcase weights. I've seen some pretty cool "home brewed" wheel weights but haven't been able to rig one up myself yet.

But I am convinced that loading the fronts contributes to tire wear. Other than that I'm not sure there is a downside...

Anonymous Poster · May 8, 2003

I was advised from some old timers to get the rear tires filled. It will definitely help using the FEL to support stability. One of the guys here in upstate NY bought a Southern tractor and had the tires filled with anti-freeze. Well, it wasn't good up here in the subzero and the tire fell off - not fun in the Winter. If you can do it youself you can probably hold off to see how the FEL does without the BH and take it from there. Best of Luck,

Frank /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

rbargeron · May 8, 2003

I believe I may qualify as one of them "old timers" here. And I do indeed recommend filled rears on any tractor. It is a very easy and compact way of adding traction. Power is not much good unless you can get it coupled to the ground. And by filling just to the top of the rim, the net center of gravity of the fill is lower than a raised rear implement's.

A less well-known advantage is with filled tires instead of a rear implement for weight, your polar moment is lower - so the tractor will handle better when you're racing with your wife on the garden tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Anonymous Poster · May 8, 2003

Guys, Thanks, /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif seems the majority would fill. The reason I am concerned before delivery in the morning is that the dealer is over 2 hrs away. and I have no trailer to take it back as of now. Don't know how to fill by myself yet. Will that add to much wieght to the back going up my steep drive way?

Anonymous Poster · May 8, 2003

I don't know if this is appropriate forum ettiquette ( did I spell that right?) anyway...

could you guys please take a look at my BX22 details details post in the Kubota owning operating section. it has to do with filled tires for a little BX22

thanks ( hopefully I didn't violate any rules) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

JATO_RaT · May 9, 2003

I have found so far anyway that the weight of my 84" mower is sufficient to offset anything the loader can lift. I realize its a bit premature to make any absolute statements on a 3 day old tractor, but I am going to wait with the filling until I'm sure I need it. I don't want to add more weight then necessary for mowing, especially on the hills here. I can already tell that in 2WD with the R4 tires unfilled on the L3830 I have comparable traction to my International with filled R1's. All of my other previous tractors have been filled. You don't fill the fronts but you can add wheel weights to them if its ever an issue. I think a little experimenting is what its going to take. You can always fill them this summer with just water and see how they perform. If you like it, then you can add the freeze protection before fall.