There is a general consensus among garden tractor aficionados that adding weight to the tractor frame will have a negative effect on the bearing close to the weight.
This belief is a carry over from the big guy tractors where they can haul a ton or more of weight per wheel at times.
I feel this is a misunderstanding of what is going on with the tractor in relation to gravity.
Look at your tractor axle bearings.
Tiny little ball bearings up front where the snow blower is.
WIDE roller bearings for the rear axle.
The tractor was designed to carry most of the load at the rear!!
Your tractor works just like a playground see-saw. The laws of physics do not change just because the machine is painted yellow and white!!
Hang that heavy snow blower on the front, the tiny front axle bearings are heavily loaded. At the same time the wide rear axle bearings at the rear are unloaded due to the weight of the snow blower.
Just like a playground see-saw. Nothing has changed with gravity. Put the heavy kid on one side, the other side goes up!!
Adding wheel weight and fluid does nothing to counteract the weight of the snow blower. You need to "unload" those front axle bearings, NOT worry about the load on the big rear bearings.
You put the "big kid" on one side of the see-saw (snow blower), you gotta put a big kid on the other side of the see-saw (counter weight behind the rear axle).
Do your tractor a favor, save the front axle bearings (actually the front wheels and spindles),
Put weight behind the rear axle on the frame!!
Yea, the fluid and wheel weights can stay, they enhance traction.
Like the "Grasshopper's" mentor (TV show Kung Fu) once said;
"Proper balance in life is the key to success!!".
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