Ballast TYM 264 Ballast

[coyotef150]

Just got my 264 about 5 weeks ago. My rear tires are filled with Rim Guard and I have a 5 foot box blade . It is a Titan brand and I think it weighs about 320 pounds. I don't know if I am just scared or what ,but if i am on any slight sidehill or downhill it feels very unstable with anything in the bucket or on the forks.I had about 2 wheelbarrow loads of super dry firewood on a pallet and I was not thrilled with how it was handling when it was anything but flat ground. The only real flat area I have on my property is my garage floor and my garden. Has anyone else had this experience on this or similar sized tractors? I have wanted a compact with a loader for years and did research and test driving ,but sometimes I think I should have gotten a bigger tractor . Would more weight on the back help me out?

 

[WranglerX]

My SCUT (MF GC 1715) weighs in at about 1400 pounds and has lift potential of about 650 pounds lifting force with load in bucket, but found with more than 500 pounds in bucket it can lift rear wheels off ground, my solution was to make about a 500-600 pound ballast box because I didn't want to fill rear tires but I did add 3 inch wheel spacers to make "track" about 6 inch wider, seems to help alot...

....

Then discovered on some side hill with uneven ground operations with ballast box on rear and with empty bucket the front end becomes light and impedes steering.... Some where in the middle is equilibrium, just have not found it yet..

Dale

 

[Roadworthy]

A ballast box on the rear will help compensate for the loaded bucket in the front. Drive with the bucket as low as possible to increase stability.

 

[tman1020]

If you can get the rear tires any wider do so. Also the more weight down low the better. Maybe you could add some weight to your box blade and remember to keep it low when operating with weight in the bucket or on uneven terrain. The wider the better on uneven terrain.

 

[coyotef150]

Thanks for all the input. I think I will try adding weight to my blade and building a ballast box so I have a few options. I really like the wheel spacer idea .I have never seen any available for my tractor but I could probably have a machine shop make some. Would the spacers add any extra strain on the axle?

 

[Roadworthy]

Any time you start moving the wheel out you are increasing strain on the axle. Rear axles are sturdier than front axles and many users do space the rear wheels out from the tractor. Some tractor wheels are even made so they can be adjusted for more width. As far as stability on hills, always try to go up and down not across.