New to the forum... I Recently Purchased an l3901 and looking to add rear wheel spacers either 3 or 4" my FEL is 60" wide and running r4 tires does anyone have experience with either size spacers. I dont want to see tire marks if i backdrag or use implements. If I measure the tire treads i'm pretty sure about the 3's but the 4's are iffy. I have a lot of hills and want to be as stable as possible. I plan on filling the tires after I get the spacers on just so im not dealing with heavy tires to put back on and plan on having the backhoe on most of the time. any advice on experience with either would be appreciated
l3901 spacers
- Thread starter P301
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when back dragging even without spacers you will leave tire tracks unless you are dragging very straight. With the front end loader so far ahead of the front wheels as soon as you start making slight turns the angle of the bucket swings out and quickly goes past the tracks left by the back wheel. If wheel marks are a significant concern for you back dragging smooth with a front bucket maybe not your go to implement. Maybe consider a short but wide land plane off 3 pt hitch but then again a swing problem will pop up unless going straight.
I did consider the turning factor. My tread pattern looks like its 58 1/2" from the outside edge to outside edge... tire is a little wider so 3" spacers would leave me 1/2" and its not realistic anyway that im going to be backdragging exactly straight. I spoke with brotek on the phone and they are saying 3" is good but 4" is way better. Any experience with a larger bucket on the machine?
I have the OEM 1" spacers. They've always been on, so I can't compare to what it would be like without them. However, I've had no issues with them and supposedly they were needed for chains. I've used chains with them. I have no idea if chains would have worked without the spacers.
Also on hills—I went with 3” spacers from Bro-Tek on my 3301.
Easy install and good support from Richard there. Other than getting a wider box blade later, there haven’t been any other considerations for me.
Have had them on for three years now—and no issues with the added weight on the back when using my BH77.
FYI—Your fenders won’t stop as much mud coming off the rears and smacking you upside the head
when you get going.
Easy install and good support from Richard there. Other than getting a wider box blade later, there haven’t been any other considerations for me.
Have had them on for three years now—and no issues with the added weight on the back when using my BH77.
FYI—Your fenders won’t stop as much mud coming off the rears and smacking you upside the head
when you get going.
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They look good thanks for the response did you ever wish you went with the 4" or do you think the 4" would create problems? Width or weight wise? They were really pushing the 4's when i called there. I'd rather take the dirt flying onto my head rather than a tractor landing on my head!
sure.
I have a L3301 with a 66" light material bucket and it works fine for me. i can scoop a heaped bucket of wet sand and loader / machine handles it ok low with usually 500 lbs on the back if winch mounted on 3pt or 900 lbs frame mounted backhoe. wet sand is heavy.
But that heaped bucket of damp sand is about max. lift when running low. I don't think I would want to lift heaped bucket max. height dumping say into a trailer or truck bed.
When lifting heavy stuff with the 66" bucket I just remember not to fill it heaped and keep it struck height or whatever.
If I was to do it again I would still get the 66" bucket. Its the standard bucket on the dealers lot around here.
What is more important? Tire tracks or keeping the tractor sitting properly, rather than on its side?
Go as wide as you can if you value your personal safety over cosmetics.
Spoken by a guy that did put his tractor on its side once...in a situation he would never have thought it would be possible.
Go as wide as you can if you value your personal safety over cosmetics.
Spoken by a guy that did put his tractor on its side once...in a situation he would never have thought it would be possible.
Can’t say whether or not 4” would be an issue or not, since I haven’t had them. The physics tells me it certainly adding more stress to things back there, but no problems so far for me with 3” and my BH77 in that timeframe—which in tractor hours, has been about 800hrs with the spacers on. I looked at it myself as my width (and hence the weight stress) at the back isn’t that far off from someone with R1’s with their rims set to all the way ‘out’.
I had loaded tires on the back, and foam filled tires on the front. My loader was on but not high. I was using my box blade. I have not gotten spacers yet, but I am really careful now with that tractor. It is a B2910, smaller than yours.
I have a BX that I use for mowing, It has spacers on the rear, and 4 foam filled tires. It is a no fear machine with the mower deck and foam filled tires adding so much weight so low.
I should have said REALLY, REALLY, CAREFUL...
Other than the physics do you have larger attachments brush hog grader box rototillers. do you think the tractor will handle all that stuff in a 72" width. The outer treads on my tires are about 5' right now if i go with 3 or 4" im just wondering what trouble that would cause attachment wise
You may not need to change to larger attachments, since you would about have to have the rears with no pressure in order to leave a complete edge to edge footprint. If I do have any trouble with my wider box blade, it’s usually going up a grade with a full box of rock—easy workaround on the fly with the TNT
. My Rear Blade would be more of an issue with the ditching I do. I didn’t buy a new rotary cutter-saw no need. With your additional HP of the 3901, I doubt you’d overwhelm the tractor itself before the R4s start slipping on ya.
TheOldHokie
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3901/LA525, B7200DT/B1630, G2160/RCK60, G2460/RCK60
When I took delivery of my L3901 I was sure I wanted spacers and I bought s couple chunks of aluminum to make a pair. Two years later and lots of time on the slopes not so much and the aluminum is still sitting on the shelf. They may ultimately get used but at this point it would be more for added lift arm clearance than rollover protection. The clearance on the R4s is pitiful.
Dan
