Understanding weight for traction

[Fl3930]

I bought a new to me tractor recently. A New Holland 3939 w/Ford 7310 loader. I used it a bit and decided I needed to get it serviced. As the hours has quit, and all I knew was the oil was black as a moonless night!!

Anyway when I pushed and dug out a stump at my daughters house with it I realized I was lacking traction! I dug down under the stump and tripped it out of the ground. I got the stump in the bucket and could not get the tractor to back out of the hole with the stump in the bucket. She just wanted to just spin. One thing I had another root from a nearby tree I didn't want to take out. And everytime I would back up to that root it was presenting a hang up and the one tire would begin to spin. However nothing I tried was working. So could not get it to back out of the hole with the stump no matter what I tried! Ended up dumping the stump out on the other side of the hole I had dug. Then I was able to use the bucket to assist me in backing up past the root that was casuing the tractor to spin, and she climbed backward out of the hole. I back filled and then picked up the stump and put it on the burn pile!!

So I mentioned this to the guy who is servicing the tractor and he said. "You need to fill those back tires with water and antifreeze! So I have been doing some reading since I am new to the site and I see talk about a new type of antifreeze. So looking for some advice on filling the tires.

Now just to throw this out there. I grew up in a small town in Nebraska. The town had a tractor they often used this tractor for maintenance on the towns roads. It was an N8 Ford or it could have been a Jubile. Anyway the tractor had what I think was probably a homemade front end loader. They used a half of A 50GAL. drum filled with concrete. It hung from the 3 point hitch system. I would suppose for two purposes,conter weight for the loader and rear weight for traction when loading the bucket.

So after throwing that out there about the concrete counter weight from the 3 point hitch. Would that be an option for weighting the rear of my 3930 NH?? One reason I am thinking along those lines it the tires on the tractor now have some dry rot! Nothing extremely bad but I would be hesitant to break the tires down to add a tube, without putting on a new set of tires! At present I don't really want to spring for new tires!

I know they make weights that mount to the rear tires but would the concrete counter weight work!! So I am looking forward to some discussion on this subject!

 

[seville009]

There are many threads on this, even one with posts today.

Yes - weight will certainly help, but there will be many instances when you have weight in the loader that the tractor will be light in the rear. You just have to work around it like you did.

 

[Gee Ray]

Yes you need ballast. Liquid in the tires is not the only way to add weight. You could always add iron wheel weights. The weight hanging off the rear of the 3 point should always be used when you are using the front end loader. I would spend the money to buy a box blade as a counter weight. A rotary cutter if you have one. There are several videos about making a counter weight.

This video will help get you started in the right direction.

Also:

 

[jeff9366]

Is your New Holland a 2-WD or 4-WD model?

Do you know how to engage the differential lock pedal with your heel?

Ford-New Holland 3930​

Dimensions
2WD Wheelbase:	84.5 inches 214 cm
4WD Wheelbase:	84.1 inches 213 cm
Length:	137 inches 347 cm
Height (ROPS):	91.3 inches 231 cm
Height (cab):	96 inches 243 cm
Operating weight:	5,446 lbs 2470 kg (4WD ROPS)

Ford 7310 Loader
Height (to pin):	120 inches 304 cm
Clearance, dumped bucket:	92 inches 233 cm
Dump reach:	34.25 inches 86 cm
Dump angle:	40°
Rollback angle:	43°
Breakout force (lift):	4905 lbs 2224 kg
Lift to full height (at pin):	2685 lbs 1217 kg
Bucket width:	60 inches 152 cm
	72 inches 182 cm
	84 inches 213 cm

 

[jeff9366]

Counterbalance mounted on the Three Point Hitch is more effective as counterweight for the Loader than tire ballast, pound for pound. Any new weight is going to add strain to your decrepit tires.

T-B-N ARCHIVE: cheap tractor counterweight site www.tractorbynet.com

For improving traction of a 2-WD tractor the cost efficient modification is liquid in the rear tires and/or, much more expensively, iron wheel weights.

I got the stump in the bucket and could not get the tractor to back out of the hole with the stump in the bucket.

Almost all weight was transferred onto the small front tires, away from the large, heavily treaded, rear tires.

I back filled and then picked up the stump and put it on the burn pile!!

The tires on the tractor have dry rot! I don't really want to spring for new tires!

Your are fortunate one of the tires did not deflate, causing the tractor to roll over. You cannot enjoy a tractor when you are dead.

Buy new tires. With sharp tire tread tractor traction will improve.


I fuel and grease my Kubota. Due to my age, all other service is performed by the dealer. I speculate your operating cost at $20.00 per engine hour with dealer service. As you add implements, your hourly operating cost increases.

I pushed and dug out a stump at my daughters house.
Repairing a tweaked Loader is $2,000 minimum.

 

[Root Cause]

There are good reasons why beet juice or other fluids are put into the tires.
Any weight below the axle is helping lower the center of gravity. The lower the better and nothing is lower than the lowest point of your tires.
You don't have to unload it or move it. It isn't in your way and you don't have to find additional room to store it when not in use.

I suggest you read up on other attachments or a carry-all before you strike out on other ways to weigh it down. If you are not planning on rear attachments, then I would be looking at a rear carryall that adds some weight but also carries tools you would frequently need. I might put center blocks on a pallet and enclose it on the sides and make a top so could put bags of soil, hay bales or ??? on top. A cheap set of forks if you ever want to remove it or put it on wheels.

 

[jeff9366]

Bare tractors are designed with a standard weight distribution of 40% front, 60% rear.

Add a Front End Loader and the weight distribution becomes 50% front, 50% rear. (+/-)

Fill the bucket and the weight moves forward, leveraged by low-forward position of a laden bucket.
Could be 60% front, 40% rear. (Tractor wheelbase affects weight distribution.)

Traction is reduced because weight has transferred away from the driving, heavy tread rear wheels.
(Hence the need for liquid rear tire ballast or iron wheel weights.)

Rear wheels may or may not lift from the ground at this moment, but they will certainly be "light" if bucket payload is wet.

Green tree trunk sections and laden pallets on pallet forks are often heavier than wet bucket loads. Laden pallets protrude forward. Weight distribution could be 70% front, 30% rear. Rear wheels will lift.

Suffecient Three Point Hitch counterbalance restores weight distribution to 40% front, 60% rear. (+/-)

Too much rear weight and the tractor front will lift when you move up a slope with the bucket empty.

 

[Fl3930]

A lot to read here. I just skimmed over it so will go back and take another look in a while! I told my son the other day it has been close to 40yrs now since I done a lot of tractor work or worked with any heavy equipment. So I am re-learning or learning and not to old to teach this ole dog a new trick or two!

Oh and my NH3930 is two wheel drive and it has Ag tires on it. In othewords big fat ones front and back!

 

[jeff9366]

My NH3930 is two wheel drive and it has Ag tires.

Do you know how to engage the differential lock pedal with your heel?

MORE: Do I need a 4 wheel drive tractor?

2-WD VS 4-WD site:tractorbynet.com

 

[Egon]

Tire weight has less negative effect on the tractor than three point weight from a wear prospective.