Loading tires on a 4wd-two or four?

tmeadows · Apr 5, 2012

Nickel you are right about the down force but, you are forgetting about the fact that rolling loaded tires takes more force.

rambler · Apr 6, 2012

I would not load the front tires of a tractor with a loader on it, unless the loader was off the tractor most of the time & needed the weight for 3pt items. But, once one has a loader, why would it it ever be off, it's too handy to have on the tractor?

So, I would _always_ load the rear tires of a loader tractor, and I would almost never load the front wheels.

Some tractors suggest in the manual you don't load all 4, as it puts too much stress on the drivetrain. Could affect your warrenty.

--->Paul

ruralruss · Apr 6, 2012

nickel plate said:
What make and model do you have and could you please quote/type what the manual actually says? I've scoured my two NH operator's manuals and find nothing mentioned about front tire fluid loading.
Either front or rear tires which are loaded produce no more amount of down force weight on the axles than tires just filled with air as the tractor axles ride centrally supported on the steel rims. Example: Two air filled tires standing alone and only connected by an axle. Sit on the axle (your body weight is acting as the tractor body). Get up, fill both tires and again sit on the axle-notice any weight difference by adding that extra several weight of fluid? Of course not. Your body weight is still the same in both conditions (unless you took a lunch break in-:licking:between).
Not so if I added suitcase weights on the front end. Every ounce of those weights will add down force weight and directly effect the performance of the front axle. I would have an issue with that setup if not actively supported by the tractor's manufacturer.
My primary reason for loading the front tires is to help acheive a lower center of gravity when working in my hill property.

Don't have the manual handy. The problem is the shock loading. If you were to fill your tires completely full of fluid you might as well have steel wheels. That is one reason why they should be no more than 75% full. You have to have some air cushion. The front tires have a much smaller volume so there is hardly any air even if only 75% fill. The less air the less safe working range you have against shock loads. With a loader the fronts take lots of abuse even with normal working range. My fronts get 35psi. My rears recommended 24 but that was too much. When I filled them up to 75% I had to lower the pressure to 14 psi just to get full ground contact even with my 400 lb box scrape on. Before I filled them I found a study done by Firestone. They suggested lowering the pressure with loaded tires. My tires are R4 instead of ag tires and that does make a difference. Regardless I suggest no fluid in the front and when you take the loader off you put the suitcase weights on.