Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade?

   / Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade? #111  
I use to keep a ballast box on the tractor until I found the “big tool rack” while some have said it’s too expensive I find it’s usefulness justifies the cost. Doesn’t extend any further than a box blade, allows me to keep all my yard tools organized and available and the large storage bin is great for keeping my Honda generator and other bulky stuff handy
 
   / Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade? #112  
Ballast Box you can adjust the amount of weight, and it could be shorter, so you have a little bit more manueverability. IMO I think your completely fine using a heavy duty boxblade. i Have a Tc35D with fulid filled rear tires, each having about 450LBS in the rear, so for a total of 900LBS. Then i Usually put my Carryall with my Gas air compressor or something like that. That gives me about a total of 600Lbs of seperate rear ballast.
 
   / Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade? #113  
I see a lot of people buying 3 point ballast boxes or making ballast containers out of drums to attach to their 3 point hitch.

I have never really grasped why not just keep a box blade on the back so you could have not just a weight, but something that can be used should you wish to drag something? I have seen some weld a section of railroad rail onto the top of a box blade to make it heavier.

Also, rimguard is something I have considered, but I am also not sure about this because it seems I can do everything I need to do without rimguard and it will just increase the amount of weight when I trailer the tractor or perhaps increase ruts when on soft lawns.. I have thought rimguard would be good when using my ditch bank flail mower, but so far, I haven't found myself in any situation I would consider to have been tippy.

So, is there anyone here that added rimguard to their tires and regretted it?
Added beet juice to the back tires. Use a grapple on the loader and a carry all from Titan on the back. There went my traction problems and back end lifting. Plust that carry all can carry some heavy weight when hauling cut up logs am moving big logs withe grapple. Very glad with both rim guard and carry all.
 
   / Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade? #114  
When I bought my first Kubota, a 3010, I asked the dealer to place rear wheel weights on it and to not fill the tires so I could remove the wheel weights to cut grass. When I checked the tire pressure a few months later I discovered the tires had been filled. Since I had been doing the grass with minimal scarring, and the dealer did not charge me for the filled tires, I kept them filled.

Since then I have had the tires filled and moved the wheel weights to each new tractor I bought. I know that I can lift the maximum weight my loader will pick up without additional ballast but it is not really safe to do so as the rear is quite light. I usually keep a box on which is sufficient, but if I really want extra weight I put the tiller or aerator on.

The downside is the tractors did start tearing the lawn up, but I'm not so sure its because of the weight or the R-4 tires. I solved the issue by buying the BX to cut grass with.
 
   / Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade? #115  
My BB weighs 1100-1200 lbs. I have 1500 lbs of rear tire fluid. I'm guessing the BB hanging off the 3pt adds more weight than the fluid. But I'm not going to take the time to mathematically prove it. :)
Does tire fluid for weight have any influence on hydrostat (or gear type for that matter) response when starting, stopping and reversing? Can you "feel" the weight sloshing around, in other words?
 
   / Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade? #116  
   / Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade? #117  
Does tire fluid for weight have any influence on hydrostat (or gear type for that matter) response when starting, stopping and reversing? Can you "feel" the weight sloshing around, in other words?
Nothing noticeable...
 
   / Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade? #118  
Does tire fluid for weight have any influence on hydrostat (or gear type for that matter) response when starting, stopping and reversing? Can you "feel" the weight sloshing around, in other words?
My old tractor did not have tire ballast, my new one does. I do not notice sloshing or surging on my manual shuttle tractor at all. I do notice an increased "perception" of stability on hills, but that may be due to wider front wheel stance of the new tractor. The tractor just seems less bouncy and more "steady" in general. Is there a flywheel effect? I don't know. I wish I could have compared using the same tractor, with and without tire ballast but am glad that I have it now.
 
   / Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade? #119  
But you cannot safely lift the full weight capacity of your FEL without counterweight.
That is why the loader mounts are bolted on to the center of the tractor, the center bears the weight. It is not a teeter totter. Don't lift more than the loader is rated for, you will never have an issue.

If I need weight, cast iron wheel weights will be added, tires will never be loaded.
 
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