Weights

[chrispratt11]

Hello. Thanks to everyone and the great advice I finally purchased a front blade for my JD 4310. Now, the question is what kind of weight do I need in the back? any advice? Its a 7 foot plow. Also, I was told NOT to load the tires cause thats hurts traction?

 

[Haywire]

Additional traction and weight below the center of gravity (stability) are the primary reasons why you load the tires from my understanding.

Ian

 

[Don87]

Hello. Thanks to everyone and the great advice I finally purchased a front blade for my JD 4310. Now, the question is what kind of weight do I need in the back? any advice? Its a 7 foot plow. Also, I was told NOT to load the tires cause thats hurts traction?

Load your tires.
And get no more advice from the person that said it hurts traction.:thumbsup:

 

[Thomas]

"I was told NOT to load the tires cause thats hurts traction? "
Interesting.

I had my R4's loaded and big differents ..like night and day..yet to use chains.

 

[dex3361]

Hello. Thanks to everyone and the great advice I finally purchased a front blade for my JD 4310. Now, the question is what kind of weight do I need in the back? any advice? Its a 7 foot plow. Also, I was told NOT to load the tires cause thats hurts traction?

Les than sage advice. Weight is good in most circumstances.

 

[chad22]

Sorry to hijack the thread. But what does Load the tires mean?

Thanks

Chad

 

[Haywire]

You fill the tires 3/4 of the way with a fluid that won't freeze like windshield washer fluid to add weight. They used to use calcium, but it rots the rims. I've heard of using car antifreeze, but it's an environmental hazard if you spring a leak.

Ian

 

[Don87]

You fill the tires 3/4 of the way with a fluid that won't freeze like windshield washer fluid to add weight. They used to use calcium, but it rots the rims. I've heard of using car antifreeze, but it's an environmental hazard if you spring a leak.

Ian

You can also use Rimguard(beet juice). Pricey, but non-toxic and heavier than washer fluid.

 

[David s Von Gieserbrechta]

I use weights on the rear wheels of my Bx2350 and chains all around.
Years ago I got tired of the plastic covered concrete wheel weights on my little ten horse Allis so being a pattern maker I tooled up a pattern and sent it to the local foundry. After the Allis died I was just using these weights on a harrow frame dragged behind the quad for maintenance of the driveway.

Needless to say that I was pleasantly surprised to find that these weights fit on the Bx2350 perfectly. Whoda thunk it? These puppies weigh in at 275 pounds a side and thats some serious weight. Now on snow it or ice it just spins and digs holes untill the chains fine hard stuff and then it just chugs along like all good little orange tractors should.

Now all I have to do is tool up a few patterns for the front end and a ballast block for the three point, cuz like cast iron trumps sand and rocks every time.
Being a retired pattern maker with a complete home woodwork shop has it's perks.

And oh yeah the rear chains from the Allis fit the front wheels on the Kubota after I took out one ladder length so it's all good.

 

[whistlepig]

I filled my tires with Rimguard and added a ballast box. The filled tires add about 400 pounds and the ballast box an additional 600 pounds.

 

[sixgun]

Chris,

I have a 27 hp unit with a front blade and though I don't have any experience yet (just installed a front blade) I have set myself up similar to Whistlepig - loaded tires and a carryall box loaded with about 600 lbs. I'm itching to try it out!!!

 

[newbury]

Hello. Thanks to everyone and the great advice I finally purchased a front blade for my JD 4310. Now, the question is what kind of weight do I need in the back? any advice? Its a 7 foot plow. Also, I was told NOT to load the tires cause thats hurts traction?

For weight I'd recommend a Woods BH70X, that should give you about 800lbs. It comes in handy when you have to lift the rear end to put on chains, when you need to pick up sticks in the yard, and many other things

 

[gerard]

Hello. Thanks to everyone and the great advice I finally purchased a front blade for my JD 4310. Now, the question is what kind of weight do I need in the back? any advice? Its a 7 foot plow. Also, I was told NOT to load the tires cause thats hurts traction?

Either you misunderstood (best case), or your getting advice from someone who shouldn't be giving it. Putting an implement on the back will help. Loading the tires AND putting an implement on the back will help the most. I didn't load my tires until a few years ago and then kicked myself in the a&% for not having done it right away. Used rimguard, $200 to have it done which wasn't bad and well worth it. I like it because it's totally non corrosive to the rims and if it spills, no big deal. Would never use Calcium due to corrosive issue. Can't recommend strongly enough to load the tires.

 

[George2615]

You can also make your own rear ballast box. Many posts on this site of various types. Mine is made out of a plastic 55 gallon drum, I welded up some framework inside it to connect to the 3 pt. and filled it 3/4 full of concrete. Weight is about 800 lb.

Check out a recent rear ballast build in Build it yourself.

 

[LD1]

I can only think of ONE case where loading the tires will give LESS traction.

That case being if you are driving on a frozen pond/lake with thin ice and the added weight would cause you to go through. You wont get much traction on the bottom

I agree that you should no longer take advice form whoever told you that, unless it is a misunderstanding indeed.

 

[sixgun]

To follow-up my earlier post...there is such a thing as too much weight.

I was moving some firewood earlier today and experienced a bit of weightlessness in the front end - as in...hey why aren't the front wheels responding to the steering wheel? I guess the loaded tires, coupled with the concrete blocks and wood in the carryall box, were a bit too much.

You may have to try a few different combinations before you get the traction response that you are looking for.

 

[gerard]

Don't blame the loaded tires on this one. They have no effect on weight transfer. It's the stuff behind the axle that you have to watch out for, plus any towing.

Very true - all of the weight from the liquid is actually pressing down on the bottom of the tire which is pressed against the ground on the "contact" patch. That's one of the nice things about liquid ballast, doesn't add any stress to the frame or axel like a weight box does.

 

[whistlepig]

Also depends how far back on the rear of the tractor the weight is hanging.