Comparison Loaded tires or Ballast Box?

[JD3520Turbo]

I just went through this dilemma myself. I was going to go with a ballast box, but I use my 3 point hitch for a box blade and a brush cutter. So when I am using the box blade, I don't have any weight to pull the gravel or snow, so I filled my back tires with wiper washer fluid. Made a big difference.

However, I am not going to like that when I am spreading fertilizer on my yard this spring. I agree with you, when doing yard work, I want the lightest tractor possible. I take my loader off, and everything else I don't need when I use it for spraying or fertilizing. I use a grasshopper to mow the yard.

I have a 3520, and I can't see where I would ever need both a ballast box and fluid in the tires. My loader wouldnt and couldn't lift the back end off the ground with nothing on the back let alone filled tires.

 

[AKfish]

I have a 3520, and I can't see where I would ever need both a ballast box and fluid in the tires. My loader wouldnt and couldn't lift the back end off the ground with nothing on the back let alone filled tires.

Generally, it's not so often that a problem occurs with the loader "lifting the back end" as much as a serious situation develops with a load in the bucket and uneven terrain and the tractor tips or twists with the backend pirouetting on it's side.

Of course, you might be greatly surprised at how fast your loader can lift ONE back tire up... and resulting with the tractor perched up on 3 legs!!

As in digging in a pile and one corner of the bucket snags a root or low spot and you hit the hydraulics to break things loose....!!! It's a pretty unnerving sensation!

Ballast is a very good thing.

AKfish

 

[kennyd]

I have a 3520, and I can't see where I would ever need both a ballast box and fluid in the tires. My loader wouldnt and couldn't lift the back end off the ground with nothing on the back let alone filled tires.

Have you read the loader manual?

 

[TripleR]

A lot is going to depend on your tractor and terrain, some need the added ballast more than others. We use a combination of weights, fluid and 3-point weight on different tractors.

 

[HammA5690]

I actually liked the idea of wheel wieghts. That way the tractor will have the ability to change wieghts on both wheels and ballast box when doing loader work and mowing.

 

[RoyJackson]

I actually liked the idea of wheel wieghts. That way the tractor will have the ability to change wieghts on both wheels and ballast box when doing loader work and mowing.

Just watch your back when installing and removing them. That's an awkward position and it's easy to strain one's back.

 

[HammA5690]

Just watch your back when installing and removing them. That's an awkward position and it's easy to strain one's back.

Will do. I'm still a youngin so it shouldn't be too much of an issue for now.

 

[RoyJackson]

Will do. I'm still a youngin so it shouldn't be too much of an issue for now.

Trust me, back problems and strains aren't age related...I did mine in when I was 41.

 

[pdp11]

I have a 2520 with R4's and loaded rear tires with no wheel weights. I spend a fair amount of time mowing, and the extra weight in the tires has never been a problem. It's actually the fronts that tend to tear up the turf slightly, but only on sharp cornering. The fronts will do the most damage with the FEL attached and 4WD engaged. Unless you use the brakes to turn, I don't think you will get the rears to do much damage while mowing. It may also depend on your soil conditions.

 

[Piston]

I have a 3520, and I can't see where I would ever need both a ballast box and fluid in the tires. My loader wouldnt and couldn't lift the back end off the ground with nothing on the back let alone filled tires.

Is there something wrong with the FEL? It should be strong enough to lift the backend up with nothing on the back and tires not filled?