Weight for Front end

[catvet]

I'm sure this has been discussed too many times but I'm finding that with the snow and ice we have recently had my Kubota B7800 pretty much goes where it feels like. Steering just doesn't seem to happen in a lot of cases. I'm thinking it is a result of the front end being too light. The rear tires are loaded and I have a Farmi winch on the back which I think is adequate /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif for the rear end. I was trying to move some snow with my FEL today and it was an exciting proposition. I would imagine that there are weights for the front tires, probably not cheap. Any other ideas for a quick fix? I obviously don't want to put weight in the FEL since I'm moving snow etc. with it. I'd like to keep the Farmi winch on since I also move pallets of wood with forks attached to the FEL and need the counterweight.

 

[beenthere]

That's what the individual rear wheel brakes are for, to steer when the front end is light and the front wheels don't have the grip needed to steer. They are a great assist in tractor work. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[George2615]

I picked up a few used weights at a garage sale and made a bracket to hold them and welded it to the loader support frame on the front of my tractor. Each weight is about 35# so I added about 175# weight in front of both wheels. It has helped but not enough to notice a big difference. I may consider making wheel weights for my front wheels. I don't know how to link to my pic of this but if you go up to photos, then tractor,other, mahindra to pic # 12_small you'll see them.
George

 

[Soundguy]

If you already have the weight of a fel on front.. i doubt even addine a 50# weight to each front will do much.. Seems it may be more a traction issue.. than light front end...

Steering brakes.. or chains if it is 4wd..

soundguy

 

[ronjhall]

A B7800/LA402 combination should have enough weight on the front wheels to steer.
I have found that it is technique that gets the job done. If you are using float, front end will dig in and cause front wheels to raise or loose traction. The same thing happens if you do not use float. But can be controlled as the tractor moves forward by making small taps on the loader joy stick to keep bucket or blade from digging in. I clear as much of my drive with a FEL mounted blade. If its angled and not enough weight is on front wheels tractor will slide off in direction of blade angle. To stop this I tap joy stick to raise blade and put more load on tires. Same technique will work with bucket. Bucket can also be rolled back so front edge is not trying to dig in ice or ground.
If the area that I am clearing requires that it be cleared to bare ground. I use my rear blade. Mine weighs about 500 lbs and will cut just about anything it touches loose. Then I use the front blade to move it out of the cleared area.

 

[catvet]

I've often thought about the individual brakes. Usually trying to figure how I actually would use them. I would have to have both legs on the same side of the tractor in order to use both forward/backward and brake pedals at the same time since they are right beside each other. Not sure how feasible, or comfortable, that would be for long term use.

 

[herringchoker]

There is a post about this over on the Kubota owning/operating board now. I agree with Ron H. I have a B7800/LA402 and I find it much easier to steer than the rig I used for 18 winters. This front end lift is caused by the force of the tractor pushing into the resulting resistance of whatever you are pushing (snow, ice, dirt, etc.) You can control this resistance a bit by adjusting the bucket angle....the steeper the angle, the more the bucket tries to dig in and the more the resistance. Of course, if you need the bigger force to break up ice (or wahtever), the front end will lift...it's the geometry of any FEL. Adding weights to the front of the tractor (not the loader) will help but you will probably need a lot of ballast to make a noticeable difference. As Ron says, work with the joystick to keep the front wheels down as much as possible. Like you, I don't have 2 right feet either.

 

[rk246]

I have thought that the only way to use the steering brakes would be to use the cruise control lever with one hand, steering with the other, with occasional moving of the right hand to operate the FEL, then using the steering brakes with the R foot? I am thinking it would take some getting used to but could be done. We used to use the steering brakes on the families gear tractors in the fields quite a bit, but the setup doesn't require using one foot for two operations....

 

[ccsial]

<font color="blue"> </font> </font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've often thought about the individual brakes. Usually trying to figure how I actually would use them )</font>
<font color="black"> </font>

I've wondered the same thing about my L3400 HST. Iv'e used them on my 1910 gear tractor but was wondering how I'd keep my foot on the HST pedal and turning brake together.Can't use cruise since the brakes cancel it./forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[RalphVa]

I use the steering brakes on my 4010 when working the FEL in snow. Even in float position, the FEL often seems to take some weight off the front wheels, causing them to skid, or they just skid on the snow or ice.

That's one of the reasons why I bought the JD. The steering brakes are opposite to the hydro pedals where they ought to be.

Ralph