load the tires!

tony binkowski · Jun 14, 2011

hey guys, i know its been awhile but ive been working like a bee!!! saturday i scraped a spot for a garden, by the way i have a new b3000, going down the east side i had a full bucket and got on a slant. the bucket was low but it felt like it was about to roll!:ashamed: it has a ballast box with 500lbs. on the 3pt but it happened so fast that you feel like your in slow motion! i turned down hill and dumped the load:thumbsup: i almost sh!?#$@@!!##$ myself so today i called and the tires are getting loaded tommorow with rim guard!!! i have alot to learn about having a tractor and it starts with respect for the machine! lesson learned and i am sure there is more to come. i have been on tractors my whole life but when it comes to these compacts, i have even more to learn!!!!!!!!!! thx tony

easygo · Jun 15, 2011

Yeah. That can happen when you have inadequate ballast on the hitch. Try hanging about 700-800 lbs back there and then you will have a bit better time and able to keep your "pants clean". Especially on a downhill turning slightly sideways with a full bucket ... that is the perfect recipe for a rollover. By the way. Those tires hold about 230-250lbs of rimguard each, but that does not substitute ballast on the hitch.

nfowler · Jun 15, 2011

I've had the same experience. I have a new B3030HSDC with RimGuard, rear wheel spacers and a 500 lb ballast box on the 3pt. Going downhill on a woods road with a full load of crushed rock in the FEL, I needed to make a tight right hand turn. I lowered the FEL, lowered the ballast box, and slowed to a crawl and still the pucker factor went through the roof. I haven't driven a tractor in 40 years, but my father's old JD B never gave me the thrills this B3030 has. I'd gladly exchange a couple of inches of ground clearance for 1000 lbs of lead below the axles.

EE_Bota · Jun 15, 2011

nfowler said:
I've had the same experience. I have a new B3030HSDC with RimGuard, rear wheel spacers and a 500 lb ballast box on the 3pt. Going downhill on a woods road with a full load of crushed rock in the FEL, I needed to make a tight right hand turn. I lowered the FEL, lowered the ballast box, and slowed to a crawl and still the pucker factor went through the roof. I haven't driven a tractor in 40 years, but my father's old JD B never gave me the thrills this B3030 has. I'd gladly exchange a couple of inches of ground clearance for 1000 lbs of lead below the axles.

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forby · Jun 16, 2011

Speaking of ballast boxes......

Every time I see ballast boxes, they seem to be lifted up quite high. I always felt that this raises the risk of a roll over as the cg is raised. It seems like the ballast boxes are to keep the front axle safe more than for roll over protection.

I personally keep my ballast as low as possible on my 2360, even scraping it on the ground occasionally and having to bump it up by the inch. I have close to 400 pounds of steel weights on there as well as rimguard.

I think my ballast is no more that 14-18 inches to the TOP of the ballast.

Thoughts?

EE_Bota · Jun 16, 2011

forby said:
Speaking of ballast boxes......

Every time I see ballast boxes, they seem to be lifted up quite high. I always felt that this raises the risk of a roll over as the cg is raised. It seems like the ballast boxes are to keep the front axle safe more than for roll over protection.

I personally keep my ballast as low as possible on my 2360, even scraping it on the ground occasionally and having to bump it up by the inch. I have close to 400 pounds of steel weights on there as well as rimguard.

I think my ballast is no more that 14-18 inches to the TOP of the ballast.

Thoughts?

I think lower is better than higher, but that weight is supposed to keep the rear pinned down, and if it starts to go, chances are you are going to roll regardless. If one is on a steep hill sideways, I suppose it could help, but that is a serious danger in any case.

I would not want the ballast to ever be low enough that it could reasonable contact the ground, since if it hits the ground firmly, it is no longer ballast. I suppose it will reengage before a flip, but I would hate to get one started. I also worry about swinging ballast.