Wheel Weights/Diff. Damage?

[Challenger 27]

Last summer I left my winter wheel weights on my 522xi. We use the tractor all summer to mow 3 acres.

Yesterday a friend who knows a lot about garden tractors and power equipment suggested that the wheel weights should ALWAYS be removed before mowing season as the weights will somehow damage the differential.

Has he got this right??? No damage to my tractor that I can tell.

What do you think/know???

[Jim_M 178]

My loader tractor has 105 pounds on each wheel and gets treated pretty rough occasionally and it's not damaged. Don't worry about it, wheel weights won't damage anything but the paint on the wheel.

[Rollerman 290]

I agee with Jim, but there are exceptions....like when you see multiple sets of wheel weights stacked up on each side.

On the larger D series Wheel Horse's I believe there is a service buletin about running to many wheel weights or loaded tires???

I've never seen it & just heard about it from those who know more about Horses than me.

Your friend probably isn't aware how overbuilt the Wheel Horse transaxles are, his name wouldn't be "Cliff Claven"? :ychain:

[Hydro 131]

I heard something similar the other day from a JD dealer when I was looking at their suitcase style of weight. I told him my back tires were loaded and he replied they don't do that anymore as it's too hard on the rear end, that's when I told him I had a Real Horse and he replied "OH" their built differently. The conversation then turned to the differences in their lawn and garden tractors which ended by him saying maybe that would not affect a Wheel Horse.

I wonder if that might only apply to the lighter built rear ends like the 100 series JD's? :dunno:

[Rollerman 290]

I think any "LT" type rider with an aluminium case transaxle or less than steel gears in the diff would be at risk from loaded tires or really, really heavy wheel weights.

Frame mounted weight will wear on the axles & bearings more so than loaded tires or wheel weights too....since the weight is being carried on the tractor & not within the wheel.

Regardless with the Wheel Horse uni drive trans can handle permanently mounted wheel weights.

The only down side I can think of is haveing to push a tractor with heavy weights if for some reason it won't run. :hide:

[CasualObserver 3,408]

Exactly what I was thinking Stephen.... I would add someone should be careful with this idea if they're running duals on a garden tractor. The axles won't stand up to extra weight extended out that far for very long.

[Challenger 27]

To take this topic a little further, what about the use of a Toro Weight Box attached to the rear axle. A friend at work uses this set-up on his 522xi when running his two-stage snowblower.

Come to think of it, I had Wheel Horse "Suit Case" weights when I had a 520H. They were attached at the real axle when the snowblower was on.

- Challenger

[Rollerman 290]

To take this topic a little further, what about the use of a Toro Weight Box attached to the rear axle. A friend at work uses this set-up on his 522xi when running his two-stage snowblower.

Come to think of it, I had Wheel Horse "Suit Case" weights when I had a 520H. They were attached at the real axle when the snowblower was on.

- Challenger

Since this is my third post in this thread, I'll start by saying I'm not an expert here...just giveing my opinion based on what I have learned at RS.

Any weight carried by the tractor...no matter if it's in a box, suit case weights, bolted to the frame, trans or in a box on the hood will be carried on the axles & bearings creating a strain.....(but I've heard of Horses carrying hundreds of pounds of weight that way without failure).

Wheel weights & or loaded tires are supported by the tire itself, they create less strain on the tractors axles & axle bearings.

The strain is not eliminated, theory is that it's decreased some with the weight on the wheel.

I have wheel weights on several of my tractors & I don't remove them to mow.

They can actually help to lower the center of gravity if your mowing hilly ground.

The more weight you add the more strain on the tractor, steering, & brakes....period.

Not a problem if your useing it like a tractor & aware of any limitations additional weight would create.

If you have 300# of weights on your tractor & fly around the neighbor hood at high speed...you probably need a golf cart.

If your experiencing loss of traction (mud, wet grass, snow, ice) or your tractor feels a little tippy on a light side hill I'd leave the wheel weights...or frame mounted weights on.

Your old 520H & newer 522XI can easily handle it. :handgestures-thumbup:

[SAM58 30]

Last summer I left my winter wheel weights on my 522xi. We use the tractor all summer to mow 3 acres.

Yesterday a friend who knows a lot about garden tractors and power equipment suggested that the wheel weights should ALWAYS be removed before mowing season as the weights will somehow damage the differential.

Has he got this right??? No damage to my tractor that I can tell.

What do you think/know???

Must have been a JD dealer....

[can whlvr 993]

i leave mine all the time too,but they are only fifty pounds,their not crazy heavy but i have sone steep hills,mud and a creek that i cross,so they are a welcome addition to the horse

[littleredrider 409]

Granted it is a John Deere, but my mother has a 425 that has 23" loaded Ags and bolt on weights. Apparently they are the heavier ones (what a friend told me that has 2 425s) and never had a problem. They have been on the tractor for years, and then one before that for years. I think if someone tried putting 5-600 pounds of weight on, then that might be a problem....

[Paul D. 26]

What about gas consumption . I would think that the added weight would have to affect the amount of gas you use mowing your lawn. With the way gas prices are anymore I think that would have to be a factor when considering whether to leave them on for the summer or not.

[kpinnc 12,092]

The more weight you add the more strain on the tractor, steering, & brakes....period.

The 522xi transaxle- aside from the orientation of the Eaton 1100 pump, is virtually identical to any other Eaton-equipped Wheel Horse GARDEN tractor. One of the most rugged transmissions you can buy.

BUT- Any additional weight will cause additional wear over time. Mowing with the weights installed most definitely adds up on the hour meter. Your transmission can handle the weight, but if your car/ truck can carry thousands of pounds more than it does, would you still haul around an extra thousand all the time? My opinion would be that if you don't need the weights, then only put them on when you do. Wear in ANY part of the tranny will spread to other parts. Why risk it?