Rim guard or not? Why a ballast box instead of boxblade?

[WranglerX]

Main thing, filled tires add stability to an inherently unstable machine.
All my tractors have had filled tires, but for stability, not as counterweight

Wheel spacer to get rear wheels wider also help immensely to stabilize tractor....

 

[lostcause]

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/img_1332-jpg.681101/

For general use my tractor doesn't need a counterweight. It has loaded tires - Rimguard I believe - bought the tractor used... As noted, extra weight is deeper ruts and i suppose extra wear, though with the low hours I put on, can't think it matters. However, when you are picking up the max, I need more than a 500lb extra on the back. I offloaded a new to me drill press last year that is a full 2000lb, and i was surprised the tractor would even pick it off the trailer deck. Without a counterweight I'm betting i would have just face planted when picking the load.Mine is 1000-1100, give or take, and you can take the blocks out and move the frame easily if needed, but I just let it sit outside as-is. it literally takes seconds to attach and it was cheap to build since i already have the equipment to weld. My backhoe would be a suitable counterweight, but it's got an awkward tail swing and takes a lot more time to put on. Still haven't got around to painting it yet...

 

[k0ua]

Who's that old man you got workin for ya????

Well, He was a young handsome man not that long ago...

 

[sparkyz68]

I see a lot of people buying 3 point ballast boxes or making ballast containers out of drums to attach to their 3 point hitch.

I have never really grasped why not just keep a box blade on the back so you could have not just a weight, but something that can be used should you wish to drag something? I have seen some weld a section of railroad rail onto the top of a box blade to make it heavier.

Also, rimguard is something I have considered, but I am also not sure about this because it seems I can do everything I need to do without rimguard and it will just increase the amount of weight when I trailer the tractor or perhaps increase ruts when on soft lawns.. I have thought rimguard would be good when using my ditch bank flail mower, but so far, I haven't found myself in any situation I would consider to have been tippy.

So, is there anyone here that added rimguard to their tires and regretted it?

Please realize that ballast is not just for weight. It is also for traction. The key is that you run your pressures lower to give the tires more flotation thus leaving less of an imprint and allowing more flex in the tire. The pressure of the ballast in the tire keeps the bead from rolling off the seat on the rim. If you don’t need the extra weight or traction, most of the time, I wouldn’t add the ballast. Tire repairs are more costly and the tires are much harder to handle if removed. I have been in the tire business for 35 years and most people that add ballast on a home tractor, really don’t need it, but every situation is different.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I have all of the above and I just think it depends on what exactly you are doing. Why not have all of the possible options. I have a 1200 lb. ballast barrel and a 750 lb box blade set up. Most times for dirt moving activities the box blade is more than able and a welcomed tool. If we are talking about moving big wood in the forest you might as well have the ballast barrel with built in chainsaw sheath and cant hook.

 

[Little Red Tractor]

To the point of ruts in a soft lawn...yeah, it happens.
My first tractor was the cub with loaded ag tires and wheel weights. I dragged a finish mower for the lawn. All in all, not bad on marking up the lawn.

My next tractor was an 15 horse diesel Bolens with no weights, no liquid, turf tires and no marks on the lawn.

Next was the 28 horse Cub Cadet with turf tires, no weights and no liquid. No marks.

Now it's a B series Kubota with Rim Guard and R4 tires. Marks the lawn like a champ, I'm afraid I think it's as much a matter of the weight distribution to the tire tread, though I'm not sure. However, I need the weight and prefer the R4 tires to do other work I now need to do, so I deal with the marks on the lawn--and wait until it's dry when I can.

 

[joe48]

Good points about maneuverability. I have used my snowblower for ballast when lifting 1/2 cord totes of wood ...it weighs over 900 lbs. Plus, I have loaded tires. But I have dented the blower once so far.

I am looking at a ballast box and the cheap ones are under $300. Say another $50 to fill it with 800 lbs of stuff...not very much money.

I have looked at adding a box blade. The HD one was 500 lbs and $1300. I might use the BB once every 2-3 years. It would be nice to have but hard to justify.

You need to think about your situation and see what makes sense.

I recently found a place to buy tractor stuff and much more, called VEVOR.
First bought clamp on bucket forks for about $180. they worked really well, wish I'd bought a set years ago. Then before Christmas they had a weight box on sale for $162+frt.tax. My wife got it for me for my big present, came in looks great, haven't used it yet but will soon as we get a good snow here. I do a fair amount of fabrication so I know I couldn't buy the steel to make it myself, plus labor etc.!!

 

[npalen]

You act like there's something wrong with that...

That's hilarious!

 

[jyoutz]

To the point of ruts in a soft lawn...yeah, it happens.
My first tractor was the cub with loaded ag tires and wheel weights. I dragged a finish mower for the lawn. All in all, not bad on marking up the lawn.

My next tractor was an 15 horse diesel Bolens with no weights, no liquid, turf tires and no marks on the lawn.

Next was the 28 horse Cub Cadet with turf tires, no weights and no liquid. No marks.

Now it's a B series Kubota with Rim Guard and R4 tires. Marks the lawn like a champ, I'm afraid I think it's as much a matter of the weight distribution to the tire tread, though I'm not sure. However, I need the weight and prefer the R4 tires to do other work I now need to do, so I deal with the marks on the lawn--and wait until it's dry when I can.

Long ago, I realized that tractors are not great lawn mowers regardless of tire marking. I have a tractor to do utility work and field mowing and a riding mower for the turf grass.

 

[rademamj1]

Keep in mind that liquid weight mostly is supported by the ground and not the axle. That’s what is different about loaded tires.

Very critical point you make, and I wonder why I never looked at loaded tires quite that way before. So far, i have gotten all my work done, using a Box Blade or Bushhog as rear weight.

 

[check 6]

I use to keep a ballast box on the tractor until I found the “big tool rack” while some have said it’s too expensive I find it’s usefulness justifies the cost. Doesn’t extend any further than a box blade, allows me to keep all my yard tools organized and available and the large storage bin is great for keeping my Honda generator and other bulky stuff handy

 

[warrendeere]

Ballast Box you can adjust the amount of weight, and it could be shorter, so you have a little bit more manueverability. IMO I think your completely fine using a heavy duty boxblade. i Have a Tc35D with fulid filled rear tires, each having about 450LBS in the rear, so for a total of 900LBS. Then i Usually put my Carryall with my Gas air compressor or something like that. That gives me about a total of 600Lbs of seperate rear ballast.

 

[Johnb0311]

I see a lot of people buying 3 point ballast boxes or making ballast containers out of drums to attach to their 3 point hitch.

I have never really grasped why not just keep a box blade on the back so you could have not just a weight, but something that can be used should you wish to drag something? I have seen some weld a section of railroad rail onto the top of a box blade to make it heavier.

Also, rimguard is something I have considered, but I am also not sure about this because it seems I can do everything I need to do without rimguard and it will just increase the amount of weight when I trailer the tractor or perhaps increase ruts when on soft lawns.. I have thought rimguard would be good when using my ditch bank flail mower, but so far, I haven't found myself in any situation I would consider to have been tippy.

So, is there anyone here that added rimguard to their tires and regretted it?

Added beet juice to the back tires. Use a grapple on the loader and a carry all from Titan on the back. There went my traction problems and back end lifting. Plust that carry all can carry some heavy weight when hauling cut up logs am moving big logs withe grapple. Very glad with both rim guard and carry all.

 

[Fxfymn413]

When I bought my first Kubota, a 3010, I asked the dealer to place rear wheel weights on it and to not fill the tires so I could remove the wheel weights to cut grass. When I checked the tire pressure a few months later I discovered the tires had been filled. Since I had been doing the grass with minimal scarring, and the dealer did not charge me for the filled tires, I kept them filled.

Since then I have had the tires filled and moved the wheel weights to each new tractor I bought. I know that I can lift the maximum weight my loader will pick up without additional ballast but it is not really safe to do so as the rear is quite light. I usually keep a box on which is sufficient, but if I really want extra weight I put the tiller or aerator on.

The downside is the tractors did start tearing the lawn up, but I'm not so sure its because of the weight or the R-4 tires. I solved the issue by buying the BX to cut grass with.

 

[npalen]

My BB weighs 1100-1200 lbs. I have 1500 lbs of rear tire fluid. I'm guessing the BB hanging off the 3pt adds more weight than the fluid. But I'm not going to take the time to mathematically prove it.

Does tire fluid for weight have any influence on hydrostat (or gear type for that matter) response when starting, stopping and reversing? Can you "feel" the weight sloshing around, in other words?

 

[Fxfymn413]

Can you "feel" the weight sloshing around, in other words?

Not that I ever noticed.

 

[RoyJackson]

Does tire fluid for weight have any influence on hydrostat (or gear type for that matter) response when starting, stopping and reversing? Can you "feel" the weight sloshing around, in other words?

Nothing noticeable...

 

[IndyJay]

Does tire fluid for weight have any influence on hydrostat (or gear type for that matter) response when starting, stopping and reversing? Can you "feel" the weight sloshing around, in other words?

My old tractor did not have tire ballast, my new one does. I do not notice sloshing or surging on my manual shuttle tractor at all. I do notice an increased "perception" of stability on hills, but that may be due to wider front wheel stance of the new tractor. The tractor just seems less bouncy and more "steady" in general. Is there a flywheel effect? I don't know. I wish I could have compared using the same tractor, with and without tire ballast but am glad that I have it now.

 

[WilliamBos]

But you cannot safely lift the full weight capacity of your FEL without counterweight.

That is why the loader mounts are bolted on to the center of the tractor, the center bears the weight. It is not a teeter totter. Don't lift more than the loader is rated for, you will never have an issue.

If I need weight, cast iron wheel weights will be added, tires will never be loaded.

 

[pmsmechanic]

If I need weight, cast iron wheel weights will be added, tires will never be loaded.

I fell the same way. I'm just not interested in dealing with any tires with fluid in them.