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Loaded front tires on tractors

Started by bill m, December 12, 2010, 05:55:05 PM

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bill m

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?
NH tc55da Metavic 4x4 trailer Stihl and Husky saws

northwoods1


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.

Bandmill Bandit

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.
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treefarmer87

1994 Ford L9000
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1998 Barko 225
1999 John Deere 748G
FEC 1550 slasher
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Mark K

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?
Husky 372's-385's,576, 2100
Treefarmer C7D
Franklin 405
Belsaw m-14 sawmill

chevytaHOE5674

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.

bill m

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.
NH tc55da Metavic 4x4 trailer Stihl and Husky saws

Mark K

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.
Husky 372's-385's,576, 2100
Treefarmer C7D
Franklin 405
Belsaw m-14 sawmill

dsgsr

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
Northlander band mill
Kubota M59 TLB
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'08 Ford 550 dump
'87 International Dump
2015 Miller 325 Trailblazer Welder/Gen

sandhills

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?

bill m

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.
NH tc55da Metavic 4x4 trailer Stihl and Husky saws

Peter Drouin

Fill all your tires with foam works like steel weights and will not go flat. last for ever 8) 8)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Larry

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.
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chevytaHOE5674

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...

thecfarm

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.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

WH_Conley

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.
Bill

Peter Drouin

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)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

beenthere

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. :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

chevytaHOE5674

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.

sandhills

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.

WH_Conley

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.
Bill

Peter Drouin

I guess youall know better. I can;t help you ??? O well  :D :D :D
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

captain_crunch

 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)
M-14 Belsaw circle mill,HD-11 Log Loader,TD-14 Crawler,TD-9 Crawler and Ford 2910 Loader Tractor

northwoods1

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.

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