WVHillbilly520H 10,373 #76 Posted December 30, 2016 57 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said: Does this mean I gotta stop moving the 2000lb boat with the Commando 8 ? Ed, I would reckon you're in the clear 1) it's not a dump cart, 2) you're not on a slope at that moment in time......or 3) Toro no longer makes so that was only a liability comment at the time of printing till end of production..., Jeff. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,496 #77 Posted December 30, 2016 Guys, you know the rule of thumb - whatever you're pulling should not weigh more than your tow tractor and the operator and whatever weights or attachments you have on your tow tractor. This is, of course, for safe braking on slopes and also for not letting what you're towing to pull you back down going uphill. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duramax7man7 506 #78 Posted December 30, 2016 "Burning a bit rich, I'd say...?" LOL More like smokin' a bit of a transmission! lol Good advice. Don't pull more than the tractor up or down hills and on level surfaces, Safely WORK THAT SUCKA! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 55,065 #79 Posted December 30, 2016 I suspect the ability to control the load safely is (and should be) the primary consideration when towing. The greatest threat to safe operation on hills and grades is weight suspended from the front of our tractors (elevated snow blower or snow plow or loader) all of which add to the mass of the tractor while reducing traction to the rear wheels. Wheel weights and loaded tires aid breaking traction more than any other weight. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,373 #80 Posted December 30, 2016 I understand how important it is to safely operate a tractor and wagon/trailer loaded as I used be "young"(10-12 years old) driver of an Allis Chalmers C with questionable brakes and wood wagon(4' wide 8' long bed with 30" sides) loaded all it could handle in some precarious areas in the woods in WV, but dad would just say put it low gear, 4 notches up on throttle and it'll be okay sure dad I always thought...I was just joking with Ed and I'm sure we all push our limits one way or another with our little tractors,Jeff. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,021 #81 Posted December 30, 2016 (edited) Sounds like we learned some of the same lessons in our youth Jeff. I had a close call on my Granddads AC in the mountains of SW Pa. Grandad's rule was use the lowest gear available when pulling a heavy load up a hill or being pushed downhill by a heavy load. Well this 10 year old was moving a load of field stone on a drag sled from a creek bottom to a stone house we were building on the mountain. I was able to drag the stones quickly across the flat bottom pasture in 3rd gear at WOT and partly up the hill till the AC ran out of HP. I probably don't have to tell you what happens when you shift to low gear on a hill and pop the clutch at WOT while attached to a heavy static load. Of course when the AC reared up, I slid back in the seat and could no longer reach the clutch, so the AC ended upside down on top of the sled load of field stone. Some 63 years ago, I was a lot more agile and bailed off with nothing hurt but a mashed steering wheel and hood. Be careful boyz. Stuff happens quick. Sorry for the story Andrew, but I guess it is related. Edited December 30, 2016 by Ed Kennell 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,373 #82 Posted December 30, 2016 Ed, I'm only 45 but I grew up in the "land that time stood still" we used all horse drawn equipment converted over to tow with the AC's (great granddad bought a new B '47 as well my great uncle's) then dad and his brother the C...other than the hydraulic culivators, mold board plow, and belt driven "buzz" cord wood saw, yep just like living in Amish country and we still had draft horses until I was in high school, ok enough off topic but the good ole days for sure,Jeff. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimmyJam 542 #83 Posted December 30, 2016 I built a "sandbox" weight for my traditional hitch for my B-80. My thought: weight + driveway sand when needed.; then someone said: "weight on rear-end hitch will burn out tranny. Wheel weights are the better option". Uncertain of that theory. Pullers drag 1000's of pounds from hitch. Good question! Weight on hitch vs wheel weights!!!!! Anyone??? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duramax7man7 506 #84 Posted December 31, 2016 "BOTH" .... ha ha! The point was made that the benefits of extra ballast weight, to get multiple jobs done in a fraction of the time with a tractor, when compared to back breaking hand work, far outweighs the risk of busting a trans/ axle and spending a few to even ten hours replacing it with a spare one in the free time created with that same tractors high level or productivity. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,373 #85 Posted January 1, 2017 watch.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,021 #86 Posted January 1, 2017 Sup Jeff, Nothing there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,373 #87 Posted January 2, 2017 @Ed Kennell,Tried to post a link , but obviously I ain't no good at that yet ,.........so anyway...try YouTube "epic tractor fails 2015" kinda goes along with our little foray into weight/hitch follies,Jeff. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,021 #88 Posted January 2, 2017 (edited) http://www.bing.com/search?q=youtubeepictractorfails2015&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=IESR02&pc=EUPP Yep, some of these fit Jeff. Edited January 2, 2017 by Ed Kennell 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,373 #89 Posted January 2, 2017 Yep load 'er down, stab the throttle, and dump the clutch, stand back, hold my my beer, and watch this......I've got this... Btw thanks Ed, someday I'll figure out the link posting, till then I'll gladly accept any assistance ... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeliusZ28 77 #90 Posted January 3, 2017 I agree with the concerns raised here. I like to do things right, so in the long term, I'm probably going to pick up the 3-point receiver hitch and maybe add some AG tires as well (trying to avoid scratching up my driveway with chains). For right now, I have to say the combo of 75lbs and the toro wheel weights works quite well. You can really feel the difference in traction vs just one set of weights. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge 3,463 #91 Posted January 4, 2017 One option is to run the rubber chains instead of the asphalt destroying steel ones - lot of guys here like using them it seems . I run ags with chains year round and wheel weights , two also run liquid-filled tires (RV antifreeze) and have far more traction than some of the tractor's components can handle if abused . Sarge 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 55,065 #92 Posted January 7, 2017 Had my first opportunity to see how well the added rear weight works, 6" of wet heavy snow and my driveway is quite steep. Now I can plow going uphill and down, without it I was only able to plow going down and struggled to go up with the plow raised (removing some traction from the rear wheels). 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,021 #93 Posted January 8, 2017 That should hold her down Richard. What are those blocks...about 50lb each? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 55,065 #94 Posted January 8, 2017 1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said: What are those blocks...about 50lb each? That sounds right, if it was any heavier it wouldn't steer well; 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
