tractor stability

[cmyoung2]

I have a Kubota BX2230 with a loader. One of the many uses is mowing the pasture with a 50" flail mower. The problem is our ground is not flat and the BX is not the most stable tractor I have been on. So I am considering a larger tractor, maybe in the range of a ford 3000 or 3600 or a Massey 135. I would of course much rather have 4x4, but used under 5k sort of limits things. Other than pasture, the future might include a winch for some light logging. So, is the tilt factor enough less with the larger tractor to be significant?
I grew up with a Massey, and several other tractors about that size, but that was 50 years ago, and my pucker factor has changed over the years.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Wider and heavier will always help stability.

Not sure how badly unstable your current rig is, but have you considered wheel spacers and filling the rear tires? Both of those things together will lower your center of gravity and spread out the weight of the tractor.

 

[cmyoung2]

Wider and heavier will always help stability.

Not sure how badly unstable your current rig is, but have you considered wheel spacers and filling the rear tires? Both of those things together will lower your center of gravity and spread out the weight of the tractor.

I thought about filling the rear tires, but I also use it as the lawn mower, not sure how much weight I want to add. Wheel spacing would be more difficult. Not sure of the slope when I get nervous, but it is not much. Not sure of the tipping point, and don't want to find out. It does have a mid mount mower, and that low weight doesn't help much.

 

[oosik]

Basically you have two choices - wider stance and heavier unit( unit weight or added weight or both) OR learn to live with what you have.

 

[rademamj1]

You must have some steep slopes, because I would consider a BX2230 with its low ground clearance, to be a fairly stable tractor platform. I know Kubota sells front suitcase weights for the BX as a way of adding some quick ballast, and there are after market suitcase systems available too. Also, the FEL will and often does contribute to instability. Removal of the loader during mowing operations should greatly increase stability.

 

[RjCorazza]

Filling the rears will help, but will only add about 80 lbs per tire. The most bang for your buck will be to add wheel spacers, but you may be limited by the mid mount mower.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

You can get a free inclinometer app for your smart phone and measure the various slopes around your house. Most will give you a slope measurement in both "percent" (as in percent of grade) and "degrees".

Slope chart:



As to safely "discovering" your tipping point, you can put a jack under one side of your tractor and start lifting that side, stopping to test pull from the opposite side to see how far over you can raise the tractor before the center of mass gets close to the tipping point. Once you feel the weight start to come off of the jack from pulling on it, that can be your hard stop, "not to exceed" number for that tractor.

 

[jeff9366]

A subcompact tractor has a very low center-of-gravity due to its small wheels.

Your MMM adds weight near the ground, further lowering the C-O-G. Beyond the MMM I do not believe filling the two little rear tires with liquid will make a discernible difference.

Removing the entire FEL or at least the bucket will improve stability a little by lowering the C-O-G another increment but may make the tractor light in the front with a TPH mower mounted.

Going to lesser diameter, wider Turf Tires might make a slight difference but it would be somewhat costly as you would need new rims as well as tires for all four wheels.

So I am considering a larger tractor, maybe in the range of a ford 3000 or 3600 or a Massey 135. I would of course much rather have 4x4, but used under 5k sort of limits things.

None of above tractors will feel as stable as the BX with MMM on sloping ground. Without 4-WD the front wheels will have a tendency to slip downhill on slopes. Braking very limited with 2-WD tractors going downhill.

However, over flat, rutted or uneven ground the larger wheels and tires on above tractors will bridge ruts and holes better, so the larger tractor will bounce less, a separate issue from instability.

In terms of stability, you have the most stable traditional tractor platform now.

The future might include a winch for some light logging.

With all four wheels flat on the ground a BX should be capable of dragging a 1,000 pound tree using 1/4" chain as a link between the tree and tractor rear/center drawbar. Adding a second intermediary in the form of a 25' nylon strap will provide a 'reach' of 30' or more.

Progress over the ground will be slow in HST/LOW.

LINK: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...ar-center-tractor-drawbar-use.html?highlight=

 

[rScotty]

A subcompact tractor has a very low center-of-gravity due to its small wheels.

Your MMM adds weight near the ground, further lowering the C-O-G. Beyond the MMM I do not believe filling the two little rear tires with liquid will make a discernible difference.

Removing the entire FEL or at least the bucket will improve stability a little by lowering the C-O-G another increment.

Going to lesser diameter, wider Turf Tires might make a slight difference but it would be somewhat costly as you would need new rims as well as tires for all four wheels.

None of these tractors will feel as stable as the BX with MMM on sloping ground. Without 4-WD the front wheels will have a tendency to slip downhill on slopes. Braking very limited with 2-WD tractors going downhill.

However, over flat, rutted or uneven ground the larger wheels and tires on above tractors will bridge ruts and holes better, so the larger tractor will bounce less, a separate issue from instability.

In terms of stability, you have the most stable traditional tractor platform now.

Got to agree. You've got a pretty good tractor for what you are doing. I'd do a couple of simple things to make what you have work better before even considering a different tractor.

First of all figure out some way to take off the loader bucket when mowing. And don't carry anything on the 3pt. That will help a lot.

And then get some spacers for the rear tires. Move them out 4" on a side. That's standard and will make a noticeable difference. The stock tires and wheels look good to me. I doubt if I would add fluid to them - and certainly not before first tryng the spacers.
rScotty

 

[Smokeydog]

Some other posts have found Jeep wheel extensions cheap on Amazon that work with the BX tractors. Wish they came in my size. There are some limits with the mid mount mower interference depending on model.

On our B26 wheel extensions and ballasted tires made a significant difference in stability.

Small wheels less forgiving on rough sloped ground. 50” flail mower behind a MF135 would look kind of dinky.