Learning experience

[Waffles]

I have a steep concrete driveway in front of my house. I always run the tractor in 2wd on it. Over the weekend I was loading a pallet in front of the house with the tractor up hill on the drive. I lifted the pallet and started down the drive aimed at the house. Hit a small bump in the concrete that started a slide. My first reaction was to add brakes thinking my increase in speed was just the steepness of the hill. By the time I figured out what was happening I was going too fast and too close to the house to drop the load. I was lucky to be able turn to flatter ground missing the house by a couple feet.

Lessons learned:

Need more ballast. I knew this already but I don't have a way.

Keep heavy side up hill, even if inconvenient.

Use 4wd with any heavy front load, better to be safe than worry about wear and damage to driveline.

 

[MF243RedTop]

Why do you not have a way to add ballast?

 

[Waffles]

I don't have an easy way to add weight to my BB.

 

[dragoneggs]

What about filling your rear tires?

 

[Rebeldad1]

Second on the filling of the rear tires.
Mine are filled. And after breaking my last tractor twice trying to lift more than it could handle.... I dont use rear weight for any reason.
I let the tractor tell me its too much.

 

[Waffles]

Filling the tires is not as efficient as adding weight on 3PH. I need to be efficient because the HST struggles on my steep hills. I need to be able to easily add and remove ballast based on tasks.

 

[PCABE5]

I dont use rear weight for any reason.

That's just crazy advise.

Filling the tires is not as efficient as adding weight on 3PH. I need to be efficient because the HST struggles on my steep hills. I need to be able to easily add and remove ballast based on tasks.

Your loader manual should cover this. My LS manual says I need both. Tire ballast, liquid or steel weights, and a counterweight on the rear.

 

[Waffles]

It does. I need to figure out how to add 500 pounds on top of my BB.

 

[Peter 315]

Hang some suitcase weights off it.......

 

[old and tired]

...Keep heavy side up hill, even if inconvenient...

NOT True... You'll still lose traction... only difference is that you be going downhill backwards...

If you don't want to add weight, keep it in 4x4