Water in tyres

The Ruminant

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Hertfordshire
Another question about my Ford 4000. It’s got a front end loader on which I use regularly. With a decent sized bale it can get a bit light on the back end. Someone has suggested putting water / anti-freeze mix in the rear tyres for ballast.

Are there any downsides I need to think about? For example, will it increase the risk of putting too much loading on the front axle? What happens if I get a puncture? Anything else?

I don’t use the tractor for fieldwork as a rule, but do run on the road with it quite a bit.
 
No. Because when you get to the balance point you have all the weight of the baler and rear axle being transmitted through the front axle

If you get to the point when even with a counterbalance weight the rear wheels are leaving the ground then all that weight will be going through the front axle - However if that happens then the counterbalance weight needs to be heavier....
 

biggles

Member
Location
derbyshire
My ih685 was to light on the back end when handling heavy round bales, 3/4 filled the back tyres (16.9x34) and it made a hell of a difference to how it handled, tractor is just used around a stone yard and used to spin if you went over the slightest lump. A assume a rear weight would also have the desired effect but was not suitable as I have a spike on the back all the time
 

Bald n Grumpy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Weight block is the easiest option and no problems when you get a puncture
But can be inconvenient if you have to use the tractor for other jobs
I use two loader tractors 1 just has a weight as all it Does is loader work and the other is water ballasted and uses a weight if doing a lot of handling but can load and haul hay bales without ( both 2wd tractors)
Tyres are 13.6 36 and have 200 litres in each which is about 200kg
 

Mur Huwcun

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North West Wales
Think of it this way, if you add counter weights intill with nothing on the loader the front wheels are hovering above the ground then the front axle only has to support the weigth you are going to lift. Now, if you manage to fit all the water in the ocean into the rear tyres it will not remove one ounce of loading off the front axle. The counter weight works because it is behind the rear axle utilising the rear axle as a pivot point.

With ballasted wheels then when the tractor does lift the rear wheels the front axle is then support and pivot for the whole tractor, the loader, the load and the water. Way above what it should hold. That’s why 2wd tractors would snap the stub axles clean off.
 

daveydiesel1

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Co antrim
Any1 know what weight a killy block is as have 1 sitting and was thinking of using it for a weight. The zetor struggles to lift it with the loader. Was considering makin a frame for the mf 30e and setting it on it
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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