Jump to content

Unofficial Home of Old Simplicity & Allis-Chalmers Garden Tractors

Maximum Wheel Weights


hufhouse

Recommended Posts

I just got my new EZ Weights by UPS, and I'm going down to WalMart to purchase the dumbbell plates for it tonight. My Simplicity manuals say that I should use a maximum of 35 lbs of weight on each wheel. That seems kind of wimpy to me. Will 70 lbs really make that much difference? Will more weight damage my tractor? What do you all think? ?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think it will hurt at all. I run double weights and fluid in the rears of the 3310, weights and fluid in the fronts.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only thing heavier wheel weights will effect is torsional stress in the axle shafts. The higher stress will only be seen if you are trying to spin the tires up to speed really fast. All the vertical load (ground pressure) is seen by the rim and tire. You never see multi-engine pulling tractors using wheel weights. Always hang-on weights. The reason is you don't want the engine to have to accelerate all that inertia to get moving. It puts too much stress on the drive train. Also requires much heavier brakes to stop the wheel rotation. For snow removal and plowing applications, wheel weights shouldn't hurt the tractor at all.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm currently running 40-lb Bolens weights and WW fluid-filled ag tires on the back of my Big Ten. You don't want to spin ag tires quickly -- that means you're digging a hole very quickly if you're on dirt! I don't think I'd want to hang more than 50 lbs on each wheel, but you can certainly go above 35...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most multi-engine pullers use a rear end out of heavy duty offroad construction equipment. They have planetary out drives. The planetary drive's hub is large enough that wheel weights will not fit inside the rim. A planetary drive takes stress off the rear axle and internal parts. Back to adding weight to move snow. The key to moving snow is not to spin the tires. I don't use weights to move snow. I install tires chains and have great sucess with my 738 Broadmoor and the Landlord that replace the 738. The key is to use common sense.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In pulling, wheel weights are not used on the high power machines because it takes lots of power to spin up a heavy inertial mass, and this puts excess stress on the drivetrain. Stock pulling tractors do use wheel weights because they don't accelerate fast. As far as the weight, you can put as much on as your wheels and tires will take, since the load is not on the chassis or bearings. It depends on your tires. The wider the tire, the more weight is needed. A skinny tire will bite well with less weight. I pushed 6 inches of snow with 23x10.5x12 Ag tires and 90 lb of hang on weight last week and didn't spin at all(no chains).
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was pushing 9" of fluffy snow from the last storm with the Putt-Putt and it has 6X12(23X6-12 in modern terms) rear tires with chains. I supplied the weight. I never got the 3310 out for it, and it weighs almost 1100 pounds without a driver.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...