Wheel spacers

[Flogger]

Nor are aerial forklifts used on slopes. So why would what they do or don't have any bearing on tractors?

I was hoping to make the connection between ballast and stability.

 

[WranglerX]

Ballast is great for keeping rear on ground when doing heavy lifting with FEL, didn't do much for CG changes other than reminder to keep FEL low whenever possible, however wheel spaced do do a lot to make tractor more stable on side loading (anti tip) on slopes...

 

[halfBaked2024]

Ignoring things like “momentum”, reality is like parts of this diagram. Except the height of the COG is just a guess. It can vary by what attachments are connected, they’re raised height or if set on the ground, tire ballast, and the height and weight of the FEL.

But what is true: Once the COG tips so that a vertical line down from it extends to nearly outside of the wheel stance width, the tractor is tipping over. (That is: the line “COG-L” or line “COG-R” becomes vertical)

Because we don’t know your tractors COG height and the initial stance width, we can’t calculate what an additional 2” or 4” width means in additional tipping degrees it takes to move the COG to the left or right, outside of the wheel stance. Otherwise, it’s geometry.

Most definitely on the moving CG while tipping. It also changes while lifting weight in the loader, having a backhoe on the rear and its various motions, etc.

I just went through and did my best to recalculate the widely published (and generalized) CG being “two feet in front of the rear axle and 10” above its center” for my tractor at rest. With front tires filled 75%, rears filled 50%, a backhoe installed, empty and folded in and loader bucket empty tilted up at the bottom for transport, the weight parameters moved the CG horizontally toward the rear 4.87”.

 

[halfBaked2024]

Are dual rear wheels an option ?
If so. change your order to add them. Factory approved and you have your added stability.

Yes, duals come standard and it comes with wheels mounted in negative offset. I still have them putting on 3” Bro-tek spacers.

 

[halfBaked2024]

Ballast is great for keeping rear on ground when doing heavy lifting with FEL, didn't do much for CG changes other than reminder to keep FEL low whenever possible, however wheel spaced do do a lot to make tractor more stable on side loading (anti tip) on slopes...

Rimguarding my rear tires to 50% (+920.2# total ballast for both tires) lowered the wheel+tire CG down 10.65” from axle center. Nothing dramatic, but I think it helps the overall tractor CG that way as well.

I’m not a physics professor, but I can see where filling tires above the 50% mark would start moving the wheel+tire CG back up toward the axle center.

 

[halfBaked2024]

Are you city folk trying to farm hillsides??? That is what LiveStock is for.

Internet win for the day, @Gord Baker

100% caught by a real tractor operator! You have Jeremy Clarkson to thank for all us idiots from the city. We have found the only pretty land y’all left for us city folk to work are the hills, man. I just can’t bring myself to pay $5,000 - $8,000 per acre for a flat piece of cleared pasture land in the middle of nowhere.

We city folk need to get used to the equipment and process first, then maybe… juuuust maybe… the animals.

 

[halfBaked2024]

I went ahead and rolled the dice on 3” rear spacers from Bro-tek using @WranglerX ’s link. $450 delivered and dealer agreed to put them on for me.

We’ll see how it goes, but I’m still going to do the maths when I find the time.

@WranglerX - Bro-teks showed up on Thursday. I was taught to never trust a box and opened everything to verify contents and fastener counts. Wow, what an incredibly well machined and packaged product. You can tell a lot about manufacturer’s pride in their product by how well they pack and ship. Brings meaning to today’s all-but-meaningless marketing buzz term “Made in the USA”.

This product did not disappoint and I immediately called Richard (the owner) in Maine to let him know as much. If you get a chance, give him a ring… he really enjoyed hearing the feedback and said these products that help “the tractor guys” are the most fulfilling for him to manufacture.

 

[halfBaked2024]

Nice Drawing. Forget spacers and go Up and Down hills/slopes, or keep off them

Wait until you see my next drawings, @Gord Baker - I’ll put them in a new post and tag you.

 

[Flogger]

Perhaps the biggest benefit of ballasting is the increased stability it provides. With even weight distribution, the tractor’s center of gravity is lowered. This provides better control over the machine, especially when working on rough or uneven terrain.

 

[Flogger]

There is a noticable loss of performance with liquid ballast also. It likely would not be an issue unless you are working the machine at 70% or above but it can really make a difference when farming.

 

[Dozernut]

The reason a lot of owners put on wheel spacers is to create enough space so they can install chains for winter use. Some of the compacts do not have adequate clearance for chains.

 

[halfBaked2024]

There is a noticable loss of performance with liquid ballast also. It likely would not be an issue unless you are working the machine at 70% or above but it can really make a difference when farming.

A concern I have when I’m done with grading and trail clearing work in a few years is the combination of the additional weight and R4’s tearing stuff up. I’m thinking at that point when slopes are tamed, I can switch to hybrids or turfs and back off the ballasting a bit. I should have a better idea what the tractor’s limits are at that stage as well.

 

[careyo63]

Steep incline on our property State Hwy.. BTDT. for decades and still use a Self-propelled push mower. States Bat wings can't do it all. Center run the tractor on the shoulder is as far Vert. as they will go. Side Bat-Wing lowered to it's max. I gladly cut rest of it for them! Wkly!! To be honest though I still BGC. about having to do it but I get good exercise and knowing it best safety wise from trash etc....

 

[Henro]

After 20 plus years this summer I went with 4" spacers on my B2910.

However, after tipping the tractor on its side a bit over ten years ago, my pucker factor has not reduced much. BUT intellectually I know things are improved stability wise.

My conclusion was I can worry about my tractor, or worry about my neck. Decided I would rather break the tractor than my neck. I don't expect any issues from adding the spacers...but if something does break, it won't likely be my neck. I can always buy a new tractor or repair the current one.

Spacers on the front are certainly best avoided. The stress mechanics are different, and any possible advantage is quite small...

 

[halfBaked2024]

After 20 plus years this summer I went with 4" spacers on my B2910.

However, after tipping the tractor on its side a bit over ten years ago, my pucker factor has not reduced much. BUT intellectually I know things are improved stability wise.

My conclusion was I can worry about my tractor, or worry about my neck. Decided I would rather break the tractor than my neck. I don't expect any issues from adding the spacers...but if something does break, it won't likely be my neck. I can always buy a new tractor or repair the current one.

Spacers on the front are certainly best avoided. The stress mechanics are different, and any possible advantage is quite small...

Probably not your most fun memory, but I’m curious to know what slopes you were working on when it tipped. Beyond 15 degrees of slope seems to get most guy’s underwear in a bunch.

 

[halfBaked2024]

Still more work to do, but this scale drawing of my TYM T574H TLB is coming along nicely! CAD guys love drawing puzzles like this.

 

[Henro]

Probably not your most fun memory, but I’m curious to know what slopes you were working on when it tipped. Beyond 15 degrees of slope seems to get most guy’s underwear in a bunch.

Most amazing thing of all was there was no slope worth mentioning involved.

I was moving some earth using my box blade, and making so many passes back and forth, that my mind became numb I think, and I did not realize I was at the edge where things dropped off maybe 18 inches or so, and the tractor slid down that small amount, and tipped on its side. It was a slow motion event. I think I posted pictures here at TBN. I will look and if I find the thread I think I remember, I will link to it...in a following post.

 

[Henro]

View attachment 1606294
Still more work to do, but this scale drawing of my TYM T574H TLB is coming along nicely! CAD guys love drawing puzzles like this.

And the relationship to the wheel spacers is? Posted in the wrong thread by chance?

 

[kenhar]

We try to cut our hill sides up and down, not side to side.

No turnovers yet.

w

 

[Henro]

Most amazing thing of all was there was no slope worth mentioning involved.

I will look and if I find the thread I think I remember, I will link to it...in a following post.

Found it without too much difficulty...some pictures are included in this thread. Hopefully the link works.

I have a second (gasp!) confession to make!

Hi, I tipped my tractor on it's side... I though I would share this in hopes that it might help someone be more aware of how unexpected things can happen! Well, it happened last summer. After over ten years operating my B2910 (Close to 1,000 hours on the tractor), while using the box blade...

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