Ballast n00b learns a NEW lesson about Ballast!

[MossflowerWoods]

Just Yesterday I learned Ballast on the flat does not equal ballast going downhill.

I was just doing some general seat time stuff and I decided to move that small back hoe weight I picked up for my ballast box project down to the "barn".

It is only 350-450 lbs, and the grapple is only 660, and I've got 2710 capacity. No big deal, I've moved is a few times with this exact setup...

Nay Nay mooosebreath!

I started down the gravel drive in MED, 2wd as is my custom and it started picking up speed, so I eased up on the HST and it slowed slightly, but not enough. WTH? I do not clearly recall if I was braking or not (sorry, I just can't recall & Do the front wheels have brakes?) anyway, I look over the side and the rear tires were NOT SPINNING!. the weight was dragging me down the hill! the tires were touching the ground, but ineffective. I left drag marks for both tires most of the way down my driveway.

I put it into 4wd so the HST controlled the front wheels speed.

I continued to test this out as I was moving some rocks too big for me to lift, and i moved some old brick posts etc. Stuff I moved before when I first got my tractor, but I had the big old rotary cutter on and it is better ballast than my little old stump grinder...

Every time I went down hill I controlled speed with the HST and 4wd. and I went SLOW & LOW, so much I dug into the ground at least once.

So on the flat I have no issues really.so it was surprising to me the difference an angle made.

I really do need to build that ballast box...

Be well,
David

 

[paulemar]

I've had that happen in the past on a grassy slope but not on gravel-----yet! Going down a hill, glancing down and seeing your wheels locked up is certainly an "Oh s--t!" moment. That's why this forum is so great. We get to take advantage of each others experience and knowledge and it has probably saved lives. A ballast box is on my short list of things to get because I'll need it once I take the backhoe off of my new BX25. I'll probably need front weights too once I decide to remove the loader for mowing purposes and start using my 3 pt hitch.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Going down a hill, glancing down and seeing your wheels locked up is certainly an "Oh s--t!" moment.

I confess. There were a couple cuss words, and I believe my eyebrows were WELL under my hat and my eyes looked like saucers...

David

 

[RoyJackson]

Well, you learned something about "weight transfer", didn't you?

 

[Zebrafive]

No front wheel brakes. I assume you were able to shift into 4x4 on the fly :laughing: At least you had 4x4, think of the poor guy doing the same with a 2wd. You also could have slowly lowered the loader :thumbsup:

 

[k0ua]

David on my gravel covered hill on the road here. If I go down it with a fully loaded bucket (rock) in 2wd it will slip and skid down the hill even with my 750 lb ballast barell on the back. I probably could use another 300 lbs in ballast. When you go down steep hills, well as Roy pointed out, you get weight transfer, and rear end gets lighter. I am not sure what a full 66 inch bucket of 0-3/4 weighs but I bet it is a lot. I moved several buckets down that hill yesterday, and I moved them all in 4WD. I just did not feel like taking the trip to the bottom.. been there and done that, and tested it with this tractor too, even though it weighs much more than my previous tractors it still has the problem as it carries much more materiel. The first time this happened years ago with my old B7500, I about soiled myself, and rode it out to the bottom. This tractor is a lot more useful in 2WD than previous tractors due to its weight, but still you can meet a hill that you will always need 4wd to go down safely. You are learning, yes the hard way, but those hard lessons we learn tend to stick with us. Be well.

James K0UA

 

[rekees4300]

I really do need to build that ballast box...

Lack of a ballast box can sometime result in a pine box! FELs and slopes are a dangerous combo.

 

[Travelover]

Don't feel bad. The first day, when I got my Kubota with a loader, but before I got any attachments or tire loading, I set it on its nose moving a big rock down hill.

I jumped off, shut down the engine and used the starter to gently lower it to the ground. Then looked around to see if anyone saw me do something so dumb. :ashamed:

Now I always make sure I have ballast and run in 4WD 99% of the time.

 

[newbury]

You obviously need more ballast. I suggest a Woods BH90X would be about right. That's why I got my BH70-X

 

[MtnViewRanch]

If you guys would just leave your tractors in 4x4, almost all of these problems go away. With almost 600 hours on my 7520, I would say that less than 1 hour of that use is in 2wd. Yes your tractors will wear out faster. Enough that any of us are going to notice the difference, I doubt it. Why even take the risks that are involved with working in 2wd?

Sorry, but I just don't get it. :confused3: