How many wheel are to many?

kennell · Aug 11, 2014

I use my M for parades and working in the woods.Its perfect for hauling firewood. Last fall after we had a few inches of rain, i had some problems getting stuck. Yesterday i decided to add a couple more sets of wheel weights. i now have 4 sets on the rear.
Is this to many weights on a
soon to be 70 year old tractor? Thanks Kent

Janicholson · Aug 11, 2014

Wheel weights are not putting weight on the tractor, only the tire/rim/wheel, which can readily handle the load. No worries. They are much more benign than chassis weights, which doo load bearings. But not as much as a 2MH corn picker with husking bed. Jim

uncle henry · Aug 11, 2014

i have four sets on my super mta

JRSutton · Aug 11, 2014

I've never experimented so I could be dead wrong - but I might be tempted to argue that wheel weights only hurt you when you're stuck in mud.

At least in deep soft mud.

The tire's more like a paddle wheel than a tire at that point. It's going to slip no matter how much weight's on it.

So for the sake of "paddling" out of a mud hole - I'd think the less overall weight the better.

I'd only bother with weights if you're pulling something heavy where the tires might be tempted to slip on dry loose ground where there's something there to press against with the tire. (like when plowing).

I think for mudholes you'd be better off letting air out of the tire than adding weight to it.

But we'll need to hear from the tractor physicists out there to know for sure.

Janicholson · Aug 11, 2014

Yup. Jim

Nebraska Cowman · Aug 11, 2014

Yes, if you are in a deep hole that is true to an extent. Adding weight does add traction but at the same time you have more gravity to overcome to pull out of the hole. So adding weight at that point gains nothing. I had an Allis 185 with 18.4 x 30s on it that I removed the calcium for just that reason. It made a tractor out of it. On the other hand when the going is merely slippery more weight does = more tracton.

rustcollector · Aug 11, 2014

Kent,

Question first might be whether or not liquid ballast is in the tire and tire size and to some extent tread and sidewall condition? In a "liquid" mud/water situation, miring and cutting down will be worsened with additional weight. When the bottom falls out, there is that much more dead weight to drag out. Any number of implements and mounted equipment will out weigh the four weights on each wheel; i.e. planters, corn pickers, cotton pickers, etc.

David G · Aug 11, 2014

You are really loaded for bear.

I would take them all but one off unless you are planning on heavy pulling or loader work.

David G · Aug 11, 2014

I also see no need for front weights, just makes it steer harder.

kennell · Aug 11, 2014

Front weights look cool but are of no great purpose on a M. Kent

kennell · Aug 11, 2014

I explaned that i work in the woods and dragging a cord and half of wood out a rough road full of humps, hollows and tree roots make it difficult to get traction. The first year i had no weights and it didn't go that well. The second year i had 2 sets and it went better until the rain made it greasy and soft. This year we'll see how 4 sets work out. i can always take them back off if its worse. Kent

kennell · Aug 11, 2014

Tires are in good shape tho not matching. love to find another Firestone for her. No ballast in 12.4x38 tires. Kent

David G · Aug 11, 2014

Do you have power steering?

David G · Aug 11, 2014

You will want the weight then. I do see a lot of difference in bogging down with tractors that are ballasted.

Duals would be cool.....

PretendFarmer · Aug 11, 2014

If you saw how much weight some tractor pullers put on their M's you laugh at how much you have on. I put 2500 lbs on my H to get into 6500 lbs class. That's all on the tractor. Not on the wheels.

kennell · Aug 11, 2014

armstrong steering. Kent

Steve A W · Aug 11, 2014

I've never had a problem getting stuck.
Lot's of problems getting out though!
LOL

Steve A W

.

David G · Aug 11, 2014

Taking those weights off the front will make that nicer, or could add PS.

redforlife · Aug 11, 2014

If you are on greasy ground, weight will help you to a certain extent. If you are on mud and sinking in the soft ground is what is happening, its not going to help much if any at all. A tricicle front end will hurt you worse than anything if sinking is the problem. Best thing to do in that case, is only operate when dry. However, if you bolt your front rims on in the widest position will help you, but only to a certain extent and the margin of being better is only minimal. For what it is worth, I would take the front wheel weights off.

JRSutton · Aug 12, 2014

in that kind of environment, I don't the the weights will make things worse - but what I was trying to point out is that you might get much more bang for you buck by letting air out of your tires. Especially because it's free.

Hard to say for sure, but they look pretty solid in the picture. Let them sag a bit and you'll have a lot more contact area with the ground. That contact area is what gives you traction more than anything.

kennell · Aug 12, 2014

Good point. I'll check the pressure and experiment a bit. Thanks Kent

Bud Kaiser · Aug 13, 2014

WOW most H"s around here will not pull over 5100#( they run out of power). You must have done alot of engine work on yours. But on the subject of wheel weights.I have (4) 3/4 hardened
all thread rods and I put 5 rear wheel weights on each side of my 450 and I would think it would be ok for an H.

D beatty · Aug 14, 2014

The front weights only add 84 lbs. to tractor and no noticeable differance in steering. I have a set on a 450 with no power steering.

D beatty · Aug 14, 2014

Watch how much you flex side walls. To much to long breaks down cord in sidewalls which could lead to sidewall failure .

PretendFarmer · Aug 14, 2014

(quoted from post at 18:27:25 08/13/14) WOW most H"s around here will not pull over 5100#( they run out of power). You must have done alot of engine work on yours. But on the subject of wheel weights.I have (4) 3/4 hardened
all thread rods and I put 5 rear wheel weights on each side of my 450 and I would think it would be ok for an H.

Our tracks are of what I consider medium hardness. My tractor came with X1A at the end of the serial number to indicate a low first gear. But let me tell you, its pushing all she has at 6500# class. I just won the most recent pull I did in the 6500# class pulling a 11000# sled against John Deere A's, B's, Farmall M's and an Oliver 88.

It has a fresh rebuild a few years ago but nothing special.

NNP · Aug 15, 2014

with a couple weights on each side, if you are still slipping,
nothing beats chains.
Loose is ok in snow, but when I use them in the mud or woods with lots of roots,
I cinch them down very tight.
I have 1 tractor with 3 sets of chains cinched on it tight..
Basically a tracked machine now.

How many wheel are to many?

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