LD1
Epic Contributor
So if I agree to purchase one of these ballast boxes that I dont need in-order for the dealer to agree to sell me the tractor.....is he going to be there ever second to make sure I have it on when using the FEL??
Operating loader without rear ballast
- Thread starter RonnieB2
- Start date
- Views: 38059
Redneck in training
Elite Member
That is why they will sell you tractor with loaded tires.
LD1
Epic Contributor
Still sounds like bad practice IMO. I believe someone said EITHER loaded tires OR a ballast box. Which dont make much sense like I said in my previous post.
I do believe that there are dealers out there that do that, but not my local dealers. And if they did try to force me to pay extra for a box or ballast, they would for sure lose my sale. And I would make it clear to them that THATS why.
joshuabardwell
Elite Member
Especially because they charge out the wazoo for a ballast box, and you can get a MUCH cheaper one used or make it yourself out of a 55 gallon drum.
Rockgod
Platinum Member
I'm guessing they can wash their hands with it as soon as they drop the tractor off.
Side note on my recent trade.
I went from a JD 4320 to this 3720. So I told the dealer that I didn't need the BB as I already have one (from the 4320 ). Well, as I'm going over the tractor checking the tire air pressure I get this liquid comming out of the valve stem (not happy). Sure enough, tires are filled with rim guard. It appears they will not let a tractor off their lot without a BB or tires filled.
LD1
Epic Contributor
Was that something that was ALREADY in there before you started looking at the tractor?? Or was that something they snuck in on you after you said you didnt need a ballast box?
Something like that would have been enough for me to just walk away. Putting in rimguard, and charging me for it, without my requesting it.
preperatorfinalizer
New member
I have used FELs many times without juiced tires or ballast, it is not ideal and takes way more time, but puts some excitement in your day. Not so bad with 4wd machine. Just plan ahead. Don't load heaping buckets of heavy material, drive with bucket as low as possible, avoid sharp turns. If loading truck prep a level or upward slope towards truck, and lift bucket as close to dump body as possible so you can push bucket against truck if it starts tipping. It can be fun driving from material to truck with one back tire 3ft. in air. Would I work a machine like this- no, but sometimes when all the other machines are on jobs you have to use whats there. My dads tractor has juiced tires and is super stable, you can even sidehill with bucket high(which I never do). The power rake tractor has no juice to stay light over fresh septic installs and while stable does hike a tire when moving heavy material.
preperatorfinalizer
New member
My grandfather use to run a giant concrete block sometimes( might have been drawbar put inside wodden form with chain going to toplink mount). Easy to make just to have for certain situations.
vtsnowedin
Elite Member
My loader manual (JD 553 loader on a 5045E tractor) list three options for ballast at two levels of use. Ordinary and heavy. Heavy use is digging and loading heavy materials like wet manure or gravel and dealing with high loads. Things less heavy such as snow or sawdust come under regular use. The three options have a table for the tires specific to your machine and are 1. light ballast box, 2. heavy ballast box, and 3. liquid filled tires with up to four wheel weights per side. For my tractor and tires the table says I need 1025 lbs per rear tire and in the tractor manual I find that the beet juice weights 467 lbs. per tire filled to 75%. But I can't find what the empty tire and rim weigh? I'm guesstimating about 450lbs from past experience trying to load a flat one onto a pickup without a working loader and I have about 200 lbs of ice chains on each tire so I think I'm all set. It certainly behaves well loading snow or cord wood but If I read the chart right I still should add 2000 lbs on the 3PH when digging or loading out a manure pile just to save wear on the front X.
JoeL4330
Platinum Member
When thinking about rear ballast, implements on the 3ph that run on the ground--box blade, mowers, etc.--are not (not) ballast when lowered. If on a downhill the rears become unweighted, although it may seem counter-intuitive, raising the 3ph is part of the solution ...and, yes, 4wd (if so equipped) should have been engaged, in which case, engine braking is usually all that is required...no need to use the brakes.
Zebrafive
Super Member
1025 lbs PER rear tire does not sound right. Normally John Deere specs REAR AXLE weight to add. Also they have already figured the weight of your wheels and tires and only say to deduct weight required if you have cast wheel centers instead of std steel wheel centers.
Don87
Elite Member
I read all the resonses before I posted this............
I would say that he will, but with the 'influx' of new tractor operators that he has seen, this is the best way to cover his butt.
vtsnowedin
Elite Member
I'm just reading from their manual but from the wrong page.
553 loader manual OMW54461 ISSUE K9 (INGLES)
SECTION 10-2 pn=21
The page is a table for 5025 series, 5e limited and 5M tractors see note b at the bottom of the table.
On the correct page 10-3 pn=22 there is the correct table for 5E MFWD Tractors. There is a miss-print (516 kg) dose not ={180 lbs} but for regular use the recommended set up is small ballast box 1138 lbs plus 397 lbs of wheel weights plus 1411 lbs of fluid ballast which works out to 1573 per tire not counting the tire and rim. For heavy use I need to use a heavy ballast box plus weights adding to 2205 lbs. Or switch to heaver 8 ply front tires
There will be a one ton drum full of concrete in my future.
My old ford tractor with the 3000 pound BH on it desperately needed extra weight. With just the hoe on, the FEL use was a chore as the tires spun easily going into the pile. With a partially full bucket, the machine with the hoe on it couldn't back up small hills or over larger tire ruts. With the tires filled AND 1100 pounds of wheel weights AND the hoe, it's a whole 'nother machine. Greater stability, greater digging traction with both the FEL and the hoe and drastically less tire spin.
Zebrafive
Super Member
How did you come up with 1573 per tire? 397 wts + 1411 liquid = 1808 divide by two tires = 904
vtsnowedin
Elite Member
You left out the 1138 of the ballast box. (1138 +397+1411)=2946 /2=1473 so I blew the long division and am 100 lbs off.
Zebrafive
Super Member
I did not consider the ballast box as per tire, so I took your post as how much weight you need to add to each wheel/tire, But the tire ultimately will be carrying it's (BB) weight too.
I thought you wanted to add 1573 per tire and a ballast box too.
rasp21
New member
Thing to consider,, All the tractors that I have owned have one thing in common,, 1 center pivot point in the center of the front axle.. Put a slight off center load in your FEL, have it a little too high, and back up and have your rear tire fall off in a hole,, things get tippy real quick.. I know it happens all the time with no disasters, just be cognizant of the center pivot in the front axle.. Things can happen REAL fast. Be safe.. rasp21.
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