Loading recommendations?

[JCA]

You Mahindra compact owners out there: I'm wondering what recommendations Mahindra makes (in an owners manual maybe?) for tire loading/rear weights for loader work? I'm looking at the 15 series. If I buy I'll be using it both for loader work and 3ph attachments--chipper and snowblower mostly. I'll be using it on some hills, and I want to get the balance right. Are there recommendations about tire loading in the stuff they give you when you buy one of these?

Thanks, Jim

 

[lamarbur]

I have 10 series, 4110, just checked the manual and nothing is noted. I'll say that I have some pretty steep hills that I hog mow four times a year and do not have loaded tires.. For me, I wouldn't want the loaded tires, but, you know your situation better than any of us. And therefor the needs for your operation.

 

[JCA]

lamarbur: you said you wouldn't want your tires loaded. I think you need loaded tires for maximum loader capacity (according to some manufacturers, anyway), and some people consider it s safety thing. Other than the cost, what are the disadvantages?

I won't be doing much mowing, but otherwise our situations sound pretty similar.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[lamarbur]

I've been cutting our fields for 20 years and I guess it is all what one is use to. I've never seen the need (for me) to have loaded tires and that is to include other neighbor fields that I do ocassionally. I had an old Ford 5000 that my father in law had calcium put in the rears. To me, it was a big mistake and eventually started to rust the inner wheel and eventually caused me too much grief. Of course tha old tractor is gone. On several ocassions, the tire would pinch, which in turn pinched the inner tube causing the calcium to leak. I didn't need it then, and I don't want loaded tires today, regardless what one uses to load them. I have never felt it was a safety issue either. Remember, I am talking for me and my situation, and not anyone else. As far as disadvantages, I can't tell you of any pro or con. As I say, I know what I am use to doing and feel comfortable with it.. Perhaps if I was in a different situation, I would look at that at the time. for now, I keep air only in the tires and nothing else.

 

[BobG_in_VA]

If you are going to use a loader, you can either weight the wheels, load the tires or put a heavy implement (600+ lbs) such as a big box blade on the 3 pt hitch. As one of the responders said all he does is use a brush hog. For this you don't need weight as the brush hog weighs in a X00 lbs (mine weighs 1350 lbs as it has twin tail wheels and is a 7 footer). If you are going to use any ground engaging tools such as plows you have to have enough weight to give adequate traction. If you're above ground and don't have an FEL, there would be no use in loading them. Also, you don't need to use CACL anymore, as "windsheild washer" fluid seems to be the latest usage. Your machine, your call.
BobG in VA

 

[Rollin_M]

Absent moderate to heavy loader use on a normal basis, lamarbur is correct in that loading the tires will not be advantagous. However, we load all of our rear tires, including our 4110 with R4's. Let me backup and say that we used the 4110 for about a year prior to loading just to see how it would react. The tractor performed well 40% of the time, but loading was needed as the rear would get light and either bounce or completely raise one or both sides of tires from ground. The main use of the 4110 is forage production (moving, storing, loading large and small round/square bales), land preparation (disking, box blading, fencing, post hole digging, grading, spraying) and feeding the livestock.

The Mahindra OEM wheels for the 4110 do not have accessory holes for mounting wheel weights and other accessories. There are companies that manufacture different styles of wheel weights that mount differently, but the weight needed for a true rear ballast on the 4110 was too heavy for them. The option of a rear ballast box or other implement occupying the 3-point was not an alternative for us as we either need to be free to attach whatever implement is needed (regardless of its weight) or attach nothing when moving, storing and loading forage as an implement requires that much more space when navigating. Another thing, the 4110 manual (p51) refers to track adjustment where you can increase/decrease the rear tire width, but the 4110 OEM wheels do no support it.

I wrote a bit about my loading and here is a Firestone site in-depth discussion/instructions on hydroinflation.
Advice Mahindra Tire Choice (R4 or R1)
Firestone Hydroinflation

Hope this helps and gives you enough to think about.

 

[Hillbillymac]

JCA, Loading the tires can lower your center of gravity, and thus make your tractor a little less prone to roll-over, along with the loader counter balance, and traction benefits.

I personally don't recommend Calcium, as it does corrode the rims if it leaks, and always seems to find a way.
I also would not use Windshield washer fluid as some of that stuff has flamable components.

I was able to catch Wallyworld clearancing all of their R.V. antifreeze @ $2 gallon, then talked the store manager down to $1.50 gallon if I took it all (38 gallons, which is what I wanted anyway!).
R.V. antifreeze is Anti-corrosive, non-flammable, and non-toxic.
BTW, 38 gallons only put about 1/4 of the volume in the rear tires (about 280 lbs.), but next spring I'll catch another clearance and add some more...