Tractor weight on soft ground

[sparkyjohn]

I have a Kioti CX2510 with loaded rear tires. It came with a FEL as well. I built a compact 400lb rear ballast. My land is overgrown farm land, about a foot of black dirt then mostly clay. This time of year the water table is close to the surface so the ground is soft but held together with the overgrown grasses and trees. My question is, will i do better with more weight, keeping my FEL on and rear ballast or will i do better if i take these things off and lighten the tractor? Not worried about leaving ruts but just worried about getting stuck. I have the new R-14 tires. What is best? I'm new at this tractor stuff.

 

[ning]

You need ballast to compensate for lifting heavy things.
If you're not lifting heavy things with the loader, you don't need ballast.
I my tractor is typically un-ballasted for day-to-day chores; if I know something's going to be a heavy lift, I'll put the backhoe on (I've yet to build a specialized ballast).

 

[K5lwq]

Weight does help improve traction. You will be able to go through more muck with a heavier tractor. However, when you get stuck you will really be stuck! Best to wait for things to dry out before risking it unless there is no other option.

 

[sparkyjohn]

You need ballast to compensate for lifting heavy things.
If you're not lifting heavy things with the loader, you don't need ballast.
I my tractor is typically un-ballasted for day-to-day chores; if I know something's going to be a heavy lift, I'll put the backhoe on (I've yet to build a specialized ballast).

Here is my ballast. $148 for the steel and $50 for some concrete and fiberboard. My 3 point lifts 1200lb so i can still use this to move a trailer with under 800lb tongue weight. Nice and compact.

 

[Farmer495]

Lighter tractor will stay on top. It's about PSI.

Dual tires help floatation, but not usually an option on compacts.

With narrow tires and low ground clearance, you are going to get stuck.

I'd shed the counter weight and leave loader on, at least FEL can help you push out if you do get stuck.

When in doubt, wait until it is dryer, easier to wait than spend time and money getting unstuck.

 

[Texasmark]

I have a Kioti CX2510 with loaded rear tires. It came with a FEL as well. I built a compact 400lb rear ballast. My land is overgrown farm land, about a foot of black dirt then mostly clay. This time of year the water table is close to the surface so the ground is soft but held together with the overgrown grasses and trees. My question is, will i do better with more weight, keeping my FEL on and rear ballast or will i do better if i take these things off and lighten the tractor? Not worried about leaving ruts but just worried about getting stuck. I have the new R-14 tires. What is best? I'm new at this tractor stuff.

Ruts would be my main concern because clay doesn't forget in the summer when it's rock hard and you have to drive over that rut you made the previous winter.
If you are in slop, you need to get a bottom, that means lots of weight and minimum surface area....Model A tire type thing.....but that's exactly what makes ruts. You have to sink down to solid ground for traction.
If not in slop then a light weight fat tired 4wd would work fine.

 

[Jchonline]

Lighter tractor will stay on top. It's about PSI.

Dual tires help floatation, but not usually an option on compacts.

With narrow tires and low ground clearance, you are going to get stuck.

I'd shed the counter weight and leave loader on, at least FEL can help you push out if you do get stuck.

When in doubt, wait until it is dryer, easier to wait than spend time and money getting unstuck.

Cant overstate this enough. PSI is king. If you have the rears loaded and rear ballast on a small tire that might create a bunch of concentrated pressure on the ground. Dont venture too far out until you see how the ground responds.

 

[oosik]

I'm never worried about getting stuck. My land is still too wet and soft. Wait a couple weeks and not have to spend the remainder of the summer straightening out ruts.

 

[jeff9366]

With wet condition described and a 25-horsepower tractor, not quite sure why you ordered loaded rear tires, weight on all the time.
~~You may have good reasons for loaded tires which you have not posted.~~

If you do not foresee needing to lift max loads with the FEL, drop your 400 pounds of TPH counterbalance.

(( 400 pounds on TPH should be ample counterbalance for max FEL lifts with air inflated rear tires. ))

I would retain the FEL. It is very useful for pushing/leveraging the tractor out of a partially bogged situation.

Mud and wet are when R1/ag tires are superior to other tires.


"Wait a couple weeks and you will not have to spend the remainder of the summer repairing ruts."

Good advice from OOSIK.

 

[jeff9366]

After 20-something posts it is time to insert your LOCATION into your T-B-N PROFILE, to add clarity to your situation.