ovrszd
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- May 27, 2006
- Messages
- 32,246
- Location
- Missouri
- Tractor
- Kubota M9540, Ford 3910FWD, Ford 555A, JD2210
I use rear tire fluid, cast iron rear wheel weights and a 1,200lb BB on the 3pt. I must use mature caution when using my Grapple.There have been a great many discussions about ballast and it's effects on the front axle over the years.
And alot of what is being said....like "ballast always lightens the load on the front"....has to be understood with some context.
I'll use my MX for example cause I am familiar with what it weighs.
I can say first hand that a 500# ballast (along with my loaded tires and wheel weights) is NOT enough to keep the rear planted.
So...without ballast.....I might be able to pallet forks a tote with 75 gallons and the rears lift. (Let's say tractor weighs 6k. So now I have 6k + 75 gallons of weight ALL on the front.
Add rear ballast of 500#....now tractor weighs 6.5k.
Lifting the SAME 75 gallons is gonna put less weight up front
However....with ballast I might now be able to pick 125 gallons before tears lift
Now I have increased front axle load to 6.5k +125 gallons. Which is significantly more than no ballast where it could only lift 6k+75 gal.
So again ...it's all in context of what is being done.
With ballast gives you the ability to lift more up front. And that gives the ability to increase front axle load.
But if you are simply talking about a fixed load up front. (moving pallets or round bales) adding counter weight will Always reduce front axle load with the same given loader load.
The absolute worst case scenario is just enough ballast to max out the loader....but leaving near 0 weight on the rears. Because that is max loader lift...plus max tractor weight all on the front axle.