Looking for a good compact tractor

[pmsmechanic]

A Mahindra 1626 would be perfect for your plans. You'll need the rear tires filled no matter what you buy.

I would buy cast iron weights or build a ballast box long before I would concider any liquid weight.

 

[hornett22]

I would buy cast iron weights or build a ballast box long before I would concider any liquid weight.

Liquid weight is always there. Much better than weights. Been there, done that. Plus good luck finding weights and getting them shipped. Washer fluid is cheap and available everywhere.

Ballast box is great until you have to take it off for another Implement. I bush hog on steep hills, the fluid in the tires is night and day when it comes to stability on hills.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Well I live in an agricultural area and weights are not hard to find. Any dealer has them. What do you do with washer fluid in your tires when you don't need it. Your stuck with it and I like a nice light tractor for mowing my lawn and other jobs.

I have 600 lbs on a 3 point hitch bracket. If I don't need weight I remove it. It doesn't work that way with liquid. I use a quick attach with a hydraulic top link. Exchanging implements is quick and easy.

Many times I have lifted the bush hog just enough to pull the rear tire down so that it's on the ground again. If I'm in a really steep situation it's time to install my duals. More weight...Never.

 

[hornett22]

Well I live in an agricultural area and weights are not hard to find. Any dealer has them. What do you do with washer fluid in your tires when you don't need it. Your stuck with it and I like a nice light tractor for mowing my lawn and other jobs.

I have 600 lbs on a 3 point hitch bracket. If I don't need weight I remove it. It doesn't work that way with liquid. I use a quick attach with a hydraulic top link. Exchanging implements is quick and easy.

Many times I have lifted the bush hog just enough to pull the rear tire down so that it's on the ground again. If I'm in a really steep situation it's time to install my duals. More weight...Never.

I never don't need it. It has never been a problem. I till a lot, still never an issue.

Not once have I ever wished I hadn't filled my tires.

I don't mow lawns with my tractor though. Bush hogging only.


I'm in East Tennessee. At the base of the Smoky Mountains. If there are wheel weights around here, they a hiding them well for some reason. Never see them around here. Tried to find them when I first got the tractor. Honestly, I'm glad I didn't.

 

[Milo]

Let's face it there are situations where filled tires are, and are not desirable.

 

[finn1]

I imagine one advantage of loaded tires is that they probably lower the center of gravity.

Not sure how full “full” is, though.

I had mine done as part of the deal. I don’t mow lawns, though.

 

[mo1]

I imagine one advantage of loaded tires is that they probably lower the center of gravity.

Not sure how full “full” is, though.

I had mine done as part of the deal. I don’t mow lawns, though.

Fill can vary but is generally either about 40% or 75%. There are several ways to tell how full a filled tire is. The easiest way is to simply look at a filled tire on a warm, humid late winter or early spring day after it has been cold for a while, you will see condensation on the tire where the fluid is and no condensation above the fluid level. The next easiest is to tap on the tire gently and listen for the dull thud you hear lower down on the tire to turn into a hollow thump. Where this changes is your fluid level. I did the "tap" method to find out mine are about 75% full, just above the top of the rim. Other ways include removing the fluid and measuring it, and weighing the filled, mounted tire, subtracting the published weight of the empty tire and rim, and then converting the resulting weight into gallons based on fill weight/gallon, and computing the percentage fill based on the published fill capacity of the tire.

If you know what your fill is, that may tell as well. If you have tubeless tires with calcium chloride fill, they must be filled so that the rim is completely under fluid, which is generally at that 75% level. If the rim in a calcium chloride filled tire sees air, it will rust very quickly.

 

[hornett22]

Let's face it there are situations where filled tires are, and are not desirable.

Well I do just about everything and I haven't found that situation yet.

 

[hornett22]

I'm for sure in a minority but I don't agree that tractor weight is the most important criteria at all. You can always make a light tractor heaver but you cannot make a heavy tractor lighter. For mowing my lawn I want my tractor as light as possible. If I need extra weight for stability or traction I can always pick up my rear three point hitch weights. If I need more weight up front I have two different sets of front weights depending on the job. The two most important considerations are: How well the dealer takes care of you and is able to supply parts, and how comfortable and intuitive the tractor is to operate. For example I will never buy a treadle pedal HST tractor. Others find them comfortable but I don't. Also very high on the list is reliability.

I disagree on the weight but I would never mow my lawn with my tractor but that's just me.

I agree with you 200% on those stupid treadle peddles. I'll never buy one either.

 

[Boss 302]

Weight is your friend and I also believe that the best way to get the most from added weight is from filling the tires.