I am thinking of having the front tires on my tractor loaded. Has anyone here done this and are there any pros or cons to doing it?
I have all 4 of the tires on my tractor loaded it greatly improves traction in the rear and steering in the front. Just a headache if you get a flat. All my woods equipment skidders and feller bunchers have loaded tires most of the time you need the weight when your empty to get around.
I ran all of my bigger farm tractors (JD 4640 and JD 4020) with fluid loaded fronts and rears. I never had any problems and it sure did help steering. i have often wondered how graphite load for fronts would work but was too costly when I was farming. Gives about 20% more weight I understand but I have never run into any one that has used it.
it helped alot on my 5310 JD
When I worked for New Holland we loaded alot of front tires from compacts up to big tractors. Makes a difference in steering with a heavy draft load. Is there any reason you couldn't run cast weight on the front?
Have loaded fronts on my ford 5000 MFWD with cast iron weights also. Really keeps the front end on the ground and pulling when you need traction.
Quote from: Mark K on December 12, 2010, 07:07:47 PM
When I worked for New Holland we loaded alot of front tires from compacts up to big tractors. Makes a difference in steering with a heavy draft load. Is there any reason you couldn't run cast weight on the front?
Cost and availability. I can walk into the dealer tomorrow morning and be home by noon with the tires done.
We loaded them with a non-corrosive ballast. Tires could be loaded without putting tubes in. The price of cast weights is expensive but they sold a lot of it.
If you don't use your equipment on soft ground where you wouldn't want to tear anything up, loaded tires are fine. I have wheel weights that can be removed because in the summer months I use my 48hp tractor too finish mow 2-acres. Yes weights are very expensive but so would another tractor to be dedicated for just light duty things.
David
I have fluid in the rears of my big tractor (4840 JD) and would love to get rid of it and go with weights, had one puncture last year and it cost around $400 to have it repaired. Unless you have a way to pump it in/out repairs are expensive, and a lot of folks around here have given it up due to it splitting rims. Is your tractor mfwd? If not what size rims are on the front?
My tractor is 4x4 and the rear tires are loaded but not with calcium. The stuff my dealer uses is noncorrosive and nontoxic. A while back I was doing tree removals on a power line along side a railroad track and got a rr spike through the rear tire. My tire dealer only charged me $125 to fix it.
Fill all your tires with foam works like steel weights and will not go flat. last for ever 8) 8)
I've always loaded rear tires with calcium. Bigger 2 wheel drive farm tractors I hung a 1,000 or maybe two on the front. Tractor weights, or if not available elevator weights or even railroad iron.
With my little 4wd utility tractor I was bothered by honey locust thorns so I filled the fronts with something similar to Slime. I do have tractor weights for the front but don't use em. If I need additional weight I just fill the bucket with firewood.
Quote from: Peter Drouin on December 13, 2010, 06:29:46 PM
Fill all your tires with foam works like steel weights and will not go flat. last for ever 8) 8)
Until you have to replace the tires
and the rims because the foam is hardened to the rims. They also make for a rough ride and provide
less traction as the tires aren't able to flex around objects...
sandhills,did they have a big fancy truck come too? I had mine fixed for $165 last year at my house.No fancy truck came to me.In fact their place looks like a dump really,the truck they came with too,but they do good work.Had one fixed than 2 weeks later the other needed the same treatment.Fluid and new tube in both tires. I've never heard of loading the front tires.
My backhoe has foam filled front tires. I got it off the estate of a friend of mine. One front tire was gone, he loaded logs a couple of years running on the foam. The tire shop told him he was going to have to buy a new rim. He took an old chain and put it on the saw and cut the foam off. No teeth left on the chain, but did not hurt the wheel, had a big donut when done.
Had a tire repair shop tell me to take a sawzall and grind the teeth off the blade and it will cut the foam off, said they do it on a regular basis.
chevytaHoe56, I said to fill the tires with foam not concrete. And yes they will come off the rim and if the tires have tread on them they will go just fine. The construction trades have been using foam for years and years. When your tires are bald put on some chains and go again. 8) 8) 8)
My impression of the foam is that it is solid, like concrete. Doesn't give much if any at all. It isn't like the mattress foam all nice and squishy. :)
Steel-like wheels went out with the old tractors in the '40's, I think. :)
Quote from: Peter Drouin on December 13, 2010, 08:15:15 PM
The construction trades have been using foam for years and years
Generally the construction industry doesn't need traction for dragging heavy loads (logs through the woods, plow through the ground, disc over a field, truck through the muc) and such. They just need enough traction to move the machine around. How many farmers fill their tires with foam? How many loggers? When you need traction you count on the tire actually deforming and conforming to the surface under it. A tire solid with foam will NOT do this.
thecfarm, ya they have a pretty fancy truck, and the shop isn't what I'd call fancy but very well kept and equipt. I've done a lot of business with them in the past and always been satisfied and treated well. I have a freind who is in the "on farm tire service" on his own, just him and a truck he bought on auction, no shop whatsoever, called him first but he was on vacation, he'd cost a little less. My point was at the price I paid it would only take a few flats to pay for a set of weights, next time I'll make a pump and do it myself. I've also never heard of fluid in the front tires but this is farming country and almost all have front end weights on them around here.
Agreed. The tires on my hoe won't give. Can't hold it in the road at any speed. Will not squat when picking up 30 7x9 crossties either.
I guess youall know better. I can;t help you ??? O well :D :D :D
I use dirt in my bucket when needed generaly easy to find and you can dump it about anywhere when done with it 8) 8)
Quote from: Peter Drouin on December 13, 2010, 10:27:10 PM
I guess youall know better. I can;t help you ??? O well :D :D :D
Peter the foam is a good way to go in the correct application , like a skid steer or salvage yard , it is more about the puncture resistance no flat tire thing, and wear. For some things I would stay away from that foam. It really is important for a tire to be able to flex to get traction you would not want a solid tire for some things it would seem to me.