Ballast Do Wheel weights really work?

   / Do Wheel weights really work? #1  

flipado

New member
Joined
Jan 18, 2002
Messages
6
i am pruchasing a new 3010 and am a little concerned about calc. and the potential leakage if a puncture occurs. with wheel weights i can add up to 150 lbs per side.
is this enough weight to keep the tractor stable on hills and with a FEL.

wade
 
   / Do Wheel weights really work? #2  
Instead of CaCl, consider plain water or 50-50 mix of water and automobile antifreeze. I use the 50-50 mix in my R4 tires.
 
   / Do Wheel weights really work? #3  
There are a lot of posts on this subject.

Liquid fill has the advantage of no rotational inertia (easier on gears, brakes, etc) and a lower center of gravity (usually filled to the top of the rim only)

What about beet juice? Freindly and heavy I'm told.
 
   / Do Wheel weights really work? #4  
My dealer loaded my tires with windshield washer fluid.
 
   / Do Wheel weights really work? #5  
In response to the question <font color=blue> is this enough weight to keep the tractor stable on hills and with a FEL
<font color=black>
That depends on the hill, as there is a point of no return regardless of the weight, and it depends on what loads you will put in the FEL. Personally, I would go with more weight than 150 on each side for the FEL, or a good ballast box or implement on the 3pt.

Certainly any extra wheel weight will help the stability on the hills. But that doesn't answer the <font color=blue>'enough weight to keep' <font color=black> part of your question, as no one knows what that answer is.
 
   / Do Wheel weights really work? #6  
Wade,
Congratulations on the L3010! Great tractor! I have a B series so I can’t answer all of your questions. I was also concerned about Calcium fill so I used an environmentally safe anti-freeze and water mix. It was easy to do and added a great deal of stability to my tractor. If the wheel weights were not so expensive I would add some in addition to the liquid fill. Depending on the tire type you get with the tractor, I believe you will be able to add more than 150 pounds per side with liquid fill.

As “beenthere” said, “depends on the hill”. The more weight down low the better. I always have a counter weight on for FEL work and it is needed on my B21. Your L series may be different but it always helps with balance and traction to have a counter weight. Much safer. I use a boxblade when the backhoe is off the tractor. If space restriction were an issue I would make a concrete counter weight to hook to the 3pt.

MarkV
 
   / Do Wheel weights really work? #7  
Another possibility is to have the tires foam filled. That adds a lot more weight than a liquid solution. Besides the heavier weight, the foam filling renders the tires flat proof if punctured. One disadvantage or advantage depending on how you look at it, is that foam filled ag tread tires really bite into the ground even if it happens to be your lawn.
 
   / Do Wheel weights really work? #8  
depending on the things u want to do, thereMAY be more advantage to wheel weights, or a counter weight, once the tires are filled, they are always filled. might their be a time when u don't want the added weight? just giving u another thing to think about. if heavy footprints are not going to be a concern then filled tires are the way to go.
 
   / Do Wheel weights really work? #9  
At how high a level should the liquid ballast be put in the tire folks??
I have seen up to the center of the axle and also up to the top rim (valve stem straight up) as the best way to go here. I can see where the below the axle line would be good for hill work but what all around tractor use??
What do you guys think the liquid level height ought to be???
By the way, I used antifreeze and water in my rear tires together with a set of double weights on each side. This combo seems to do a good job of keeping the hoe from bouncing the tractor around.
 

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