New To 2WD Tractors.....????

[cartod]

I learned how to operate on a 4wd tractor and have recently acquired a 2wd. I really like the old 2wd tractors but I was wondering how to distribute weight when you are using rear implements. I can feel the front is light when say the brush hog is on, but should I ballast down the front end? Wont this take away from the traction the rear wheels get? Any tips that you can give a newbie on a 2wd is appreciated.

Edit

oh, and should I load all four of the tires? I have a steep part in my road and the 2wd looses traction even with diff locked. I have no weight at all on any of the tractor.

 

[Tx Jim]

I was instructed way back when I was employed by a JD dealer that every # of weights installed on the front equaled 2#s on the rear wheels as far as traction is concerned for 3 pt implements.

 

[Agvg]

Have you problems to steered the tractor?
If its very light in the front you must use some weights, should not be any problem with traction.
The most dangerous problem with 2wd is braking performance, in steep downhils you must be very carefull, I had some quite scary experiences on steep slippery gravel roads.

 

[cartod]

Have you problems to steered the tractor?
If its very light in the front you must use some weights, should not be any problem with traction.
The most dangerous problem with 2wd is braking performance, in steep downhils you must be very carefull, I had some quite scary experiences on steep slippery gravel roads.

Yes, I have already slid down the road I have problems going up. Had to change my drawers. Seems like weight would only make the slide worse. ??

 

[Agvg]

Yes, weight in the front will not be helpful in such situations. More weight in the rear tires can improve traction, but 2wd has its limits in difficult terrain\roads.

 

[deepNdirt]

When it's slippery conditions on a slope grab granny-low, and lock in the Dif.
You'll also find it quite handy knowing how to steer with it's brakes, So practice steering with the brakes,
Recently I had a front wheel spindle to snap-off, luckily I had the FEL on the tractor, I lowered the bucket down in it's most curled position while skidding and steering to my shop with the brakes,

 

[Agvg]

And then the wheels go slow and the tractor goes fast...

 

[bandaidmd]

Have you problems to steered the tractor?
If its very light in the front you must use some weights, should not be any problem with traction.
The most dangerous problem with 2wd is braking performance, in steep downhils you must be very carefull, I had some quite scary experiences on steep slippery gravel roads.

I asssume you are refering to having the tractor in 4 wheeel drive and using the engine for braking? or do your tractors also have front brakes.

 

[Agvg]

2wd tractors is just dangerous in downhill, the only 2wd tractor with frontbrakes I have seen is Fendt witch had large discbrakes.

 

[Agvg]

Here almost all 4WD tractors have front brakes, they have separate brakes in the front diff or engage 4WD when braking.
Only those that goes in 30km or slower can have rear brakes only.

 

[TerryR]

I asssume you are refering to having the tractor in 4 wheeel drive and using the engine for braking?

Not only engine breaking, but with the 4WD engaged any braking action on the rears is transmitted to the fronts via the drive train. The only time this won't be true is if there is a differential between the front and rear axles, which I think is very uncommon in tractors.

Terry

 

[GManBart]

Nice looking 820! When I was looking for a dedicated mowing/brush hog tractor, I kept my eyes out for a nice 820 or 830.

Adding some weight to the front will take away a bit of weight off the rears, for sure. If you were to load the rear tires you'd get sort of the best of both worlds...some weight to keep the front tires down, and more traction on the rear tires.

 

[murphy1244]

Nice looking 820! When I was looking for a dedicated mowing/brush hog tractor, I kept my eyes out for a nice 820 or 830.

Adding some weight to the front will take away a bit of weight off the rears, for sure. If you were to load the rear tires you'd get sort of the best of both worlds...some weight to keep the front tires down, and more traction on the rear tires.

Me too. I
like the style of that series even thou it didn't last long

 

[cartod]

Nice looking 820! When I was looking for a dedicated mowing/brush hog tractor, I kept my eyes out for a nice 820 or 830.

Adding some weight to the front will take away a bit of weight off the rears, for sure. If you were to load the rear tires you'd get sort of the best of both worlds...some weight to keep the front tires down, and more traction on the rear tires.

Thanks. So what you are saying is just load the rears? or the front and the rears? .....its new years eve, maybe Ill load me up too.....

 

[GManBart]

Thanks. So what you are saying is just load the rears? or the front and the rears? .....its new years eve, maybe Ill load me up too.....

If it were mine, I might look for a way to put removable weights (suitcase weights maybe) on the front, but it probably would be easier to just load both front and rears...although I'd stick to Rimguard or another non-corrosive fluid. The one negative for removable weights us that things like suitcase weights have gotten expensive with the price of all metals going up.

Wait, that won't work at all....can't be done.....but I'd still make you a good deal on it....I can be there in half a day.

 

[cartod]

If it were mine, I might look for a way to put removable weights (suitcase weights maybe) on the front, but it probably would be easier to just load both front and rears...although I'd stick to Rimguard or another non-corrosive fluid. The one negative for removable weights us that things like suitcase weights have gotten expensive with the price of all metals going up.

Wait, that won't work at all....can't be done.....but I'd still make you a good deal on it....I can be there in half a day.

The suitcase weights have become very expensive like you said. I will go with the Rimguard in the rears for now. PS its not cheap either. Thanks Gmanbart.

 

[RalphVa]

My first tractor here was a 12 hp Gravely. I absolutely could not steer it until I found some steering brakes and installed them. It would not always make it up our 100 ft drop hill behind the house. Put dual wheels on it. Still would spin the wheels sometimes. Now, with my 4wd tractors (and ALWAYS in 4wd because without 4wd, don't have 4 wheel brakes) going up and down the hill is no problem. I've heard of Gravelys just go skidding down the hill on grass.

Ralph

 

[Turbys_1700]

Most 2wd tractors have fluid filled tires on the back...
If you run a 5 or 6 foot bush hog the front may get light...
I would opt for weights on the front but they are expensive...
I don't know anyone around here that has loaded front tires on 2wd tractors...
I remember somewhere that weight distribution for maximum traction on 2wd tractors was 70%-30% rear to front and 60%-40% rear to front on 4wd...
Don't know how accurate that is...
That is a very nice tractor that will serve you well...

 

[dieselcrawler]

My FIL has an old ford 3000 he uses for brush hogging and hay raking... tires loaded front and rear with 100 lbs/wheel of weights on the front as well.

Nice old JD... front weights of some type will serve you well.

 

[tessiers]

That tractor can handle more than 3000 lbs of ballast, I would load the rear tires with rim guard and find some weights for the front end. I am guessing here but I would say it will hold 1000 lbs of rim guard in the rear and I would look at 500 lbs or so of front weight. We made built a receiver style hitch for the front of our ford tractors and poured a concrete (150 lbs per cubic foot) weight block onto a 2" square tube for the front weight. Easy on and off with the chain falls in my shop and effective at very little cost, drawback is a little bulkier than suitcase weights. The other thing we did is took 2 old truck tires that fit snug inside our rear rims and poured them full of concrete then clamped them in with all thread. The center of your rim should have holes designed for bolting on weights. Adds another 600 lbs or so to the rear. Just a couple of options for cheaper ballast, we have used and are using both systems successfully.