Time for wheel spacers on L3800 - advice?

[ctgoldwing]

Our property is on the side of the hill. Some of it is flat but even driving around the house I get a queasy feeling going around one corner - and the grade there doesn't 'look bad'. At first I thought of wheel weights (that much $$$ !!!) and then filled tires. I finally decided to go with spacers on the rear. I'm thinking 3". I really don't beat on the machine so I'm confident I won't destroy the axle.
For those of you who have gone this route can you offer me any guidance? Is 3" appropriate? Is one brand better than another? Anything I should be thinking about (you don't know what you don't know!
Thanks!

 

[farmeratheart]

You can’t go wrong with Richard at Brotek. He will get you just what you need. Good service on a quality product.

 

[WranglerX]

I have maybe 20-25 degree side hill areas and flat ground...... I put 3 inch spacers on my MF GC 1715 in hopes it felt more stable on side hill work (I know only up and down hill) when at times I had to go "across" the hill .... Seems to make the tractor much more stable and decreases the butt pucker feeling when you have to violate the up/down hill rules.... Granted it's all about slope of hill and how you want to use tractor, but you can not go wrong with adding spacer which makes stance wider charging the center of gravity and makes you feel safer....

I put on the Brotek spacers, could not be easier, and sort of dismissed the argument the extra leverage on axle bearing will cause premature failure..... IF bearing fail from the extra leverage, I will deal with it when or if it happens.... I was dubious of how spacers would help due to the cost of spacers, but it only took a hour or two to realize the dollars spent for the safer feeling that they provided was small price to pay .. The really don't solve all the operating issues on hill sides but helps a lot, ultimately in the end its all with the operator...

Dale

 

[Deere Dude]

I have a CUT JD 3720 with R4s and gave me a tippy feeling even on the flat. I put 4" (2+2) on each rear plus Rimguard fluid to 75% fill in all tires. It made all the difference in the world in stability. Sideways on steep hills still makes me queasy though, but the tractor will slide sideways before it tips over. At least a few times that happened,

 

[CobyRupert]

Go as wide as you can and load tires. Your center of gravity is probably 10” above the height of your rear axle, in the center of your tractor. Standing behind the tractor, you can imagine what angle of tip it takes before this spot passes over the outside edge of your downhill tire and you roll (Not counting dynamic forces).
I have a utility tractor with adjustable rims. When I first got it, it had loaded tires, but I would still feel really queasy and I’d often chicken out on slopes. Can’t remember exactly, but I widened it an additional 7.5” or 10.5”.
Night and day!
Now I feel I could go almost near verticals before it would roll. I know I’ll either chicken out, will get uncomfortable trying to hang on, or it will slide (which can be its own danger) before it’s in any real danger. Of course as one gets more accustomed to that feeling, that can be bad too.

 

[Citydude]

For right of way contract mowing I had an L3400 with rear 6” spacers and loaded rears. 80% of the time I was on side hills. I put over 600 hours on it and no issues.

 

[Milo]

It's always a trade off how much to stress components vs how much more stability. I added 2" Brotek spacers and they made a big difference on my L2501, glad I didn't go with 3".

 

[lennyzx11]

I bought a set of used 6” spacers (3” each side) and installed on my L3301. I lived on slopes that were steep enough to be uncomfortable mowing.
The transformation in stability was amazing.
I also adjusted my rims all the way out and my rear tires are filled.
Will your rims adjust out? That’s a free (other than the labor) gain.

 

[The Deerslayer]

If you have ag tires, you should be able to adjust the rims to give you additional width (plus a nice savings on not buying spacers). I did this with my L3901, and it made a huge difference in stability. I also filled the tires.

 

[ZJ_HR]

Just be careful, as widened (and especially extended) track put significant stress on half-shafts and wheel bearings.
Tractor 3ph and load ability are decreased.

 

[Gem99ultra]

I added 2" each side on my L3400, and yes they did feel a bit more stable. Not nearly enough to handle my 25* slope on the lake dam though. I've been wishing I'd gone to 3" or maybe a bit more. The 3" for you would certainly be an improvement, but I don't have any idea as to how much.

Brotec spacers look like a piece of jewelry. Beautiful work, and you'll certainly be pleased with them.

 

[chim]

I wonder if seeing the wheels stick out farther gives operators a false sense of security. The wheels on my L4240HSTC are set wide and the tires are filled. It does FEEL quite stable. I can’t say if moving them in 2 inches will make the tractor flop over. I’m more concerned about going for a sideways slide on wet grass. If that happens, and the tractor hits something at the bottom of the hill, she’ll go over unless the spacers add three feet to the width.

 

[ctgoldwing]

Thank you all for the replies. I feel more confident now in doing it. Although there are a few posts I've read warning about axle damage, I have yet to hear about anyone who actually experienced it.

I'll take reasonable precautions - I have no backhoe and I always leave an implement on the 3ph (weighing 500-700lbs). I am also not going to assume doing this makes the tractor impossible to tip

Thanks again!

 

[Citydude]

Thank you all for the replies. I feel more confident now in doing it. Although there are a few posts I've read warning about axle damage, I have yet to hear about anyone who actually experienced it.

I'll take reasonable precautions - I have no backhoe and I always leave an implement on the 3ph (weighing 500-700lbs). I am also not going to assume doing this makes the tractor impossible to tip

Thanks again!

Good. You will be surprised at the difference in how it performs.

As far as damage, safety far exceeds “potential” damage. A wheel bearing can be replaced “if” that happens. You can’t.

 

[CobyRupert]

This is what I was referring to before with my before and after pics. When the tractor tips such that the vertical line that extends down from the tractor’s center of gravity moves to the right of the downhill tire, she’s going over.

Widening the tires just a few inches makes a HUGE difference in what that tip angle needs to be before it goes over.

 

[Smokeydog]

Thank you all for the replies. I feel more confident now in doing it. Although there are a few posts I've read warning about axle damage, I have yet to hear about anyone who actually experienced it.

I'll take reasonable precautions - I have no backhoe and I always leave an implement on the 3ph (weighing 500-700lbs). I am also not going to assume doing this makes the tractor impossible to tip

Thanks again!

Common sense is the best attachment.

The L3830 I had, had adjustable rear wheel disks and wheel loops. Most ag tractors do. Might even be a preference for area dealers. Scuts not so much. Had to add 2” wheel extensions to the B26.

Ballast helps some slopes but the real improvement is traction. The combination of width and weight really helps this hillbilly.

 

[ctgoldwing]

Hey Citydude I just saw where you are from. You need serious wheel spacers

I've done a whole lot of mc riding in your neighborhood, almost all on the back roads north and south of rt90. Awesome country you live in!

btw I ordered the 3" spacers from Bro-Tek this am and already have a tracking number

 

[Citydude]

Hey Citydude I just saw where you are from. You need serious wheel spacers

I've done a whole lot of mc riding in your neighborhood, almost all on the back roads north and south of rt90. Awesome country you live in!

btw I ordered the 3" spacers from Bro-Tek this am and already have a tracking number

Mine were Bro-Tec’s. They fit like a glove.

Glad you enjoyed the visit here.

 

[LouNY]

Evening ctgoldwing;
Just wanted to comment on your Avatar, actually a couple.
I seem to recall seeing that you had lost her, sorry to hear that.
We picked one up this summer from a shelter that's the spitting image of her.
I just realized I don't have any good pics of her, she does tend to get into things she shouldn't.
I had never heard of the Red Fox variant of a Lab till we got her.
Broke down the other day and did one of the DNA tests on her, results in a few weeks.

 

[WranglerX]

Something a few may want to watch....

BX25D Tipover Challenge: Stock vs Wheel Weights vs Spacers - YouTube


Dale