Ballast (again) on a 3038e

[BOC]

All -

I am a newbie to this whole tractor thing and am learning a whole lot from this website. I have done research regarding the issue of ballast and have read just about every thread that has to do with filling the tires, rear wheel weights, and ballast boxes. Unfortunately, I am still lost. I am not really sure what I need for my situation and my dealer has been of no help.

I was recently playing around (learning) in a sand hole with the FEL and realized a few things. In this beach-like area I found myself in I couldn't hardly get any traction when trying to back out with the bucket full. I kept spinning the tires and occasionally felt the back end come off the ground (MFWD was engaged). It didn't take me long to figure out I need some weight on my back end.

Here is my dilemma. I live in northern Indiana where I have nothing but flat ground. I bought the tractor for mainly two purposes, bush-hogging and tilling food plots. I realized when I bought the tractor it was for the budget minded and was light on weight to begin with (I didn't anticipate needing a heavy machine for these tasks). With that being said, I still want it to be a budget machine and am having a hard time deciding whether I should invest in wheel weights and a ballast box or just a ballast box (filling the tires is not something I want to do unless absolutely necessary and something none of my local JD dealers offer).

To summarize, it is a 3038e with R4 tires. FEL work is not something I feel I will do a lot of. As of now I have no need to haul large amounts of gravel or sand. What I see myself using the FEL for is pushing back brush, hauling a load of firewood out of the woods, hanging various objects from the hooks that I welded on the bucket, moving large objects like compressors, gas tanks, etc. Most other work will be limited to running a grain auger, mowing, and tilling. Again, the key for me is to make the machine as capable as possible without breaking the bank. One thing I have read and will also try is reduce the tire pressure in the rear tires. Right now they are the same as when it was delivered.

Can I get by with just a ballast box? I sincerely thank anyone who can provide this newbie with some help and guidance!!

BOC

 

[cjdavis618]

Sounds like you have it pretty well figured out, but one thing I would add is to have the tires loaded with fluid to add more weight. You can get quite a bit more weight on that tractor by adding fluid to the tires all around.

 

[beppington]

Wood forms & bags of concrete surely must be cheaper than JD wheel weights(?), so consider making yourself a big ol' heavy concrete ballast box:

- Can easily be removed when not needed
- Cheaper
- Can be custom made to hold other "stuff" (chains, hand tools, etc)
- Doesn't take a rocket scientist to make it; just needs to be heavy

I don't think wheel weights can be removed as easily & cost more.

Water in the tires may be the cheapest, depending on what you use (water vs windshield washer fluid vs the tire filler chemicals), but of course can't easily be removed.

About the only negative to the ballast box is it adds a little extra length hanging off the back of the tractor.

 

[BOC]

It seems like some people recommend doing all three and I wasn't sure if that was absolutely necessary or overkill?

 

[beppington]

It seems like some people recommend doing all three and I wasn't sure if that was absolutely necessary or overkill?

All 3 are viable, acceptable ballast options, & it's only necessary depending on how you use your tractor. If you're not using your loader much, I'd def do the ballast box since it can be removed so quickly/easily. If it's not heavy enough, either make a bigger one or add wheel weights; better to make it very heavy to start with, though. I can't imagine you'd need more than any 2 of these together, though.

I've read where guys have filled tires but it's still not enough. Or a guy has a heavy bush hog hanging off the back, & it's still not enough. I myself have water-filled rear tires & that does the trick for me. I have lifted things, or pried up on things, to where the back wheels come up, but it's only happened a few times, no big deal, no need for me to make a change.

 

[rambler]

After operating tractors on a real farm for decades, I was never so scared on a tractor as when I got a larger compact 4wd with a loader, and drove down my somewhat hilly driveway in a heavy dew with an empty wagon behind.

These things are far more dangerous than anything on the farm - light weight, short wheelbase,more traction than stopping power, and a loader with a possible heavy load (or even empty) sticking way out front.

I parked that thing until the coop came out in a few days and filled the rear tires with fluid.

Much better tractor, all the time.

For doing heavy loader work, I put a weight box on the 3pt.

I would not run one of these things without liquid in the rear tires. It's far too dangerous. Steel rimweights are fine too, tho too expensive for me. The weight box is a good idea, but there will be too many times 'oh I will just do this' that a person doesn't bother to put it on.

My opinion.

--->Paul

 

[beppington]

After operating tractors on a real farm for decades, I was never so scared on a tractor as when I got a larger compact 4wd with a loader, and drove down my somewhat hilly driveway in a heavy dew with an empty wagon behind.

These things are far more dangerous than anything on the farm - light weight, short wheelbase,more traction than stopping power, and a loader with a possible heavy load (or even empty) sticking way out front.

I parked that thing until the coop came out in a few days and filled the rear tires with fluid.

Much better tractor, all the time.

For doing heavy loader work, I put a weight box on the 3pt.

I would not run one of these things without liquid in the rear tires. It's far too dangerous. Steel rimweights are fine too, tho too expensive for me. The weight box is a good idea, but there will be too many times 'oh I will just do this' that a person doesn't bother to put it on.

My opinion.

--->Paul

This is why I don't mind having my tires filled, & I leave my loader on ... never know when a quick job will come up & it's needed.

 

[msmud]

BOC,
What are your tire pressures front and rear?

 

[BOC]

Both were in the upper teens. I thought leaving the front and lowering the rear tire pressure to 10-12 PSI may help out?

 

[msmud]

I would recommend the following experiment: A) Fill the loader with some heavy material, check the front tire pressures and make sure there is no bulge; likely 18 - 19 psi will be fine; B) Lower the rear tires to 8.5 - 9 psi and retry the machine for traction. There should be a considerable improvement in performance.

In my 3038e, traction degrades substantially if rear tire pressures are in excess of 10 - 11 psi. At 17.5 psi front, 8 - 9 psi rear I have never noticed any rim slippage. I don't have a loader but do have nearly 600 # front end weight to counter balance 6 foot hog.

I don't think you will have a full idea of machine performance unless you have the loader counterbalanced with some heavy rear attachment.

 

[Jd5203]

Sounds like you have it pretty well figured out, but one thing I would add is to have the tires loaded with fluid to add more weight. You can get quite a bit more weight on that tractor by adding fluid to the tires all around.

I would do this also and instead of getting a rear ballets box just attach an attachment to the three point hitch. This will give you added weight without spending extra money.

 

[k0ua]

Well you already know how scary your tractor is without any kind of ballast while doing loader work. Let me tell you why I run both ballast on the 3pt and loaded tires. I mostly do loader work, and lift heavy rocks and buckets full of gravel etc. But when I am mowing the ballast box is not on the tractor.. and I still want to manuever on hilly ground, and I need something to give me more stability. The loaded tires put the majority of their weight below the axle, and increase stability. With the loaded tires, and the ballast box on the 3pt, it just helps all the more when doing loader work. Your work and goals may be different than mine, but I would not even try to use the FEL without at least a nice heavy rear ballast on the back. I just don't have the "guts" to do it without.

James K0UA

 

[sideskraft]

Well you already know how scary your tractor is without any kind of ballast while doing loader work. Let me tell you why I run both ballast on the 3pt and loaded tires. I mostly do loader work, and lift heavy rocks and buckets full of gravel etc. But when I am mowing the ballast box is not on the tractor.. and I still want to manuever on hilly ground, and I need something to give me more stability. The loaded tires put the majority of their weight below the axle, and increase stability. With the loaded tires, and the ballast box on the 3pt, it just helps all the more when doing loader work. Your work and goals may be different than mine, but I would not even try to use the FEL without at least a nice heavy rear ballast on the back. I just don't have the "guts" to do it without.

James K0UA

Good points all. I'm not a tractor owner yet but have done intensive research into 25-40hp compacts, focusing on Branson, LS, Bota and a very low hour pristine 3038E that was just traded to a dealer (hasn't been advertised yet). One thing all 30E Series owners must acknowledge is that these machines are the lightest in their class, and I'm guessing they have the least percentage of weight on the rear tires. This is primarily due to extensive use of lightweight materials, specifically plastic and aluminum, with the biggest contributors being cast aluminum transmission and rear end/differential housing. But the Deere also appears to have the lightest loader/bucket setup, so that helps to balance things. I'm still considering a 35hp Branson that's a tank (4100lbs) that has front and rear lifting capacities about double of the Deere, but it's also larger in every dimension and right now that machine would be extreme overkill for my 2.5 acre property. I think the Deere would be a better fit. The Deere manual states how much ballast is required for FEL work, and if I buy that one, I plan to fill the tires and fill a Deere or Titan box to get at least 500lb.

 

[Garandman]

We have a similar-size Kubota and do not understand why you would not fill the tires and get a ballast box, for all the reasons listed above, safety being paramount.

While it is easy enough to make ballast, we purchased a CUT ballast box from DR Power in VT. It is loaded with Granite, which weighs about 160 lbs cu/ft and weighs 125 lb so we are at around 700-800.

It is made by Earth and Turf in PA if they or another dealer are closer. There are cheaper boxes as well.
Ballast Box for Compact Tractors | Earth and Turf Attachments

Ballast Box 3 Point Category 1 Tractor Attachment

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200487884_200487884

 

[sideskraft]

Very nice box. I've had my eye on the Titan box -- I like the hitch receiver on the bottom. Why did you choose granite, and where did you find it? I wonder if there is somewhere to access lead, since it's one of the most dense materials available?

 

[kcflhrc]

I have a 2013 3032E with the 305 Loader and have never felt I needed anything for ballast besides the loaded tires. The fluid in the tires adds a lot of weight.

 

[Millalien]

I have a 2013 3032E with the 305 Loader and have never felt I needed anything for ballast besides the loaded tires. The fluid in the tires adds a lot of weight.

I use a ballast box I made by embedding a draw bar in a plastic storage container and filling it with about 240# of concrete. With about 1,600# of rim guard already on board, the ballast box probably wasn't changing the tipping point a whole lot. I took it off to use a 3pt implement and didn't put it back on. Theoretically, there's a payload which is 239# too heavy, but I haven't come across it yet.

I can't imagine running my 3320 unloaded - it rides high and light as it is, and filling the tires was well worth the $$. I haven't rolled it, but I'm sure I would have had the tires not been filled.

 

[sideskraft]

I use a ballast box I made by embedding a draw bar in a plastic storage container and filling it with about 240# of concrete. With about 1,600# of rim guard already on board, the ballast box probably wasn't changing the tipping point a whole lot. I took it off to use a 3pt implement and didn't put it back on. Theoretically, there's a payload which is 239# too heavy, but I haven't come across it yet.

I can't imagine running my 3320 unloaded - it rides high and light as it is, and filling the tires was well worth the $$. I haven't rolled it, but I'm sure I would have had the tires not been filled.

How did you get 1600lb of rim guard in your tires? I think 3320 has 43x16-20 tires, each holds 38gal max, about 410lb per tire, total of 820lb.

 

[beenthere]

Duals ??