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Loaded Front Tires Stability

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CharltonJ
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4 Upstate New York
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2008-08-19          156176

Hi, Can anyone shed some feedback on the mentioned topic. I owen a b2620 w/ r4's. The rears are loaded w/ rim guard and I was wondering if loading the front tires will help me much with some stability on some small hills I want to box blade and eventually grass. Also how much weight will this give me per tire. The dealer did advise I can load the fronts but I have no other info on how much this would help or how much weight I would gain. Thanks


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Loaded Front Tires Stability

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2008-08-19          156179

IMHO opinion, the front wheels do little to add to side-to-side stability whether or not they are loaded.

Since the front axle pivots adding weight to the front end won't help any until the tractor is so far over that the front axle had reached it's limit of pivot travel. The tractor would be so far over at that point it would be a case of 'too little, too late'.

If you plan on mowing straight up/down hills, then why bother to ballast, just scoop a little material into the bucket of the FEL.

BTW, welcome to the board.

Best of luck. ....

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Loaded Front Tires Stability

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CharltonJ
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4 Upstate New York
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2008-08-19          156183

Thanks I actually dont mow w/ the tractor I have a ZTR. I want to grade these small slopes w/ a box blade and just wanted som added stability. I never thought (as simple as it appears to be commen sense) about putting a little materiel in the bucket. My main concern is adding whatever stability I can. I have looked into the spacers but they only add 1.5 per tire so not sure how beneficial that would be either, thanks again ....

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Loaded Front Tires Stability

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2008-08-19          156185

Anytime you are doing work on a hill, your safest position to be in is in an uphill/downslope direction, facing down the hill.

In this position ballast on the front end will really only add traction.


Best of luck. ....

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Loaded Front Tires Stability

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CharltonJ
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4 Upstate New York
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2008-08-19          156187

Thanks how about box blading the hill? I want to try and level and rip out old cow pasture and replace w/ grass. Should I BB only going down and then climb back up w/ blade raised and then make another pass gowing down only or can I make passes safely in in your opinion going up and down? Thanks ....

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Loaded Front Tires Stability

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-08-19          156188

Quote:
Originally Posted by CharltonJ | view 156187
Should I BB only going down and then climb back up w/ blade raised and then make another pass gowing down only or can I make passes safely in in your opinion going up and down? Thanks


It depends on what you call a 'hill' and your experience level.

We run tractors on what some people would consider a pretty crazy angle, being in the golf course business means you rarely get flat land to work with, or create.

I always tell newbies to do it this way. If the existing vegetation is to be removed, kill it off first. Then, walk the WHOLE area carefully, you are looking for holes, bumps, rocks or any debris that will cause a 'bump' when you drive over it. Then and only then start onto the area with a machine. Starting from the flat area start working your way across the face of the slope at the bottom. When the SOPPF (Seat Of Pants Pucker Factor) tells you the hill is getting too much for working cross-slope then change to working up/down slope. By now you should have enough of the toe (bottom) of the slope done that you can match it's grade and shape.

WARNING: Consumption of 'adult beverages' before this kind of work is ABSOLUTELY NOT ALLOWED. It tends to diminish the SOPPF and lead to operator error!! ;)

Working on hills is probably the most dangerous type of work an average operator can do, it's NOT the place for an example of "Hold my beer and watch this honey!!".

Best of luck. ....

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Loaded Front Tires Stability

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2008-08-19          156189

Quote:
Originally Posted by Murf | view 156188
Working on hills is probably the most dangerous type of work an average operator can do, it's NOT the place for an example of "Hold my beer and watch this honey!!".Best of luck.


Yep you can win a whole $1,000 on CMT video show and your place in history. kt ....

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Loaded Front Tires Stability

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-08-19          156190

Quote:
Originally Posted by kthompson | view 156189
Yep you can win a whole $1,000 on CMT video show and your place in history. kt


On America's Funniest Video you can get $100,000 ;)

Where's Jeff'ry when we need him? ;) ....

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Loaded Front Tires Stability

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2008-08-19          156195

erRR?

You r-a-n-g?

Like Murf pointed out adding weight to the fronts does nothing to the mechanical stability since there are no forces or resistance on/to the front axle--unlike a suspension on a car or truck--and even that varies on the type of front axle: independent or straight axle.

However adding weight to the fronts does help apply downforce to the front tires for a little more traction which is handy when sidehilling or climbing front end first.

Anywho...adding spacers to the front axle does nothing (see aformentioned comment about suspension or lack of)

I do a lot of berm-making and some grading of hillsides--okay there aren't many hills here--slopes.
Use gravity to make the work easier by blading downhill--easier on the machine and saves fuel. Depending on the machine and the grade and soil conditions it can feel like double the work pulling a box blade up a hill.

And was the America's Funniest Videos comment for ME? Sheesh whadIdonow? ....

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