Add weight to tires or not?

PNWBXer · Feb 26, 2020

Currently in the process of buying a BX2380. It will be my primary mower with a 60' MMM. I wanted to keep it as light as possible as to not damage a lawn....and the ground around here can get wet for awhile. So I've opted for Turf Tires to distribute the weight as much as possible and not have any knobbies sticking out for turning.

My problem comes from the fact that my land is sloped (not the lawn area) in some areas and I plan to use the FEL for rocks and dirt and other stuff around the slope. But the lack of weight scares me because of the roll over threat. I plan on adding 2 inch spacers in the back (tho the Bro Tek website didnt say if it covered the 80 series BX).... I want to take the MMM off for clearance reasons even tho it offers some roll over protection for when I want to use the FEL. I've also thought about adding a ballast box for FEL use (never operated a FEL even tho I grew up farming on small Kubotas).

I'm trying to avoid the obvious answer of adding weight to my tires because I don't want to tear up the lawn. It is also one of the reasons I went with a BX vice a B series. I want a Lawn mower on crack....that can do a bunch other stuff a Garden tractor can't do. Plus i need the 4x4 to pull loads up a hill, snowblow, cultivate. Everyone says to add weight to the tires for safety.....when I"m trying to avoid as much weight as possible for 70% of the time I use this thing. Are the Spacers enough to take away the pucker factor in these things?

North Idaho Wolfman · Feb 27, 2020

If you want to avoid weight all the time, just go with a ballast box.

Not much weight to be gained by just loading the tires on a BX anyways.

Jefferson · Feb 27, 2020

With the turf tires I doubt you'd notice much difference tearing up your lawn with the loaded tires. You definitely need some weight to offset the loader and whatever you are carrying. Also it is nice having the extra weight as low to the ground as possible. My 23.80 rear tires are loaded.

atitus · Feb 28, 2020

Jefferson said:
With the turf tires I doubt you'd notice much difference tearing up your lawn with the loaded tires. You definitely need some weight to offset the loader and whatever you are carrying. Also it is nice having the extra weight as low to the ground as possible. My 23.80 rear tires are loaded.

I have loaded rear tires on my BX 1880 as well and it does not tear up grass. To be fair though, I'm in the northeast and its not swampy ground here.

Bmbbm · Feb 28, 2020

Put th spacers on and try it. I have the 2in spacers without loading the tires. Big reduction in pucker factor. To be fair I plan on loading the tires as well with www washer flluid as soon as it warms up. Was lucky and got some on sale for 1.00 per gallon .

GeoHorn · Feb 29, 2020

I hate the idea of loaded tires generally because I’ve had bad experiences with previous equipment with the fluids I’ve used (chloride corrodes and so does water. Antifreeze solutions and beet juice is expensive and anytime you suffer tire damage the fluids complicate the repairs.) YMMV

I think a ballast box is troublesome because I don’t want to have to go thru the excersize of installing/removing it when I need to use my 3-point for other implements. Also, keep in mind that 3-pt mounted ballast adds work/stress to the tractor suspension/machinery.

Wheel weights (or filled-tires) don’t.

GreensvilleJay · Mar 4, 2020

I just dumped 250-300#s of CaCl out of a tire of my D-14. PITA, I've 'lost' 5 rims to saltwater over the years.... Hopefully this summer I can save this one, need to take tire off, toss tube and spend 3 days desalting the rim AND tire.
I like the custom 'carryall' I built 20 years ago. Using removable forklift forks, I can 'scoop up' a weight box, when needed. Toss it and forks, use the carryal frame 2" rcv to haul trailers.
Getting too old to fight heavy things....

D2Cat · Mar 4, 2020

GeoHorn said:
I hate the idea of loaded tires generally because I’ve had bad experiences with previous equipment with the fluids I’ve used (chloride corrodes and so does water. Antifreeze solutions and beet juice is expensive and anytime you suffer tire damage the fluids complicate the repairs.) YMMV

I think a ballast box is troublesome because I don’t want to have to go thru the excersize of installing/removing it when I need to use my 3-point for other implements. Also, keep in mind that 3-pt mounted ballast adds work/stress to the tractor suspension/machinery.

Wheel weights (or filled-tires) don’t.

Geo, the 3-pt ballast takes stress off of the front axle when using a loader. That is the main purpose of a ballast. It can also lower the center of gravity that may be useful in some hillside applications.

SidecarFlip · Mar 4, 2020

GeoHorn said:
I hate the idea of loaded tires generally because I***8217;ve had bad experiences with previous equipment with the fluids I***8217;ve used (chloride corrodes and so does water. Antifreeze solutions and beet juice is expensive and anytime you suffer tire damage the fluids complicate the repairs.) YMMV

I think a ballast box is troublesome because I don***8217;t want to have to go thru the excersize of installing/removing it when I need to use my 3-point for other implements. Also, keep in mind that 3-pt mounted ballast adds work/stress to the tractor suspension/machinery.

When I owned my Grand L 5030 HSTC years ago, I fabricated weight carriers out of flat stock that bolted into the unused square holes in the rims and added 300 pounds of Olympic Powerlifting Weight plates to each side. That worked well.

Wheel weights (or filled-tires) don***8217;t.

I'm with you but then yours and mine aren't little units either.. (I don't want to get the negative comments about little tractors either...lol)

I'm adverse to filling tires for thew same reasons you are so I run the optional cast centers that give me an additional 900 pounds per side but I'm not sure if Kubota offers cast centers or bolt on center weights for the smaller tractors. Any filled tire becomes a royal PITA to repair and CACL rots the rims, especially around the valve stem opening.

Never knew Kubota had 'suspension'. Not a JCB Fastrack.

SidecarFlip · Mar 4, 2020

D2Cat said:
Geo, the 3-pt ballast takes stress off of the front axle when using a loader. That is the main purpose of a ballast. It can also lower the center of gravity that may be useful in some hillside applications.

I always thought 'ballast' was the gravel under the railroad ties on a train track.....

D2Cat · Mar 4, 2020

How about an electrical device to limit voltage?

For those concerned about cost of liquid ballast lost during a tire failure, when was the last time you had tire trouble? I have several tractors of various sizes, used for various purposes for many years. Only one tire I had to break down to work on a wheel with rust. That was a 1966 model... and last year.

GeoHorn · Mar 4, 2020

D2Cat said:
Geo, the 3-pt ballast takes stress off of the front axle when using a loader. That is the main purpose of a ballast. It can also lower the center of gravity that may be useful in some hillside applications.

Yes, of course. But it uses the rear axle as a fulcrum to do that, thereby adding work for the rear axle, bearings, machinery, etc. Weighted wheels are invisible to everything but the tires.

North Idaho Wolfman · Mar 4, 2020

SidecarFlip said:
I always thought 'ballast' was the gravel under the railroad ties on a train track.....

Your answer is #2 on the list:

BAP · Mar 5, 2020

GeoHorn said:
Yes, of course. But it uses the rear axle as a fulcrum to do that, thereby adding work for the rear axle, bearings, machinery, etc. Weighted wheels are invisible to everything but the tires.

But the rear end of a tractor is designed to carry the load. Otherwise, manufacturers would not put drawbars and 3 point hitches on tractors. The best way to keep any wear or damage is to keep it parked in the garage unused. Tractors are meant to be used and worked with heavy loads.

GeoHorn · Mar 5, 2020

BAP said:
But the rear end of a tractor is designed to carry the load. Otherwise, manufacturers would not put drawbars and 3 point hitches on tractors. The best way to keep any wear or damage is to keep it parked in the garage unused. Tractors are meant to be used and worked with heavy loads.

Of course.

My simple point is: It’s LESS wear on the tractor and MORE availability of the 3-point for implements if one uses wheel weights instead of a ballast box.

ccoon520 · Mar 5, 2020

If you don't want filled tires I'd go with something like a suitcase weight bar on your 3pt. There are some you can buy from places like heavy hitch and there are videos on how you can make your own if you have the ability and equipment to do so.

These systems allow you to put as much or as little weight on the bar as you want/need for as little affect to your yard as possible without needing to try and dig sand, rock, metal, or concrete from a ballast box. They are more compact than a ballast box. They are easier to install and remove from your tractor than cast wheel weights (especially if you have a quick hitch) and you can add more weight than cast wheel weights.

The biggest downside is that the suitcase weights are expensive but then again you buy them once, because they don't exactly wear except for rust. Which you can mitigate if you keep them painted.

EDIT: you can also use a large implement like a tiller or brush cutter as your ballast as well if you have the space to maneuver with that large of equipment on the back. This is then freeish because you already needed that equipment anyway and are now getting a double use of it.

As far as added wear on your equipment don't worry about it. These machines are meant to be worked and as long as you are operating your 3pt within the limitations of the specs you won't see premature failures due to improper wear. The manufacturer recommends the use of ballast so use the ballast that works best for you.

SidecarFlip · Mar 5, 2020

D2Cat said:
How about an electrical device to limit voltage?

For those concerned about cost of liquid ballast lost during a tire failure, when was the last time you had tire trouble? I have several tractors of various sizes, used for various purposes for many years. Only one tire I had to break down to work on a wheel with rust. That was a 1966 model... and last year.

Didn't the rim crap out on that one?

D2Cat · Mar 5, 2020

SidecarFlip said:
Didn't the rim crap out on that one?

Yes. But it is a 1966 model tractor. There was no fluid in the tube when I removed it, but it probably did have CaCl at some time. I just can't complain if a wheel last 54 years.

GreensvilleJay · Mar 5, 2020

re: ...How about an electrical device to limit voltage?

huh ??

re:...For those concerned about cost of liquid ballast lost during a tire failure, when was the last time you had tire trouble

I've lost 4 or 5 rims due to CaCl damage, in past 20 years, as previous owners 'loaded' the tires. getting 100% of the salt out is NOT fun....

torch · Mar 5, 2020

GeoHorn said:
Antifreeze solutions and beet juice is expensive and anytime you suffer tire damage the fluids complicate the repairs.)

Winter windshield washer fluid is pretty cheap. Not quite as dense as beet juice or calcium, but similar to water for weight and pretty much non-corrosive.

Add weight to tires or not?

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