Tires Loaded tires???

[beersngars]

Can I get some info on the pro's and con's of loading the rear tires. I am in the final stages of ordering my new Kubota. Going with either the B7800 or B3030. Just getting the loader and bush hog for now. The mowing I need to do is woods trails and general work. If I understand correctly, a ballast box is reccomended when using the loader. In my mind, loading the rear tires to around half way, will gain some weight and keep the center of gravity lower on off camber and rolling terrian. Correct or not? Also what is used to do the fill and are there any side effects?

 

[canoetrpr]

I have a L3400. Just loaded the tires about a year after getting the tractor. Difference is amazing.

If you have an implement such as a box blade or a blade use it along with loaded tires.

I also have a ballast box and loaded tires with some counterweight on the 3PT is the way to go IMHO. Just the ballast box alone was not great for me when digging or hauling gravel.

 

[Oleozz]

Many folks are using beet juice to fill tires, more enviromentally friendly. Calcium can rust around the valve stem and that is a drawback. There are people like Art who recommends to his customers not to fill their tires but instead use wheel weights. I have read his arguments against adding fluid to tires and they make a lot of sense. If you do a Search on this site you will find a lot of info on the pros and cons of filling tires.

 

[3RRL]

Loading your tires will result in a rock solid platform adding stability and traction. Two things you can't get enough of. Most guys load the tires with the valve stem up, at the 12:00 o'clock position and then fill them to the valve stem level. This will reduce "sloshing" a bit, but give you more fill and the above results.
Cons are if you ever have to replace the tire it is a bit more trouble and also weight for finished groomed lawns. But I see that is not a concern of yours.

There are several fills available, depending how much of an environmentalist you are and how concerned you are about a leak or how it affects your rim.
Calcium chloride is the staple of old time farmers as that offers the greatest increase in weight per gallon.
Beet juice, windshield wiper fluid, water and anti-freeze are also common fillers.

I have all 4 of my tires filled with anti-freeze and water. I run tubes in my tires. The difference between filled and no-filled tires is substantial. If you've run your tractor non-filled, then you will feel the difference and can post after you do it as a testament.

A ballast box is used to help shift the percentage of load more evenly over your tractor's axles. So when you have a heavy bucketful, a ballast on the rear will make your tractor more stable, acting like shifting the load from mostly over the fronts toward the rest of the tractor. Your tractor will handle better and have better traction, etc.

Here is a handy chart to tell you how much weight you can achieve:
Liquid Tire Ballast
And this one to tell you more about filling tires and ballast:
G1235 Tractor Tire and Ballast Management, MU Extension
They are both good information.

 

[beersngars]

I have a L3400. Just loaded the tires about a year after getting the tractor. Difference is amazing.

If you have an implement such as a box blade or a blade use it along with loaded tires.

I also have a ballast box and loaded tires with some counterweight on the 3PT is the way to go IMHO. Just the ballast box alone was not great for me when digging or hauling gravel.

Thanks for the reply. Did you fill the half or more?

 

[beersngars]

Loading your tires will result in a rock solid platform adding stability and traction. Two things you can't get enough of. Most guys load the tires with the valve stem up, at the 12:00 o'clock position and then fill them to the valve stem level. This will reduce "sloshing" a bit, but give you more fill and the above results.
Cons are if you ever have to replace the tire it is a bit more trouble and also weight for finished groomed lawns. But I see that is not a concern of yours.

There are several fills available, depending how much of an environmentalist you are and how concerned you are about a leak or how it affects your rim.
Calcium chloride is the staple of old time farmers as that offers the greatest increase in weight per gallon.
Beet juice, windshield wiper fluid, water and anti-freeze are also common fillers.

I have all 4 of my tires filled with anti-freeze and water. I run tubes in my tires. The difference between filled and no-filled tires is substantial. If you've run your tractor non-filled, then you will feel the difference and can post after you do it as a testament.

A ballast box is used to help shift the percentage of load more evenly over your tractor's axles. So when you have a heavy bucketful, a ballast on the rear will make your tractor more stable, acting like shifting the load from mostly over the fronts toward the rest of the tractor. Your tractor will handle better and have better traction, etc.

Here is a handy chart to tell you how much weight you can achieve:
Liquid Tire Ballast
And this one to tell you more about filling tires and ballast:
G1235 Tractor Tire and Ballast Management, MU Extension
They are both good information.

Great info!!! Thanks a bunch. Do stock tires, (Kubota B3030 or B7800 with R4's) have tubes? Do you need tubes to fill the tires? Sorry for all the newbe questions.

 

[john_bud]

Thanks for the reply. Did you fill the half or more?

You are supposed to fill such that the fluid is 1" OVER the top of the rim. This minimizes the oxidization of the rim and maximizes the weight.

Tubes will also minimize the oxidization, but make it hard to fix a flat. You can pop a plug into a hole when you don't have tubes.

CaCl2 is the cheapest fill, usually about 0.75 to 1.25 per gallon added. Washer fluid is next. If you use that, put in concentrated antifreeze every 10th gallon to get oxidization protection. If you go water based, make sure the freeze protection is appropriate for your winters.

Beet juice is the most expensive liquid fill. I don't think the environmental benefits are that big of an issue to cover the cost. Ever think about how much salt is added to the roads every year? Others will have different social conscience levels.

Foam fill is the most expensive, but protects the tire against flats. A urethane foam (near solid) is injected and fills the tire completely. One foam filled tire costs about as much as 6-8 CaCl2 fills.



jb

 

[sandman2234]

Before I filled them with Calcium Cloride, I would consider sending the rims out to be hot dipped galvanized to help keep them from rusting out.
I am partial to loading the tires before putting a weight box on my 3pt as tire weight doesn't transfer to the machine as far as wear and tear on the bearings, etc. However, wheel weights would be my first choice if I wanted to add weight on a new tractor.
Just my $.02 opinion,
David from jax

 

[canoetrpr]

Thanks for the reply. Did you fill the half or more?

Mine are filled to just above the rim. Had a local tire guy do it. He came to the farm and did it in my driveway. I used CaCl2 cause that is what he did. Next time around I might consider winshield washer fluid.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

For those of us who prefer the CalCl2 method, and want to do it ourselves, here's a lead on cheaper CalCl2.

Tire stores that do tractor tires have the flakes/pelletized CaCl in 50# bags. I've paid as much as $50 per bag. Recently I was tipped off that you can also buy it at swimming pool supply shops. I found a place near me that sells it for $22 per 50# bag.

 

[Toolguy]

30 years ago when I worked in a tire shop, we sold 100lb bags of CaCL2 for $6.00. It was Dowflake. We bought it by the semi-load and had to move every bag by hand. They didn't bring it on pallets, just a cardboard skid. I am sure they loaded the trucks with a forklift at the plant. I hated to see that truck arrive. We had to drop everything and unload it. Times sure have changed. Some for the good and some not.

 

[art]

Tool Guy I remember those days to as we got it by the tractor trailer load and it wasn't fun to unload at all! I remember the 6.00 dollar per bag as well as at 4.50 retail.
Personally, I'll take the wheel weights and rear ballast for extended loader work! Getting to see the work done on hundreds of tractors a year that is only because of constant over weight conditions leads me to take a different path from many of the normal users.
Not all styles of rims will takes wheel weights but most will and it's not that I see to many people ever remove them until they upgrade in tractors and choose to use the same weight over.
The best traction performance we've seen is with just air in the tires and solid weights used on wheels or on the hitch which also helps to extend the front end steering parts life as well as the whole front end drive system. On the three point it actually uses the rear wheels as a pivot point to lower the weight on the front axle.

Just another note, after a certain amount of rust has happened the oxygen is gone from the air in a sealed tire!

 

[3RRL]

Hey, speaking of pool supply companies, has anyone ever tried diatomaceous earth as a fill? Or is that a bust? Anybody know anything about it?

 

[VABlue]

Diatomaceous who???

If you can fit some earth through the valve stem, have at it...

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Hey, speaking of pool supply companies, has anyone ever tried diatomaceous earth as a fill? Or is that a bust? Anybody know anything about it?

BUST

 

[EdC]

3RRL

Diatomaceous earth is sure fine enough to act like a liquid, it almost flows like water. If moisture ever got in the tire though wouldn't it clump and throw the wheel out of balance?

 

[spryde]

For a reference point,

I have a JD3320 with a 300CX loader and a 447 backhoe.

Before I loaded the tires, I could move the back of the tractor with the hoe easily and slide it when digging sideways. I also could not use my boxblade to pull dirt out of my sandbox/play pit.

With Rim Guard (Beet Juice) placed in each tire adding 450+ lbs, I can use the backhoe without moving the tractor and be able to pull dirt out of the pit going up hill.

I recommend it. One plus of the Rim Guard over the CaCl2 is that is inert and does not poison the soil in case of leak nor does it corrode the rims as previously mentioned. I paid about $270 for a farm call to fill my back tires (~90 gallons)

SP

 

[NoMo]

A view from the "con" side...

I use my tractor almost exclusively for pasture maintenance. Soil compaction is a significant concern, so I don't want my tires loaded. I can adjust for both ride comfort & traction by changing air pressure... tougher to do with liquid-filled tires.