weight?????????

Anonymous-0 · Dec 28, 2008

Hey folks,
I'm a little thick headed sometimes, so humor me a little.
I move water tanks for my horses with my tractor. These are 1500 liter tanks on a 1 axle frame. It's next to impossible to maneuver them in place (unless straight in/straight out) when the ground is wet without ruining the area. It just crossed my mind that my tractor weighs 1300kg and the tanks are 1500 kg water plus tank, axle, and frame (1800-2000kg). If my tractor weighed equal or more, it should take care of the maneuverability problem right???? If so, is filling the tires and adding some rear axle weights the answer, or do I need to get some weight in the middle also?
Thanks,
Dave

phillipd · Dec 28, 2008

alot would depend on how well the trailer is balanced.is there alot of weight on the hitch when loaded?if so,you may need some upfront to keep the front of your tractor heavy enough to steer?pd

Orangefever · Dec 28, 2008

filling your tires would certainly help or add wheel weights either way you need to get the tractor heavier then the load

Janicholson · Dec 28, 2008

If you are moving them, it is more a function of traction than Wt. Adding mass to the same tires might cause as much deformation of the earth as does the slippage now. I think duals would make it easier to float on the surface, and their Wt. would also add to the tractor mass. Flotation on the tanks might also need to be increased. JimN

Anonymous-0 · Dec 28, 2008

Thanks.... Guess I'll just move them when it's dry..... As long as I go straight, there is no problem, just when I try to maneuver. I'll try a neighbor's tractor (heavier) and see what happens when wet. I can adjust, just needed to hear it from outside.

Dave

johndeereman · Dec 28, 2008

if its sloppy more weight is not the answer im wondering what you are having trouble with the trailer sliding or the tractor spinning prolly be better to add another axle to the trailer

Anonymous-0 · Dec 28, 2008

Mostly the tractor jackknifeing. It's frozen now and I put one in place. If it gets sloppy again, I'll just fill another tank and pump from one to the other (I can get to 30ft away).

Dave

rhettcale · Dec 28, 2008

maybe you just need larger tires on the trailer, that would prevent some of the sinking in soft ground, which would be less resistance that the tractor is trying to push therefore easier manuverability. since its just a water wagon you could use worn out flotation tires that could be gotten relatively cheap.

farmer boy · Dec 28, 2008

The way I understand it your trying to back the wagon up and it jackknifes.If this is the case I have seen 25000 lb tractors do the same thing although with a bigger load. Bigger tires or staying out of the mud are about the only thing that will fix this problem

RodinNS · Dec 28, 2008

Either more weight transfer to the tractor, more wheels on the trailer or a combination of the two...
The weight of the trailer doesn't particularly concern me. It's just a matter of how much rubber you have holding it up.

Rod

john in la · Dec 28, 2008

The way I understand your problem is the trailer is getting stuck and the tractor has traction so it must move somewhere. Since it can not push the stuck trailer it walks around to the side or jackknifes.

Putting a larger tractor is just going to give you more traction on the tractor but will do nothing for the trailer. If you were to somehow get enough traction funneled to push the trailer where you want it I would be afraid of bending the tongue because of the bind it would be in.

You need to build up the spot to where it is never wet or put some better flotation tires on the trailer.

paul · Dec 28, 2008

A lot of good advice below.

As to where to put weight: Assuming a 2wd tractor, you only need it on the rear axle or behind.

If it is a 4wd tractor, you still want it on the rear axle. Your problem is the rear axle squirming away from you, so that is where the weight is needed.

I won't promise this will solve your problem; as others say it is just a problem of the situation. But it likely will improve things.

Here is the _real_ problem: Tractor tires work real well in one direction, and do not work in the other direction. The angle bars wipe mud off to the side when you spin, and the tire digs down to firn ground & pulls you real well going forward.

When you back up and spin a bit, the lugs on the tire will now pull the mud in under the center of the tire, and you get no traction at all! It just wants to squirm all over, and not get any traction in reverse.

You could fix the backing up problem by swapping your tires around backwards. However, then you will have no traction going forwards!!!!

--->Paul

Hugh MacKay · Dec 29, 2008

Why, most good operators can move and pull 3 times the weight of tractor?

Anonymous-0 · Dec 29, 2008

The ground is frozen a little, so I filled tanks and put them in place today. The ones I am worried about are close to the road and I can leave them in place and have the fire dept fill them. I've been in this town 10 years and people are still warming up. Had I asked to have it filled, the answer would have probably been no, but a guy offered today and it'll only cost a donation.

Thanks,

Dave

weight?????????

Anonymous-0

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phillipd

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Orangefever

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Janicholson

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Anonymous-0

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johndeereman

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Anonymous-0

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rhettcale

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farmer boy

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RodinNS

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john in la

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paul

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Hugh MacKay

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Anonymous-0

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