At different times here on OTT and on other tractor forums, there’s a statement commonly made concerning the differences between the two types of added ballast. Like an urban legend, the statement made that seems to be turning into a “rural” legend is that the weight of a solid wheel weight is carried by the axle, whereas the liquid ballast weight is carried by the ground. Implying that wheel weights put unnecessary weight on the axle before it gets to the ground. New tractor owners as well as seasoned tractor owners seem to repeat this misconception.
For the sake of new tractor owners, let’s discuss this issue. And I’ll polish my metaphorical sword and be ready and willing to fall on it if those seasoned believers can change my mind or prove me wrong with my saying, “With possibly few exceptions, the load/weight of a solid wheel weight is carried by the ground…..just as liquid ballast is.” The only weight carried by the axle is the weight of the equipment between the wheel hubs. IE: the tractor’s rear end along with its additional rear mounted equipment that is raised off of the ground. The only time wheel weights are carried by the axle is if that tire becomes lifted clear of the ground. The same also applies to liquid ballast.
It would be an odd exception to have a wheel weight that is directly installed on an axle itself…..and especially between the wheel and the axle housing. The wheel design on some smaller sub compact tractors and garden tractors may require weights to use longer wheel/hub mounting bolts to attach the weights along with the wheel. But even then, the weight is still essentially with the wheel/hub and carried by the ground and not by the axle.
Points to consider:
They’re called wheel weights for a reason: they’re bolted directly to the wheel. The wheels have separate mounting holes for their installation. (Again, with some exceptions on smaller wheels.)
The added weight becomes part of the wheel itself and is then transmitted through the tire to the ground. The increased wheel weight compresses the rubber tire downward until the air pressure increases to stop that action. The wheel is just bolted to the axle/hub which will then lower along with it until the tire’s air pressure is increased to account for the added weight and properly correct the tire’s footprint again.
Unless the weight covers the wheel/hub mounting bolts (as they might on some smaller tractor wheels) you can remove the wheel/tire with the weight still mounted. The added weight doesn’t stay and hang on the axle. This in itself is proof enough that the added weight is carried by the ground.
Granted, some weights can be stacked and mounted in multiples on a wheel. Then the outer weights could extend past the outer edge of the wheel and tire’s footprint. That would put some outward pull/stress on the wheel’s flange and axle hub. But usually, only one weight per wheel is added to our smaller tractors. The weight is located pretty much inside the outer wheel cavity and within the tire’s footprint. The resulting small off-center weight imbalance is handled by the tire, wheel flange, and axle hub. The ground still carries the major portion of the wheel weight, not the axle.
The wheel weight’s “ballast” is mounted concentric to the axle…..not on it. Liquid ballast in the tire lowers the center of gravity just a little bit further than a wheel weight does because it mostly resides inside the lower portion of the tire…..not mounted around the center of the wheel like a wheel weight is. Again, only when the wheel is lifted off the ground are both types of ballast weight carried by the axle. Hopefully that doesn’t happen!
The other statements regarding costs per pound, eventual rust or no rust, ease of tire repair, being able to remove wheel weights when not needed, which type is better for traction, etc., etc. is something each person has to consider and apply to their situation. But the statement made that says a bolted-on wheel weight’s “ballast” is carried by the axle and not by the ground is inaccurate with probably 99.99% of wheel weight applications.
Growing up in a farming community and on a farm with row crop tractors that had extended rear axles for shifting the tires wheel base: I can’t recall ever seeing wheel weights bolted independently on the axles. They were always attached to the wheel itself. But there’s always an exception, and maybe in another type of industry it might be different. But for our small, sub compact, compact, and even slightly larger tractors, I think it would be the rare exception rather than the rule.
Let’s not add any more confusion to a new tractor owner’s ballast choice than there already is. With possibly an exception or two, a bolted-on wheel weight’s ballast is also carried by the ground, just like liquid ballast is. And not by the axle. It just happens to be centered around the axle.
I'll now get the polish out and wait to be convinced otherwise!
For the sake of new tractor owners, let’s discuss this issue. And I’ll polish my metaphorical sword and be ready and willing to fall on it if those seasoned believers can change my mind or prove me wrong with my saying, “With possibly few exceptions, the load/weight of a solid wheel weight is carried by the ground…..just as liquid ballast is.” The only weight carried by the axle is the weight of the equipment between the wheel hubs. IE: the tractor’s rear end along with its additional rear mounted equipment that is raised off of the ground. The only time wheel weights are carried by the axle is if that tire becomes lifted clear of the ground. The same also applies to liquid ballast.
It would be an odd exception to have a wheel weight that is directly installed on an axle itself…..and especially between the wheel and the axle housing. The wheel design on some smaller sub compact tractors and garden tractors may require weights to use longer wheel/hub mounting bolts to attach the weights along with the wheel. But even then, the weight is still essentially with the wheel/hub and carried by the ground and not by the axle.
Points to consider:
They’re called wheel weights for a reason: they’re bolted directly to the wheel. The wheels have separate mounting holes for their installation. (Again, with some exceptions on smaller wheels.)
The added weight becomes part of the wheel itself and is then transmitted through the tire to the ground. The increased wheel weight compresses the rubber tire downward until the air pressure increases to stop that action. The wheel is just bolted to the axle/hub which will then lower along with it until the tire’s air pressure is increased to account for the added weight and properly correct the tire’s footprint again.
Unless the weight covers the wheel/hub mounting bolts (as they might on some smaller tractor wheels) you can remove the wheel/tire with the weight still mounted. The added weight doesn’t stay and hang on the axle. This in itself is proof enough that the added weight is carried by the ground.
Granted, some weights can be stacked and mounted in multiples on a wheel. Then the outer weights could extend past the outer edge of the wheel and tire’s footprint. That would put some outward pull/stress on the wheel’s flange and axle hub. But usually, only one weight per wheel is added to our smaller tractors. The weight is located pretty much inside the outer wheel cavity and within the tire’s footprint. The resulting small off-center weight imbalance is handled by the tire, wheel flange, and axle hub. The ground still carries the major portion of the wheel weight, not the axle.
The wheel weight’s “ballast” is mounted concentric to the axle…..not on it. Liquid ballast in the tire lowers the center of gravity just a little bit further than a wheel weight does because it mostly resides inside the lower portion of the tire…..not mounted around the center of the wheel like a wheel weight is. Again, only when the wheel is lifted off the ground are both types of ballast weight carried by the axle. Hopefully that doesn’t happen!
The other statements regarding costs per pound, eventual rust or no rust, ease of tire repair, being able to remove wheel weights when not needed, which type is better for traction, etc., etc. is something each person has to consider and apply to their situation. But the statement made that says a bolted-on wheel weight’s “ballast” is carried by the axle and not by the ground is inaccurate with probably 99.99% of wheel weight applications.
Growing up in a farming community and on a farm with row crop tractors that had extended rear axles for shifting the tires wheel base: I can’t recall ever seeing wheel weights bolted independently on the axles. They were always attached to the wheel itself. But there’s always an exception, and maybe in another type of industry it might be different. But for our small, sub compact, compact, and even slightly larger tractors, I think it would be the rare exception rather than the rule.
Let’s not add any more confusion to a new tractor owner’s ballast choice than there already is. With possibly an exception or two, a bolted-on wheel weight’s ballast is also carried by the ground, just like liquid ballast is. And not by the axle. It just happens to be centered around the axle.
I'll now get the polish out and wait to be convinced otherwise!