You're welcome slowzuki. I was really surprized when I got my tires loaded at how much the ride deteriorated. Keep in mind I'm running 6 x 15 Ag tires in the rear. I had them filled with windshield washer fluid so it wouldn't eath the rims if I developed a slow leak or bad valve. Even so, my tractor is still pretty tippy when I have a load in the bucket and am headed downhill. Sidehills are an exercise in v-e-r-y s-l-o-w motion, bucket almost on the ground, and keeping a sharp eye for any rocks, roots, or branches more than an inch or two thick on the uphill side. There is essentially no give to the loaded tires, so driving over any obstacle raises the rear by that amount, unlike the unloaded tires, which sort of wrap around a rock or log chunk. With a load hanging out the front and the front axle able to pivot, it gets interesting.
As an experiment just after I got the tires loaded, I put a load of gravel in the bucket, then gingerly angled the thing downhill at about 45 degrees off axis. I had my concrete counterweight hung on the 3 point. With the tractor motionless, I got my 210 lbs. off the seat. Then I pushed against the ROPS from the uphill side and rather easily lifted the uphill rear tire off the ground. Once I had pushed it to the limit of the front axle pivot, I couldn't move it further without a lot of effort, so I guess it just seems a lot spookier than it really is. Still, I would prefer to feel more stable when driving the thing around.
In sum, adding the fluid does 3 things: 1) It makes the tractor heavier lower down and at the outside, supposedly lowering the center of gravity and increasing the polar moment of inertia along the fore/aft axis, thus allowing it to move further from vertical before falling over. 2) It makes the tires much harder, making the tractor tip more when traversing obstacles with one rear tire and not the other one 3) It makes the tractor ride much harder.
A ballast box will add weight and alter the C/G but won't impact the polar moment much because the weight is centered.
Wheel weights will add weight, alter the C/G, alter the polar moment, and not affect ride comfort or the ability of the tires to deflect upon contact with an obstacle.
If I had it to do over again, I'd get weights instead of loading the tires.
