Ballast What is the best Ballast

[Tractor Dude Colo]

Hi all, new to the forum and just purchased a 2012 JD3038e.

Would like to add some ballast to the tires. What type of ballast is best and how much should be added? Do you only add ballast to the rear or also the front tires?

Thanks in advance.

 

[jeff9366]

Is your Deere equipped with a Front End Loader?

Is primary goal of filling for traction or stability on sloping ground?


Most fill only rear tires. ("filled" is 50% to 75% full)

Too much stress to front axle and power steering with front tires filled. Filled fronts turn spinning front tires into gyroscopes when roading at speed.

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[Citydude]

I use Rim Guard on the three tractors I've owned. You need ballest in the rear tires. Take a look at their web page as it has a tire fill chart.

You can call them for the nearest dealer near Golden.

 

[Tractor Dude Colo]

Thanks Jeff, yes filling for Lifting. My FEL is rated for 1200 at the pin or 900 at 500MM. Planning on using forks for 3x3x8 bails but because of the length will be taking them off the trailer from the side of the bail so I don't have too much hanging forward. I don't want to scratch up the ROPS!

 

[Tractor Dude Colo]

Thanks, appreciate the tip.

 

[WranglerX]

I have small tractor (SCUT) and went with 500lb ballast box (steel frame concrete fill) on rear.....



Dale

 

[jeff9366]

My FEL is rated for 1200 at the pin or 900 at 500MM. Planning on using forks for 3x3x8 bails but because of the length will be taking them off the trailer from the side of the bail so I don't have too much hanging forward. I don't want to scratch up the ROPS!

Resign yourself to carrying FEL counterbalance on the Three Point Hitch for more than modest FEL lifts. You cannot ballast your rear tires enough to compensate for the weight out front, meaning the engine, the FEL and a heavy FEL load.

Fork Lifts, Skid Steers and Compact Track Loaders, which are designed primarily around FEL lifts, have REAR engines.

The two most common implements used for Three Point Hitch counterbalance are the Box Blade and Roto-tiller. Both implements heavy and reasonably compact so FEL/tractor/implement unit is not too long.

I have no idea what 3x3x8 hay bails weigh in Colorado but any slope, uneven or soft ground will increase potential for a tractor rollover. Safety first.

 

[Tractor Dude Colo]

DL and Jeff, thanks appreciate it.

 

[jimainiac]

When I bought our tractor, the dealer said he wouldn't sell a new tractor with a loader without filled rear tires. If you are going to be lifting heavy weight with the loader it would be a good idea to also have something heavy on the 3ph, to act as a counter-weight. The weighted rear tires help to keep the rear end on the ground, but weight on the 3ph actually helps to take some of the weight off the front axle.
Another good way to add stability is to set the rear wheels to their widest position.

 

[RickB]

Thanks Jeff, yes filling for Lifting. My FEL is rated for 1200 at the pin or 900 at 500MM. Planning on using forks for 3x3x8 bails but because of the length will be taking them off the trailer from the side of the bail so I don't have too much hanging forward. I don't want to scratch up the ROPS!

Your loader will be marginal for lifting those bales from the side and will not lift them from the end.
Be sure and wear your seat belt and use appropriate care and caution.

 

[WranglerX]

This is what the manual that came with my FEL says...

And here is a bit of story....

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...-gc1705-safe-working-angle-2.html#post5368792

Dale

 

[EcoReality]

I've got a three-point flat-bottom bucket. I load it with a 200 litre (55 gallon) barrel, full of water, which provides 200 kilograms (440 pounds). That makes the front loader useful without scary rear tires coming off the ground.

An added benefit over filling your tires, is that I put my tractor on an instant diet by simply taking the barrel off, and then I can still LEGALLY get my tractor on my lowboy trailer, which would be over rated gross with the extra weight.

If I need more weight, I can fit two barrels on there.

 

[oosik]

My M6040 has 1550# of RimGuard in the rear tires plus an 1100# Rhino 950 rear blade on the 3-point. I've had the rears lift off the ground once. That was sufficient experience to go to what I now have.

 

[Texasmark]

What is the best ballast??????? What works for you. I am picky about certain things and keeping my back from hurting due to bouncing around on tractors is one of them. So I try this and if it doesn't work I try that and so on. No two of my tractors are outfitted the same, nor are they the same.

 

[Jchonline]

Hi all, new to the forum and just purchased a 2012 JD3038e.

Would like to add some ballast to the tires. What type of ballast is best and how much should be added? Do you only add ballast to the rear or also the front tires?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Neighbor! As mentioned, rear tires only. Do you have R1s or R4s? Are you using the machine in really rocky terrain (ie jagged stuff) like we commonly have in CO? If you have R1s and are using it in rocky stuff you might strongly consider wheel weights instead. A flat tire with ballast can be a costly repair.

I have R4s with Rimguard in the rears. So far so good.

 

[cat fever]

I think Rimgaurd filled rears and a ballast box is the way to go for lifting the bales you mentioned. My tires are not filled yet but this is what I use. Concrete ballast coming in around 1700 pounds.

The big bales were about 850 lbs.

 

[Jchonline]

Thanks Jeff, yes filling for Lifting. My FEL is rated for 1200 at the pin or 900 at 500MM. Planning on using forks for 3x3x8 bails but because of the length will be taking them off the trailer from the side of the bail so I don't have too much hanging forward. I don't want to scratch up the ROPS!

Have you weighed those bales? I am seeing 800 lbs each. You will definitely need ballast, probably an implement on the back (ie box blade, etc) as well. You are 900# at 500MM, but your bale weight goes out to 3 ft. In addition, that 900# is with no forks. Forks add a few hundred # right?

Please be very careful and try working with one on the ground first so you see the limits.

 

[Gregg56]

Ballast box. It can be easily removed if not needed.

 

[BRBurns]

I have a similar capacity to you. I have about 100 lbs in each rear tire (I mow with it, so don’t want too much weight). I have 2 ballast boxes, one is about 500lbs and one is about 1600 lbs. wouldn’t want to be bouncing around a field all day with the 1600 lbs concrete ballast, but for digging and moving dirt it is hard to beat. The 500 lbs is a good all around weight. I also have box blade and tiller, but prefer the compact size of a ballast box.

 

[shooterdon]

I cannot lift bales so cannot comment on that.

Regarding ballast...I want safety over everything else. I use washer fluid in my rear turfs and a ballast box I made to fit a carry all. The ballast box has stringers on the bottom so it can easily be set down and I can use the carry all for other duties. I use a ratchet strap to hold the ballast box onto the carry all.

It took about 4 hours to make, and I used 500 lbs of lead ingots in the back of the box. That left about two feet of storage area in the box for tools and chains.