Another tire weight question...

snoopnc

Member
My question / comment is posed as a "theoretical". FWIW, I run my 4610 "dry" and lite, (16.9 x 30) but have had them "wet" and with supplemental weight on the 3-point.

Question / comment: It was told to me one time that "wet" tires were less strain on the drive system due to "slippage" inside the tire whereas iron weights were heavier and created more wear / tear on the drive line. This would be true if ... for example ... you used equal poundage of "wet" vs. dry/iron. Rust / corrosion / etc. factors do NOT enter this question.

What do you think ... WET tires VS WEIGHTED dry tires??
 
If anything, I would think the fluid filled tires would be more 'wear' on the drivetrain than weights. The tractor has to compensate for the fluid dynamics... friction between fluid particles (viscosity) and tire surface, turbulence and eddies generated within the tire. I would think there is also a significant shifting of inertial fluid force when the tractor slows or accelerates (i.e. the fluid can freely shift within the tires) that would be absorbed in the drivetrain. The pie weights or whatever bolted onto the tractor remain stationary so I don't think there are any additional counterforces other than what is generated from rotational and/or translational momentum.
I'm not a physicist, but just my laymans guess. Interesting question for a physicist to test and answer though.
 
Gave it another thought and I think compared to a 3pt weight, the pie weights would have greater impact on the drivetrain because of the additional rotational momentum. The fluid in the tires would not have this impact because the fluid isn't rotating (unless the tires were completely filled with fluid). So my guess for least to most wear on the drivetrain would be 3pt weight, followed by tire fluid, and lastly pie weights. This is assuming the torque created by the pie weight rotation on the drivetrain causes more negative impact than the fluid 'sloshing' around in the tires! I don't know for sure... just having fun thinking about it. Thanks.
 
The only difference I see is sprung vs. unsprung weight. Fluid or wheel weights are unsprung - the axles do not carry the weight. Suitcase weights, weight carried on the 3-point, etc. Has to be carried by the axles.
 
Another thing to consider. Heavy wheel weights, if they are hung on the outside of the rim only, will add a torsional effect applying force that makes the tops of the wheels want to move out away from the tractor and the bottoms to move in toward the tractor. Normally when everything is bolted up tight you don't see any actual movement and the wheels don't look canted, but the force is there just the same, and that puts uneven force on the axle bearings and they will wear quicker than they would otherwise. If you have equal amounts of weight on the inside of the rim and the outside, then they balance each other out.
 

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