Can rear ballast be dangerous?

[Deepdrop]

I am a new tractor owner and I recently posted because I had a disturbing incident where my rear wheel came off the ground when I was lifting a heavy rock using the grapple on my Kioti CX2510 with loaded tires, and no ballast.
I learned from the discussion that it's important to have rear ballast when lifting heavy loads in the front.

So, my ballast rack and weights arrived and I put on 336 lbs of weight on the rack today. It got me thinking about whether this could be dangerous when I'm NOT carrying heavy front end loads.
Should I keep the weights off when I'm just doing lightweight tasks? Is there a risk of actually causing the front wheels to lift up and possibly tip over backwards?
I ask this because the tractor just felt different with the weight on today. Going up an incline with the ballast on definitely made me think. I decided to back up the incline because it felt like going forwards could be a little iffy.

If anyone could clarify how to manage rear ballast depending on tasks, I'd be grateful. Do you leave it on all the time? Maybe I just need to get used to the new feel?

Thanks very much.

 

[Roadworthy]

I don't see the ballast being an issue. Most of the time I have a mower on the back of my tractor. I think it outweighs my ballast box. If you attach to a load on the rear incorrectly you do run the risk of flipping the tractor. that's why when pulling you should connect below the rear axle. I tend to leave the ballast on my tractor when not mowing. It helps counteract the loader.

 

[Mat4644]

Loaded tires are good for traction but 3pt ballast is much more effective for loader. Keep the 3pt ballast low and with little side to side play on the lower arms.

 

[4570Man]

It would take a lot more than 300 pounds to make it tip backwards. Even if you did manage it flipping all the way over would be close to impossible because the weight will hit the ground before that happens.

 

[rademamj1]

You did just fine, loading weights on the rear of the tractor. It will help stabilize the tractor during FEL and grapple loads. And no need to be constantly adding and removing weights. For my rear weights, i just pick up my 520lb box blade which can stay on the tractor for many weeks at a time. Its the perfect counterbalance for safety. And your tractor should go up hills without any problems.

 

[k0ua]

I am a new tractor owner and I recently posted because I had a disturbing incident where my rear wheel came off the ground when I was lifting a heavy rock using the grapple on my Kioti CX2510 with loaded tires, and no ballast.
I learned from the discussion that it's important to have rear ballast when lifting heavy loads in the front.

So, my ballast rack and weights arrived and I put on 336 lbs of weight on the rack today. It got me thinking about whether this could be dangerous when I'm NOT carrying heavy front end loads.
Should I keep the weights off when I'm just doing lightweight tasks? Is there a risk of actually causing the front wheels to lift up and possibly tip over backwards?
I ask this because the tractor just felt different with the weight on today. Going up an incline with the ballast on definitely made me think. I decided to back up the incline because it felt like going forwards could be a little iffy.

If anyone could clarify how to manage rear ballast depending on tasks, I'd be grateful. Do you leave it on all the time? Maybe I just need to get used to the new feel?

Thanks very much.

No, not an issue. Even with your small tractor the 336 lbs is likely not enough rear ballast for really heavy FEL work. See your manual. My manual calls for 1100 lbs on the 3pt. You can leave it on all the time, or you can take it off. Up to you. if I am using another rear implement, obviously the rear ballast is off, and I will have to rely on the ballast of the fluid in my rear tires to pull the implement. Sometimes not near enough. If I go to pick up a big rock or log, you can bet my rear ballast is on. The rear tires coming up off the ground is NOT a good feel, and you should NEVER get used to that. It is dangerous as your front axle pivot point can pivot either way instantly and unexpectedly. Rears in the air: "Danger Will Robinson"...

 

[Deepdrop]

Thanks for the reassurance.
The manual mentions the need for using appropriate ballast but doesn't give any numbers. Not real helpful.
Maybe I'll add some wheel weights also.

 

[rademamj1]

I might add, even rear ballast does not guarantee safety on some heavy loads. The only time my rear wheel ever left the ground, was while picking up a pallet load near my max loader weight, unloading off a delivery truck, and even with good rear 3pt counter weight, both rear wheels left the ground for a split second until such time the front weight was lowered to 18" above ground. At that height, everything became stable again. So if at all possible, always keep your heavy front loads close to the ground and no sharp turns.

 

[DMW]

It may be counter intuitive but using the ballast can reduce rutting in grass/soft ground. It removes weight from the front axle (from the lever effect), so the narrower front tires are less likely to dig into soft ground. With no ballast, any load in the FEL reduces the pressure of the rear drive tires on the ground. They may be "touching" the ground but are more likely to spin as the lose traction and rip up the sod.

Adding wheel weights doesn't reduce the weight on the front axle, just adds more weight to the back end at a lower center of gravity. Better for stability on slopes

Once moved a heavy weight with my loader, without ballast Things were fine until I hit some wet ground. The rear wheels just started spinning up mud. Was able to put it in 4WD, and crawl out of it , basically driving with the front axle only in contact with the ground. Never did that again.

Same thing for braking. In 2WD the rears have less traction without ballast, to stop the tractor. Going down a slope can be very dangerous with a loaded FEL and no counterweight.
My GC2300 is a lot lighter than your Kioti. It still has the 300# boxblade on it at all times when not using the chipper or snowblower.

 

[Ohio RK24]

I personally do not like using my tractor ( RK24 ) without having ballast on the rear, I have a factory mounted back hoe that weighs in at 741lbs. the rare time that I do take it off the traction and loader workability are greatly reduced, I feel much safer and get more done in shorter time with the ballast.
Much of the work I have done around my small property would not be doable without that weight on the rear, I use the back hoe to do a fair amount of work to include moving trees that I have felled and cut up to the burn pile then digging out the stumps. it takes a while due to the size of the trees, without the BH on the rear I would not get it done without a great deal more manual labor.

 

[Diggin It]

Is there a risk of actually causing the front wheels to lift up and possibly tip over backwards?
I ask this because the tractor just felt different with the weight on today. Going up an incline with the ballast on definitely made me think. I decided to back up the incline because it felt like going forwards could be a little iffy.

The correct answer is ... maybe. It's all about the incline. When I mow my steepest hill, I don't want any extra weight behind me. I keep the loader on and keep it as low and forward as possible. Even then, I get concerned about the front getting light. Your slope may not be as steep as mine though. I have all four tires loaded to keep as much weight on the ground as I can. The loading doesn't add a lot of weight to the small fronts, but every little bit helps .

Going uphill on a steep incline, the BH is probably the worst thing you can have behind you due to the height of it.

Not sure if they all do, but my owner's manual recommends backing uphill. I thought they were nuts until I tried it a couple of times when the front felt flaky.

 

[oosik]

What 4570Man said - post #4. I ALWAYS have weight on the FEL and 3-point. Plus 1550# of RimGuard in the rear tires.

I have an 820# grapple on the FEL and a 1050# rear blade on the 3-point. In the spring I have my 770# Wallenstein chipper on the 3-point for about a month.

I got my Kubota M6040 new in 2009. It felt "different" for about two weeks. Then I got use to this new "feel".

I had one rear wheel lifting experience with my first tractor. Nothing bad happened. It sure as H*LL taught me to be more careful.

It was a new Ford 1700 - I was new to tractors and tractor experiences. Nothing even close to this, since that time.

When lifting "heavy", I'm super sensitive to what the rear end is doing.

 

[Diggin It]

^^ But do you have steep slopes?

 

[oosik]

^^ But do you have steep slopes?

. Generally speaking my land is fairly flat. What few slopes I do have are almost vertical. Nothing I would want to take any kind of equipment onto. A picture taken off my front porch. The basaltic lava cliffs are my slopes. View attachment 671876

 

[Diggin It]

A Cliff is a Claven, not a slope. I can walk all my slopes, but one takes about all I can muster. Tractor and both riding mowers handle it, but grunt in the process. Riders have aged to the point they only want to do it for a few passes before they need to rest and cool their heels, errr, hydros.

 

[oosik]

Whatever. It's a 40 foot drop to the water off the top of the cliff. And that's no joke. No shore line - water is 35 feet deep at the face of the cliff.

A small( ten acre ) but honest example of our lakes in this area. Area is called the Channeled Scablands.

 

[shooterdon]

Like others here, I have rear ballast almost all the time unless using the back blade or rake for ground work. I use my blower (900+ lbs) or a carry all with over 800 lbs in it.

In tight quarters, I need to be careful with either, and watch tight turns nears stuff as the blower is wide. I feel (and know) I am safer with the added weight.

Yesterday I put about 15 IBC totes of maple into the garage for the winter. The IBC totes are modified to hold just under 1/2 cord. That is well over 2000 lbs per tote. I had the blower on. Rears are loaded with RimGuard.

Weight is your friend!!!

 

[Thomas]

Congrats on the new Kioti just remember now you got the tractor fever and there ain't no cure.

I say keep the ballast on less stress on the frontend when turning and working,far as going up steep slope try 4WD but backing up lot safer....type of tire thread and ground conditions can make BIG difference.

Sooo you also live in Lebanon...city of the water fountains. cross roads of New Hampshire and all of that

 

[Deepdrop]

First, I really appreciate all the advice. Thank you all. I guess the question now is how much ballast to have. I have researched this without clear answers but what I learned is that some is better than having none, the owners manuals no longer give that info for many manufacturers of tractors, and some people say to use a weight equal to your maximum front loader capacity.
I guess I could get heavier weights for the 3PH bracket, but lifting these weights is getting hard. Isn't the tractor supposed to keep me from manual work? The forks on my new pallet fork practically killed me. Before I ordered it, I read the reviews and people said the forks are removable, but "kind of heavy". REALLY??? 85 pounds each is more than I care to move around manually these days.
My slopes are probably gradual by most standards. My yard is poorly landscaped and there are lots of dips and rises, that all add a little "thrill" to the tractor ride. Maybe 40 degrees for about 30 feet is as severe as it gets. I did learn the 4WD rule for going down hills the hard way. Luckily I stayed pointed in the right direction, and upright. Just a little older (and maybe wiser).
@oosik: There must be some good fishing in those waters?
@Thomas: Yep. Lebanon. Actually I'm in Etna, but nobody has ever heard of that unless they are local. It's been a tricky adjustment as I always lived near the ocean. Been here 16 years and still really miss the ocean.

 

[oosik]

Yes - weight IS your friend. My property is - Ponderosa pine stands and fields of bunch grass. If I had property like many have here on TBN - I would have trouble with the rear blade on my tractor. It's heavy and sticks WAY out back. It does take some of the load off the front axle.

I have my lake stocked with both large & small mouth bass. There is an unfortunate downside to this. The ducks - golden eye, mallard, coot, wood, etc, etc seldom nest on my lake. I've seen large bass take baby coot a couple times.

View attachment 671897