Ballast Need help with wheel weights for Kubota L3830

[Joe013]

New member/1st post
I purchased a 2003 Kubota L3830 last fall and want to use wheel weights rather then fill the tires. Kubota only has the 64 lb weights - 3 per side for a total of 384 lbs for my tractor. The spacing is 3 holes at 8 7/8". I would like more weight but can't find any to fit my rims. They are 24" rims with 6 holes. Does anybody know of anything that will work on my tractor? If nothing is available I will get the tires filled. Do they have to be filled to a prescribed level or can that vary depending on how much weight you want on the rear? Thanks, Joe

 

[RaydaKub]

I don't know anything about your tractor. But you want the tires filled to 75%. The idea is to leave some air cushion for when you hit a bump, but also keep the rim submerged to minimize the chance of rust. Fortunately, this is easy, just put the valve stem at 12:00 and fill in the liquid (burp every once in a while) until the burp is all liquid.

Then you get into tubed tires, CaCh vs Rimguard vs water vs washer fluid vs antifreeze vs RV antifreeze. There are gobs of threads on this stuff, just look around.

Oh, and welcome to TBN!

 

[Joe013]

Thanks, I live in NW Pa so wont be filling with water! I also have a BX2230 with FEL, snowblower, & 60" mower deck. Great tractor - esp. the snowblower - throws snow clear into the next county! It does help that our property ends at the county line. Joe

 

[pmhowe]

You should consider a ballast box or other type of rear ballast. There are lots of threads regarding ballast box vs using a rear implement vs rear tire weights etc. Also some very innovative approaches to ballast boxes that are also tool carriers. I have a ballast box for my tractor and find that it really helps when using the loader. Also helps for working on hills.

You have a great tractor! You will love it. I envy you your snowblower.

 

[kuboman]

I put 165 lb weights on L 3130 with 24" rims. They don't fit the way they are suppose to but there was no problem and they looked good.

 

[Joe013]

Thanks for the info. I was hoping to add about 500 lbs in wheel weights to help with traction when mowing our steep pasture. That plus a ballast box or implement while using the loader. With the backhoe attached I can operate the loader well although an extra 4 or 5 hundred lbs would be perfect. Filling the tires will add over 1000 lbs and with the 1000 lb plus backhoe amounts to overkill. The farm we acquired has been idle for many years and I know there will be a few flat tires before it's all cleaned up which is one reason I'm not keen to fill the tires. I do like the idea of a ballast box that can double as a tool carrier.

 

[RaydaKub]

If you are worried about the steep slope, you can't do any better than filled tires. The weight is added as low to the ground as it gets. It is the only way to add weight and lower the COG. There is the drawback of carrying that weight all over. You gotta do what works for you, but the stability from filled tires cannot be matched any other way.

 

[xring100]

New member/1st post
I purchased a 2003 Kubota L3830 last fall and want to use wheel weights rather then fill the tires. Kubota only has the 64 lb weights - 3 per side for a total of 384 lbs for my tractor. The spacing is 3 holes at 8 7/8". I would like more weight but can't find any to fit my rims. They are 24" rims with 6 holes. Does anybody know of anything that will work on my tractor? If nothing is available I will get the tires filled. Do they have to be filled to a prescribed level or can that vary depending on how much weight you want on the rear? Thanks, Joe

Welcome. I'm pretty sure its okay to fill them less than 75%. Just can't overfill them. But in my experience more weight = better i regret not ordering my wheels with cast centers and i have 1800-1900 lbs of rim guard

Dave

 

[azbinder]

These are cast weights and have holes around the center to bolt it to the wheel disc and then notched holes around the outer edge to stack several weights together. You might be able to bolt two weights, one inside the disc and the second inside the disc/ Use 3 bolts to go all the way through the disc and both weights. Then you can stack two or three weights on the inside and outside. Upwards of 500# per side. I just don't know how much stress it would put on the rear end of the tractor. When you add liquuid to the tires, the weight bacically goes directly to the ground.

 

[RaydaKub]

Welcome. I'm pretty sure its okay to fill them less than 75%.

If you are using tubeless tires (and depending on what you use for fill), you risk corrosion of the rim because it is constantly exposed to the oxygen in the tire. It doesn't happen over night, but there's lots of rims that have rusted out from it. At the 75% mark, you keep the rim submerged. If you use a tube, yeah, put in what you want.

 

[xring100]

These are cast weights and have holes around the center to bolt it to the wheel disc and then notched holes around the outer edge to stack several weights together. You might be able to bolt two weights, one inside the disc and the second inside the disc/ Use 3 bolts to go all the way through the disc and both weights. Then you can stack two or three weights on the inside and outside. Upwards of 500# per side. I just don't know how much stress it would put on the rear end of the tractor. When you add liquuid to the tires, the weight bacically goes directly to the ground.

The load path between weights and tire ballast is the same. Same effect on axle

Dave

 

[azbinder]

Just reread my post. I need to do a better job of proof reading them.
Ment to say: Install one weight on the OUTSIDE and one on the INSIDE and bolt them together sandwitching the disc between the weights.

 

[vtsnowedin]

The load path between weights and tire ballast is the same. Same effect on axle

Dave

Sorry to say but you are wrong on this. The reaction point for the fluid fill is at the bottom of the tire on the inside of the tread. It places no load on the bearings unless the tire is up in the air which seldom happens. A cast iron weight has a reaction point at the axle hub and pulls down on the wheel bearings all the time.

 

[Bluegill2]

Sorry to say but you are wrong on this. The reaction point for the fluid fill is at the bottom of the tire on the inside of the tread. It places no load on the bearings unless the tire is up in the air which seldom happens. A cast iron weight has a reaction point at the axle hub and pulls down on the wheel bearings all the time.

You might want to rethink that a bit. Weight bolted to a rim puts weight on the tire that's sitting on the ground. The weight of the tractor is the only weight on the wheel bearings...

 

[Leejohn]

I'm missing something? If a wheel is 10lbs or a 1000lbs it isn't pulling anything down. When you bolt it to the tractor what is it pulling on? Now when the rear comes up it's pulling on the tractor. The deal is not put so much that you bend the axle when you try to get the wheel up.

 

[vtsnowedin]

The difference comes from the nature of fluids which exert there weight in all directions at any given depth equally. Gravity is what is pulling down and the reaction force (from the ground upwards against the tire) has to balance force for force or motion will occur. That is why the math is called statics. The fixed iron weight does exert its weight all the way to the ground through the rim and tire but it's path goes through the hub bearings. the fluid is free to flow around the hub and only exerts its mass on the inside of the tire contact patch. I'm not a teacher so perhaps that is not the most instructive explanation but if you look it up I'm sure you will find I'm right.

 

[art]

The difference comes from the nature of fluids which exert there weight in all directions at any given depth equally. Gravity is what is pulling down and the reaction force (from the ground upwards against the tire) has to balance force for force or motion will occur. That is why the math is called statics. The fixed iron weight does exert its weight all the way to the ground through the rim and tire but it's path goes through the hub bearings. the fluid is free to flow around the hub and only exerts its mass on the inside of the tire contact patch. I'm not a teacher so perhaps that is not the most instructive explanation but if you look it up I'm sure you will find I'm right.

For what you are saying the top half of the weight is above the bearing so the load would be reduced by 1/2! That is with your thoughts.. Now when the tire is rolling and the liquid filled tire possibly has the liquid so that it is in the upper part of the tire, then where is the weight, uselessly in the air?

 

[xring100]

So your trying tell me that if i unbolt the wheel from the axle and roll the wheel out of the way with the weights still kept in the upright position on the wheel. That the weights on the wheel are putting load on bearings. There is the possibility in the case where you lift a rear wheel off the ground that you could create a slightly larger moment due to the placement of the weight. But this would be small in terms of what the axle is used to. But normally when the tires in contact with the ground as intended the tire then wheel support both the wheel weights and the tractor. Main difference between tire and wheel weight is the load path through the assembly. Tire ballast is only held up by the tire

Dave

 

[john_bud]

Weight in or on the tires or rims have little effect on the bearings. The affect is only from the change in inertia. More weight makes it harder to start and stop rotation, requiring slightly more force. Very small difference,but a difference.

I would add the fill to the tires. The up sidr far out weighs the down.

 

[Bluegill2]

Any and all weight added to the rim is transferred to the tire, then to the ground.

It can have an effect on the axles and bearings as the tractor is used. But it's NOT pulling down on the wheel bearings, unless one or both rears are off the ground, or are trying to be lifted off the ground.

The ONLY weight on the wheel bearings, is the weight of the tractor and any weight added to the 3 pt hitch.