Tire Ballast or Rear Ballast for Front Snowblower

[capekubota]

I have read many posts on the subject but still can't decid what I should do. I have a 1988 B6200 4x4 gear with a newly purchased B2551 front mount snowblower. The tractor has turf tires all around and will be clearing a paved driveway that has a slight incline.

I am concerned with traction and hard steering. The tractor does not have power steering, so I am concerned that steering may be very difficult when the 4-500lb blower is raised. At first I thought filling the rear tires was the answer. Although it would help with traction, I'm not sure it would help make steering easier. Rear ballast of some kind would probably be better for that? And do you think I will need chains with the turf tires?

 

[skeets]

A ballast box, or wheel weights or fill the rear tires, any and all of the above will help. There are lots in here that have turf tires and plow and blow snow some have put on chains, others no chains and have not had much trouble. Main thing is to think things through before you start,, ,,,,(says the guy that kissed his chain saw with his leg to see how sharp it was)....
How step is your driveway paved or not?
A ballast box, or even a wooded box onthe 3 point filled with rocks will help there is a ton of ideas in here for rear weights. My self I filled the rears and have a set of wheel weights, I never take off. As far as steering goes as long as you are moving you shouldnt have any problems even stopped not to much.
Im sure others will chime in just give it a chance for them to give you their views

 

[KeithG]

I have a 2000 4x4 B2710 with R4 tires, tires are filled and I keep the Woods BH75 backhoe on it in the winter for added weight in the back. I have a front mounted B2782 snowblower with subframe. My driveway has a slight decline until the last 30 feet and then it has a steep decline. If the snow is the wet slippery stuff that packs quickly (think of good snowball snow) then I cannot get up my driveway in the steep section if I cannot see pavement. So it will not matter how much weight you have if your slope is too high. Other than that I pretty much keep it in 4 wheel drive whenever the snow is deep to help with maneuvering and if the snow is a little sticky but not too bad (i.e. I can back up the driveway using 4x4).

Because you won't be pushing the snow and just moving the tractor around you should be fine using 4x4 doing your driveway. This all depends on how steep your incline is. One thing that will probably give you an idea is to put the snowblower on your tractor and go to the top of your incline and put the tractor in neutral and see how fast it wants to roll down your driveway. At the top of my driveway it barely starts to roll at all. At the bottom where it is much steeper as soon as I take off the brake it starts going like the forward pedal is pressed in medium gear. That will give you an idea of the force your tires will need to overcome with traction.

I have also found that using 4x4 will compensate for front weight to some extent. In worst cases where it does not matter how much weight you have on the tractor I have had to put down some ice melt to have the tires grip the pavement. I have also found that if I clear the driveway above the steep section as much as possible I can do one straight shot down the steep section. Then if necessary I can get a little bit of a running start and go right back up that cleared path to get back up the drive (helps to not have to turn)...

My best guess in your situation would probably be tire chains and keep some ice melt handy. By the end of winter you will be the expert on how to handle your driveway.

 

[torch]

From an ease-of-steering point of view, with the blower raised, a ballast box will help but tire weights and fills will not. The rear axle acts like a fulcrum, weight behind it offsets weight on the front tires, weight at the axle does nothing for steering.

However, if your front mount blower is raised and lowered via levers and rods controlled by the 3ph then you can't readily hang a ballast box off the 3ph at the same time.

Conversely, from a traction point of view, with the blower lowered, a ballast box will put more pressure on the rear tires, but less pressure on the front tires. This may actually impede steering in deeper snow conditions if you have 4wd. The front mount blower will be acting like a rudder in the snow, resisting steering input. Weight on the front wheels, especially in 4wd, can help counter that rudder effect. (so can lifting the blower slightly).

 

[capekubota]

Thank you all. My driveway isn't really that steep (rises maybe 5' over about 125') and the past 8 years I snowblow'd it with a John Deere la145 lawn tractor with front snowblower.

The blower is raised with it's own piston and is not attached to the 3ph. However, i will have a carry all installed on the 3ph to haul firewood during the winter. That will also act as ballast, as I will probably leave it full of wood.