Chains for BX

[David s Von Gieserbrechta]

What are those disc looking things on the outside of the hubs?

Those disc looking things are custom wheel weights and are not from a free weight set. I couldn't find anything on the market for my bx that was worth anything. The cheesy little weights that kubota sells are hardly worth the effort of putting them on the tractor.
So having been a pattern maker for some thirty odd years I decided to make my own, I made the wooden pattern and then sent it to the local foundry for casting. The weights fit into the rim all the way to the lug nuts and weigh in at 225 pounds per side.

Yes they do help in the dry, I never remove them, but because of the weight I had to build a metal stand on wheels to install them but as I said I never remove the weights I have only used the stand once.

The boys at the foundry gave them a shot of black spay paint which has sorta worn off working in the bush, maybe I should repaint them sometime but my tractors are working tractors and not there to look pretty.

David

 

[cal1]

OMG (hands covering mouth!) 225 lbs/side. I assume you did both front and rear.

Does all this weight have any negative issues? I know mileage is not a concern on a tractor but I wonder if you'd notice increased fuel consumption. I've gottten myself into a few situations that the increased weight would have helped. How do you attache them? I'd imagine it would make the ride much more stable.

My neighbor keeps telling me how he added some type of liquid to his tires to increase the weight. It's a big 4200 unit with large times.

 

[David s Von Gieserbrechta]

OMG (hands covering mouth!) 225 lbs/side. I assume you did both front and rear.

Does all this weight have any negative issues? I know mileage is not a concern on a tractor but I wonder if you'd notice increased fuel consumption. I've gottten myself into a few situations that the increased weight would have helped. How do you attache them? I'd imagine it would make the ride much more stable.

My neighbor keeps telling me how he added some type of liquid to his tires to increase the weight. It's a big 4200 unit with large times.

I haven't found any negative issues using the weights, only positive ones. Fuel consumption is really not a concern, traction and stability are.
As for the front I would not put weights on the front wheels, I did however make a 225 lead weight for the front bumper. It's ugly but it works well to keep the front end on the ground when using the loader. At 225 it's still 50 pounds under max for the front end but it works.

David

 

[Bota Bum]

Concordriver, thanks for the pics. My concern was the front end and you seem to have no issues. Roy, I will be buying form the source you offered here in PA.

Thanks all!

 

[RaydaKub]

I did however make a 225 lead weight for the front bumper. It's ugly but it works well to keep the front end on the ground when using the loader.
David

David, that's the second time I've seen you talk about weighting the front end for loader work. Are you saying that you keep the wheels down when you are digging? Otherwise, my front end is plenty heavy just with the loader weight itself. I would think a backhoe would benefit more than a FEL from a front bumper weight.

 

[David s Von Gieserbrechta]

David, that's the second time I've seen you talk about weighting the front end for loader work. Are you saying that you keep the wheels down when you are digging? Otherwise, my front end is plenty heavy just with the loader weight itself. I would think a backhoe would benefit more than a FEL from a front bumper weight.

Yes RaydaKub I do a lot of digging as in digging out field rocks and making rock gardens. Without the front weight the front end just lifts, lets face it these bx's just are not very heavy anyplace and are mostly made for mowing grass but with a little tweaking they can be made to perform like a much larger tractor but in much smaller spaces and that is where I need the bx as in landscaping. Without the added weight when that bucket touches the ground the front end has virtually no weight and will come off of the ground especially in heavy soils like we have around here.

As far as the backhoe I don't have one for the bx as I don't have much use for a backhoe of that size, when I need a backhoe I bring out a real machine from my business like a Cat 416E Backhoe Loader.

David

 

[freddyr]

I had chains on at first with fel and rear snowblower, than took them off and had no problems. I had a small hill and went great. Have fluid in tires. Turf tires do better in snow than others. The chains are for backup now.

 

[Bota Bum]

I'm doing the chains, more from a safty standpoint than a traction need. By that I mean, my BX is new to me, I have no clue how it will handle ice. My gravel drive, on a good hill, gets icy. I want all the grip I can get, not find out in the middle of sliding down it I should'a have got chains for it. I'm putting them on, upfront. I plow with a Silverado and Curtis 7 foot setup, the BX is to aid where I cannot get the plow to, or clean up snowbanks. Last year with all the snow, I ran out of places to push it, the banks got too high, and, too hard to move once they froze solid. Hopefully this year, will be light on the snow, as here in the NE PA, we have had a record year for rainfall. The weather guys say, in record years of rain, once the cold sets in, the pattern should shift and preciptation, should decrease, below normal. I am hoping....