B7100 - Wheel Spacers - Weights - Filling Tires

[olthumpa]

Jeeeeez people........

The weight of the wheel/tire is not an active lever working against the axle. The axle rides the wheel, not the wheel to the axle.

I did not make my point very clear, sorry.
Take two heavy duty saw horses and a 16' 2"x6". Place the saw horses close together and put the 16' 2"x6"on top of them. Now get on top of the 2x6 between the saw horses and jump up and down. I bet that the 2x6 will not break. Now move the saw horses to within 1' of the ends of the 2x6. Now get on the 2x6 in the middle and jump up and down and see if it breaks. My money is on it breaking.

Now how does this apply. the saw horses represent the tires, the 2x6 the axle, you represent the weight of the tractor, and anything attached or suspended from it (3pt implement). When the tractor is not moving this is not a problem. When you are working the tractor, the implement is lowered - no real problem. When you are moving from one place to another is when the implement is going to be suspended from the tractor and your ground speed will be the fastest. Now hit a hole, rock, stump whatever and what happens? A large shock load is placed on the axle and housing. The further out the tires are the larger the shock load in the center will be.

I friend of mine "had" an employee do over $15,000 damage to one of his tractors just this way. The employe changed the tire configuration around for more stability and added spacers. Broke the axle and housing right off the tractor.

There is more to the story but hopefully you get my point.

 

[In Utopia]

Don't fill the tires, but instead about 1/3 or maybe 1/2.
This will put a few more pounds closer to the ground.

 

[lsmurphy]

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11326&page=2



Looks utterly ridiculous (just my opinion) but I doubt he'll do any damage.
Also, not good for row planting, I want front to track with rear.



My tires are filled with ballast to 90%, wheels are covered, steel underwater will not rust nearly as fast as exposed to air. Not only that but I want the most weight I can get, weight = traction.

 

[lsmurphy]

Did Kubota ever upgrade the B7100 hubs to the newer design before ending production in 1997?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Kubota-...=BI_Heavy_Equipment_Parts&hash=item3ccbd743a7

Knock yourself out, it's your $300.


I drilled mine out to 6 on 4.5 , I used 1/2" bolts with the head tack welded to the hub with regular lug nuts.



When shaft or hub is worn the correct repair is to built up with weld and then mill to shape and size........IOWs they can always be repaired.

 

[BadDog]

My 7100 has a sort of clam shell clamp. I take it these are problematic? Mine seem to be ok, is there anything I should check?

 

[Dennis]

I've driven my B7100 on steep country for 15 years.
Set the wheels to the widest setting and 90% fill the tyres.
I use my 4 ft rota cutter on the rear end and have a big concrete block for counter balance strapped on the front end.

Anything more I would regard as excessive for this size tractor

Care and caution on hills will go a lot further than any modification.

Increase in traction from added weight may not always translate to equivalent increase in tractor stability on hills.

 

[lsmurphy]

I've driven my B7100 on steep country for 15 years.
Set the wheels to the widest setting and 90% fill the tyres.
I use my 4 ft rota cutter on the rear end and have a big concrete block for counter balance strapped on the front end.

Anything more I would regard as excessive for this size tractor

Care and caution on hills will go a lot further than any modification.

Increase in traction from added weight may not always translate to equivalent increase in tractor stability on hills.

Here in E TN there is no flat land, effectively.

I run my finish mower on hills that would scare most, there are others here that scare me with places they go.

When slopes are so steep that you have to counter steer because the mower is pulling you sideways down hill.........

But you just cannot convey that on a forum like this and pic do not do justice.

I chose the 7100.......sought out the 7100 for a very specific purpose, it's size and price and 4x4. It is perfect for 1 to 3 acre mowing and small food plots and getting around in places that others cannot. I also did not and would not get a larger truck and trailer to pull a larger tractor around. That said, I make the most of what I have.

I have found what works.

 

[lsmurphy]

To the OP-

When I fist moved here to TN I went through several lawn tractors, I just could not find something suitable to mow my yard with. Nothing worse than getting halfway up a slope and spinning out, or after a couple of months of mowing, burning up a 3rd hydro trans.

So, I build this from scratch. IIRC, with me on it I had about 800lbs across the rear axle, or better put, at the ground. I doubled up on the wheel weight, filled tires, and sought out older cast iron trans.
I sold both of my tractors a couple of years ago, I had one the was solely for plowing and tilling, as I knew that would force me into a 4wd tractor which is really what I needed.

To get a little perspective, these are the same trans that guys use with heavily modified pullers-

Now, if this IH trans can handle 90 HP and pull a couple of tons behind it without exploding........


Yeah, your little Kubota can handle a 3" spacer and a little ballast.

Don't go though life being skeerd.

 

[DJSII]

You have other options.


But no, the spacers will not hurt your axles.

I just purchase B7100 and am looking for wheels/rims. Mine also has the 4 bolt pattern in the front. Can you share where you found the wheels that your using?

 

[BradMW]

I flipped rear wheels and pushed the hubs out and foam filled the rear tires to gain stability on my B7100. It worked great except I have been plagued by repeated ballnut failures on the steering gear since doing this. I think it’s because the rear track width being slightly wider than the front is making the load on the steering gear too much for it to handle. Has anyone found/ran a 4 lug spacer on the front wheels to remedy this? How did it work out for you?

 

[torch]

the 3 point can supposedly lift a little over 1000 lbs, (1/2 ton).

Not hardly. The B7100 tractor is rated to tow 1100 lbs. (with the tow bar). It's rated to lift 400 lbs. The tractor only weighs 1257 lbs -- if you try to lift 1000 the only thing coming off the ground will be the front wheels.

That said, my B7100, with backhoe, FEL and cab is closing in on 2,500 lbs. So it is a sturdy little bugger.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I flipped rear wheels and pushed the hubs out and foam filled the rear tires to gain stability on my B7100. It worked great except I have been plagued by repeated ballnut failures on the steering gear since doing this. I think it’s because the rear track width being slightly wider than the front is making the load on the steering gear too much for it to handle. Has anyone found/ran a 4 lug spacer on the front wheels to remedy this? How did it work out for you?

Pushing the front wheels out will cause you more failures than the ballnut, more costly failures!
And I seriously doubt that pushing the rear wheels out is causing your issue.
There is very little stress changed on the front by pushing the rear wheels out.

 

[BradMW]

Pushing the front wheels out will cause you more failures than the ballnut, more costly failures!
And I seriously doubt that pushing the rear wheels out is causing your issue.
There is very little stress changed on the front by pushing the rear wheels out.

That ballnut assembly isn’t exactly cheap. Kubota only sells it as a complete assembly with the steering shaft for $450. I had the local dealer rebuild it with new bearings and it lasted one week. I took it back to them they replaced the bearings and adjusted the lash. I installed it yesterday afternoon and I heard popping noises coming from it as I turned the wheel almost immediately. After one days use I have almost half a steering wheel turn off slop with no movement of the wheels. What else could it be?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

That ballnut assembly isn’t exactly cheap. Kubota only sells it as a complete assembly with the steering shaft for $450. I had the local dealer rebuild it with new bearings and it lasted one week. I took it back to them they replaced the bearings and adjusted the lash. I installed it yesterday afternoon and I heard popping noises coming from it as I turned the wheel almost immediately. After one days use I have almost half a steering wheel turn off slop with no movement of the wheels. What else could it be?

Yea that's nothing to do with the rear wheel width!
You have something in the box that is worn / damaged or you have something in the front end that's binding / sticking / or broke.
Jack up the front end and see what's going on with it.

 

[BradMW]

Yea that's nothing to do with the rear wheel width!
You have something in the box that is worn / damaged or you have something in the front end that's binding / sticking / or broke.
Jack up the front end and see what's going on with it.

I jacked the front end up this morning. Everything turned freely. I called the Kubota dealer back and they had no idea and at first suggested that I trailer the entire tractor down. Then when the person I was speaking with came back on the line, he said don’t bother because the service manager doesn’t want to see it again.

 

[hagrid]

Legendary customer support at that dealership.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I jacked the front end up this morning. Everything turned freely. I called the Kubota dealer back and they had no idea and at first suggested that I trailer the entire tractor down. Then when the person I was speaking with came back on the line, he said don’t bother because the service manager doesn’t want to see it again.

Then your most likely culprit is wear or damage inside the box itself.

 

[BradMW]

When

Then your most likely culprit is wear or damage inside the box itself.

When you say the box are you talking the transmission? Or the front diff? Personally I think the replacement thrust bearings Kubota is selling are just garbage. When my OE ones failed they were steel cage bearings. The new ones are all plastic.

 

[TheOldHokie]

When you say the box are you talking the transmission? Or the front diff? Personally I think the replacement thrust bearings Kubota is selling are just garbage. When my OE ones failed they were steel cage bearings. The new ones are all plastic.

Maybe its time to get up off $400 for a new ballnut and shaft. Those things take a real beating. I imagine with a little looking you can also find a replacement bearing with metal cage.

Dan

 

[BradMW]

Maybe its time to get up off $400 for a new ballnut and shaft. Those things take a real beating. I imagine with a little looking you can also find a replacement bearing with metal cage.

Dan

I already did put a new ballnut and shaft in it. It was with the plastic cage bearings. As I said it lasted one week. Finding a thrust bearing of a specific size AND material without a part number is like trying to find a needle(bearing) in a haystack.