New boots

[1811woody]

After having the tires sitting in storage for at least 6 years I finally got them mounted and filled with beet juice this setup should work out good with the front end loader.

[garydee]

Nice boots! Looks like you are ready for old man winter!

One question about using a loader on a garden tractor? Do you need to add ballast at the rear to help compensate for the weight of the load in the bucket. On second thought, perhaps snow isn't heavy enough to require it, so maybe not...

The reason I ask is that I also have a tractor with a loader. The manual states that ballast must be used to balance the load and take weight off the front axle to prevent damage to it. Have you experimented using ballast when lifting stone or other heaver loads to compensate for the weight imbalance and to keep the rear wheels on the ground?

Like you, I have my rear tires loaded to help with the balance issue. The R4's have good traction in the snow due to the tires being filled. Because I clear snow with a blade in the winter, the ballast is not needed, however, when lifting stone or moving my boom lift around, I always use the ballast box.

[1811woody]

Yes I do have a ballast box, if I am going to use the tractor to do dirt work, or gravel or stone work I need to use it but when I have used it for snow I have not needed it, at least so far. I don't use it if I can get away with it because it is in the way of using my rear sleeve hitch, it needs modified but that project so far has not been a priority. This is actually the first time I will be using the beet juice in my tires, previously I used windshield washer fluid which is much lighter, so I have yet to see what I can get away with the extra weight.

[Oak]

I don't have any ballast on my loader and I ripped out a bunch of concrete when I tore the old chicken barn down. I did crack the frame where the power steering mounts and broke a steering spindle.
DSCN3598.jpg DSCN3601.jpg

[Sergeant]

Originally Posted by Oak

I don't have any ballast on my loader and I ripped out a bunch of concrete when I tore the old chicken barn down. I did crack the frame where the power steering mounts and broke a steering spindle.
Attachment 115939 Attachment 115938

My JD X748 will always be My Loader Garden tractor
My Cub Super I would use slip Buckets On Before I'd even consider a Loader

[1811woody]

Originally Posted by Oak

I don't have any ballast on my loader and I ripped out a bunch of concrete when I tore the old chicken barn down. I did crack the frame where the power steering mounts and broke a steering spindle.
Attachment 115939 Attachment 115938

What a beast!!
Ouch you were really working it, were you using it to lift and break the concrete or just scoop and carry it? I try not to work mine that hard my loader is not very heave duty, I dont want to break any thing then I cant play any more.

[1811woody]

Originally Posted by Sergeant

My JD X748 will always be My Loader Garden tractor
My Cub Super I would use slip Buckets On Before I'd even consider a Loader

Nice set up

[Oak]

I'm pretty sure I cracked the frame trying to break part of the slab that was the turn down portion. It was twisting the frame pretty good while doing that. I cut the main slab with a saw and scooped the pieces into the dumpster. That was probably 5 years ago and I still haven't repaired it and it has not spread anymore. With all that damage I still came out cheaper then renting a Bobcat + I had some fun seat time. It will never get abused like that again. Now it's mainly used for scooping mulch and firewood and it works awesome for that.

[Sergeant]

That's bad when a 10-gauge frame cracks.

My White GT2055 I did use to deliver liquid concrete and gravel with the Kwik-way Loader in summer 2002, as I wanted to make sure My JD 425 with 40 loader was In Good condition for My Trade-in On an X485 with 45 Loader. I had used the 425 very Heavily before that. Normally the 425 did the Heavy Loader work and the White did the Mulch and snow removal. The X485 was traded In On attachments for the X748, which Now Has the 45 Loader on it for most of the Year. Right now, the X748 has an Original Cab 47-inch Blower and a 48-inch Work-saver rear blade on it as of last night.

[1811woody]

Originally Posted by Oak

I'm pretty sure I cracked the frame trying to break part of the slab that was the turn down portion. It was twisting the frame pretty good while doing that. I cut the main slab with a saw and scooped the pieces into the dumpster. That was probably 5 years ago and I still haven't repaired it and it has not spread anymore. With all that damage I still came out cheaper then renting a Bobcat + I had some fun seat time. It will never get abused like that again. Now it's mainly used for scooping mulch and firewood and it works awesome for that.

What model of f.e.l. do you have?