[JD4044M]

Tipping over because of your bucket sucks. You hear lots about picking up heavy load and needing ballast. But not much about light loads up high turning. It is so easy to flip one this way on a slight hill or to fast a speed. I have lifted a rear tire a couple times on my old MF135 using the loader.

Those times were because I was lazy and tired of raising it up for a fence I was dumping it over. Worst one was a run away tractor in reverse going up a real steep grade into my back yard. The loader up high with a load of dirt for the new garden when it stalled at the top. I had no brakes for years on it scared the crap out of me till I dropped my rear blade which has always been my anchor.

 

[Cliebold]

Great site I used another’s idea. Here is how it turned out.

Have 2 chains in the 3 inch pvc. Gonna place a piece of 3/4 plywood on top with a bungee cord and 2 tie downs to allow my chain saw to be set and secured.

 

[Camp Cook]

I'm looking at buying one of these boxes next month been leaving my rear 200lbs + plow on for now but it makes transporting the trailer in anything other than my 16' trailer a real pain.

 

[Maineboy]

Should the weight of a cab be used in determining ballast?

My tractor is equipped with a Curtis cab and according to their web site, shipping weight for it is 350 pounds. Can I use that 350 pounds in lieu of adding wheel weights? The tractor is a 4410 and won't be delivered until next week but I'm pretty sure it has no liquid added to the tires. I'm trying to figure out the amount of rear ballast needed in a ballast box.

 

[grassman92]

If you have a loader get the rear tires loaded with rim guard. You may still want a ballast box. A cab adds weight but not in the right place. I would make sure that the tires are in the widest position for mor stability

 

[jgayman]

My tractor is equipped with a Curtis cab and according to their web site, shipping weight for it is 350 pounds. Can I use that 350 pounds in lieu of adding wheel weights? The tractor is a 4410 and won't be delivered until next week but I'm pretty sure it has no liquid added to the tires. I'm trying to figure out the amount of rear ballast needed in a ballast box.

My thinking is that while the weight of the cab does contribute to the overall weight of the tractor, most of the weight is up high and as a result it actually works against you from a stability standpoint. Granted the 4410 is a large framed tractor you would still probably want loaded tires/wheel weights to aid stability and of course 3PH ballast to offload the front axle.

 

[Yank]

My thinking is that while the weight of the cab does contribute to the overall weight of the tractor, most of the weight is up high and as a result it actually works against you from a stability standpoint. Granted the 4410 is a large framed tractor you would still probably want loaded tires/wheel weights to aid stability and of course 3PH ballast to offload the front axle.

J is telling you right. Wheel weights and loaded tires help with stability and traction. When ballasting for a loader, the weight needs to be BEHIND the rear wheels. The point being to get the weight off the front axle. Big Jim, I think, can tell you what happens when you don’t do this. The loaders weight hangs in front of the front axle, which puts a whole lot of down force on it. Your counter weight needs to equal or surpass that by hanging behind the rear wheels. Point being, even though the cab probably helps to a point, you still need some weight farther back.

 

[Maineboy]

Should the weight of a cab be used in determining ballast?

I probably should have titled this "COULD the weight of a cab be used in determining ballast?"

These are the 300X loader required minimum ballast specs for the 4410:
1. Three rear wheel weights per wheel and 350 kg (770 lbs) of 3-Point hitch ballast
OR
2. Fluid-filled rear tires and 300 kg (661 lbs) of 3-Point hitch ballast. If my tires in fact are not fluid filled, can I use the weight of the cab, or part of the weight of the cab in lieu of the wheel weights?

I plan on purchasing a Titan Ballast box but its maximum weight is 800 lbs according to their website and want to know if I can meet the specs in 1.

 

[jgayman]

I probably should have titled this "COULD the weight of a cab be used in determining ballast?"

These are the 300X loader required minimum ballast specs for the 4410:
1. Three rear wheel weights per wheel and 350 kg (770 lbs) of 3-Point hitch ballast
OR
2. Fluid-filled rear tires and 300 kg (661 lbs) of 3-Point hitch ballast. If my tires in fact are not fluid filled, can I use the weight of the cab, or part of the weight of the cab in lieu of the wheel weights?

I plan on purchasing a Titan Ballast box but its maximum weight is 800 lbs according to their website and want to know if I can meet the specs in 1.

Here is perhaps another way to look at it. Compare to a recent model tractor like a 3039R which comes in OOS or Cab. I'm willing to bet that factory cab weighs more than the Curtis cab. Both versions take the same 300CX loader. Does the loader documentation list different ballast requirements for the cab model compared with the OOS model?

I don't think it does.

 

[Maineboy]

Here is perhaps another way to look at it. Compare to a recent model tractor like a 3039R which comes in OOS or Cab. I'm willing to bet that factory cab weighs more than the Curtis cab. Both versions take the same 300CX loader. Does the loader documentation list different ballast requirements for the cab model compared with the OOS model?

I don't think it does.

Thanks, you are right, there appears to be no distinction between cab and open operating station models. Wishful thinking on my part.

 

[HomesteadJoe]

I had my first "near miss" experience relating to rear ballast. While I have heeded the rear ballast advice from the get-go, there was this one time last week that I needed to move a bucket load of fill from one spot to another and my 2038R tractor was not properly ballasted for loader work.... I had the 72" MMM and the loader attached, and only the quick hitch on the rear 3 point hitch....I scooped-up a load of fill on level ground and wanted to dump it over an embankment that I've been filling little by little.... as I approached the embankment I had the bucket very low to the ground but the nose of the tractor began descending the crest of the embankment which is sloped steeply down..... well you know what happened next..... the rear wheels of the tractor began to lose traction and the rear wheels were skidding and the tractor was descending the slope of the embankment out of control unbeknownst to me... I kept pressing the brakes harder but to no avail..... I finally realized what was happening (the tractor was skidding due to GRAVITY and lack of traction at the rear wheels) and I dropped the loader bucket quickly to arrest the uncontrolled descent of the tractor down the steep embankment. Once it stopped, I regained my composure and thought to myself how on earth am I ever going to reverse the tractor back up that embankment? I had no choice but to reverse out.... thinking for a moment that I could bring my F-250 over and pull it out, I then thought about using the loader & bucket and "articulate" my way out by pushing with the bucket edge carved into the embankment..... well that worked just fine and I was out in less than a minute..... I sure did learn a very important lesson though..... for that one bucket load of fill, I nearly crashed my tractor.... because I did not properly ballast the machine for the operation I was performing.... I will try to post a photo or two of the area where this happened to show some perspective.... I didn't photograph it during the actual event for obvious reasons...(I was otherwise occupied!)

Lesson learned! That won't happen again!

Thanks for the great advice on this forum!

Sincerely


Here are the photos.....

 

[ctrider]

Whoa! A little too close for comfort, huh?

 

[Kennyd]

What is "Rear Ballast"? And why do you need it?

Thanks for sharing Joe :thumbsup:

 

[WifeSaidOK]

Pucker factor=HIGH!

 

[PJR832]

Joe, I'd be willing to bet that there aren't many of us on here that haven't done something similar. Forgetful or in a rush, "oh, it's just one scoop" or " I only have to move one of my wife's planter boxes 75 feet" :banghead: the second was my encounter. Thanks for being man enough to share your experience as a lesson to others. :good2:

 

[rakane]

Stories like that help new guys like me. Thanks for posting.

Meanwhile is a 30' Grady White.

 

[JAllen]

More evidence and an interesting idea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BObUayz_CDs

 

[Kennyd]

Excellent find JAllen. It's a good promo for getting a iMatch too LOL

(I embedded the video in your post)

 

[fdmars]

Great video.......but did you see the buttons to move the tractor and raise the 3 pt hitch....:bigthumb::bigthumb:
That is so cool....never seen that before......I need a updated tractor:gizmo::greentractorride::yahoo:

 

[glc]

Excellent video. Pretty darn nice tractor too!:good2:
The one point I was expecting him to mention,( but he didn't), was weight behind the axle is what your looking for when it comes to relieving stress off your front axle.