Minimum Tire Pressures?

[TopK]

Used my recently purchased BX2360 to cut my field using the Belly Mower - I was sadly disappointed in the "suspension" - I felt every little bump or rut. After 3 hours, I felt like I had been in a washing machine! The next day, my back muscles were sore from just trying to hang on. I guess the larger wheels on my 8N smooth things out enough to be tolerable - this small BX tractor just cannot handle uneven terrain.

So, my question is - does anyone have a clue what pressure I can get away with, without compromising the tire? I was running with the recommended pressure of 22 psi for the fronts (18x8.50-10 Ind), and 17 psi for the rears (26x12.00-12 Ind) - they have ballast water. I'm hoping less pressure may soften the ride a little, but not sure how low to go. I had the front bucket off, and no weight on the back, other than a quick hitch - I do have a ballast box if that would help.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

You very likely to spin the rims inside the tire if you go lower.
Look at a better seat and suspension.

Got a loader on it, try taking the loader off.
Haven't found the BX's to be very good at Field mowing, especially with a MMM.

 

[TopK]

You very likely to spin the rims inside the tire if you go lower.
Look at a better seat and suspension.

Got a loader on it, try taking the loader off.
Haven't found the BX's to be very good at Field mowing, especially with a MMM.

Would using a Bush Hog be better than the MMM?

 

[85Hokie]

Used my recently purchased BX2360 to cut my field using the Belly Mower - I was sadly disappointed in the "suspension" - I felt every little bump or rut. After 3 hours, I felt like I had been in a washing machine! The next day, my back muscles were sore from just trying to hang on. I guess the larger wheels on my 8N smooth things out enough to be tolerable - this small BX tractor just cannot handle uneven terrain.

So, my question is - does anyone have a clue what pressure I can get away with, without compromising the tire? I was running with the recommended pressure of 22 psi for the fronts (18x8.50-10 Ind), and 17 psi for the rears (26x12.00-12 Ind) - they have ballast water. I'm hoping less pressure may soften the ride a little, but not sure how low to go. I had the front bucket off, and no weight on the back, other than a quick hitch - I do have a ballast box if that would help.

22 psi up front is a bit much for general things like cutting grass - IF you have a FEL then you may need them that stiff - but try something like 15 psi - it will give you a little bounce, but with a FEL you will need to bump it back up.

The less air will soften the bump a bit - but you may have a bit MORE bounce in the process. Those smaller BX tires will be the hell out of your back - BTDT

The seat is the best solution by far.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

possible options..

for grass cutting, I'd get rid of the tire ballast water, as well as loader. less weight would allow tires to cushion the bumps better.

maybe consider an 'air ride' style seat ?

fill in the 'ruts' and smoooth out the lawns. May take a season or two.

 

[TopK]

Would using a Bush Hog instead of the MMM smooth the ride out any better?

 

[dirtydeed]

I sued to mow with my BX years ago. Pretty sure I ran the rear tires at around 12 psi all the time (even when doing loader/bh work.

I'd say drop yours down and give it a try.

BTW, I run the rears on my B2650 at about 13-15 psi at all times. It's much easier on the back.

 

[ve9aa]

I try never to mow with my BX unless the TG is broken down.

They have no suspensions, so they're rough.

If I have to mow, I put the fronts at 12-13psi and the rears around 15psi but it only helps a LITTLE.
You have the added disadvantage that your rears are loaded, so you'll never recoop any kind of "air suspension" of note in the rears as the air pocket in the tire is so gosh dang small. I would never load a tire for a multitude of reasons.

REmove the bucket. It'll help A LITTLE.

The other thing you can do is SLOW DOWN. This also only helps a LITTLE.

The last thing I personally do is that I am sitting on an air bladder in a seat pad. Think "very skinny beach ball". This helps the most...but it's still a tractor with NO SUSPENSION.

I have never pulled a mower so can't answer the question you've asked twice already. (but I really doubt it'll help much....tractor.....no suspension...

Sorry !

 

[rc51stierhoff]

IMO there is only negligible amount to be gained with air pressure reductions before you reduce air enough to where there should be worry about keeping the rim on the tire…where is the limit….you’ll know when it gets there. . It’s hard to say from description what dealing with but if it’s big enough problem…Other options are disc or till rough areas, wait a week or so and then repeat to suit….or wait for some rain and start pulling a roller.

 

[TopK]

Thanks everyone - appreciate the feedback. I purchased this with the idea that it would serve as a backup field cutter should my 8N fail me. But, I also wanted to know if there was anything I could do to "improve" the poor suspension characteristics should I need to use it out on my field. I'll just use this for the FEL and leave the grass cutting to my faithful '49 8N.

 

[SDT]

Used my recently purchased BX2360 to cut my field using the Belly Mower - I was sadly disappointed in the "suspension" - I felt every little bump or rut. After 3 hours, I felt like I had been in a washing machine! The next day, my back muscles were sore from just trying to hang on. I guess the larger wheels on my 8N smooth things out enough to be tolerable - this small BX tractor just cannot handle uneven terrain.

So, my question is - does anyone have a clue what pressure I can get away with, without compromising the tire? I was running with the recommended pressure of 22 psi for the fronts (18x8.50-10 Ind), and 17 psi for the rears (26x12.00-12 Ind) - they have ballast water. I'm hoping less pressure may soften the ride a little, but not sure how low to go. I had the front bucket off, and no weight on the back, other than a quick hitch - I do have a ballast box if that would help.

Under-inflated tires are dangerous on steep ground.

Downhill tire can peal off rim resulting in rollover.

Yes, an 8N with 28" tires will ride much better than a B or BX.

 

[jyoutz]

Would using a Bush Hog be better than the MMM?

Yes

 

[jyoutz]

Thanks everyone - appreciate the feedback. I purchased this with the idea that it would serve as a backup field cutter should my 8N fail me. But, I also wanted to know if there was anything I could do to "improve" the poor suspension characteristics should I need to use it out on my field. I'll just use this for the FEL and leave the grass cutting to my faithful '49 8N.

The tires are simple too small on a BX to be a good field mower, and mmm are really intended for smooth lawn mowing.

 

[GrizBota]

You sure the tires aren’t over filled? In theory, with the valve stem at the highest location, only air should come out.

Also, that BX has two speeds. I’m betting one too slow and one too fast to mow a rough field. I suppose mowing in high and using less treadle might lesson the beating as well.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Would using a Bush Hog be better than the MMM?

It's probably not going to help you much.

 

[Kubota Newbie]

I believe he said that he has fluid in the tires. Look, the only endearing feature of fluid in tractor tires is that it's cheap ballast. That's where the benefits stop. Fluid has the effect of reducing the shock absorbing capacity of the tire carcass and that is especially true if they are over filled (never fill above the valve stems in the 12:00 position 2:00 would be better) and it's amplified the smaller the tire.
Want a better ride? Ditch the fluid and add wheel weights if needed. Tractive performance will be better pound for pound with properly inflated tires on a correctly ballasted tractor (that's a tire manufacturer research thing not just a opinion).
As for pressure. Liability says stick with the tractor manufacturers recommend pressure. The pressure on the tire is the MAXIMUM inflation pressure not necessarily the operating pressure. It doesn't take a whole lot of pressure to keep a tractor tire on the rim. When we pulled the little tractors we were commonly in the single digits. Never spun a tire on a rim. Would I want to mow hillside areas like that? No. But I'm betting my M4500 doesn't have any more than 12-15 psi in it with 450 pounds of iron wheel weights on each side and it's plenty.

 

[armylifer]

I have run my BX1860 with as little as 8 pounds in the rear. However, I have found that 12 pounds in the rear and 22 in the front works the best for me. You should experiment some to find the best all round pressure for the work that you are doing most with your tractor. Reducing the pressure in the front tires has a detrimental effect when using the FEL. What I have recently discovered that does help with reducing felt shock is adding valve springs to the inside of my seat springs. See the attached picture.

Even if you take off the FEL you will not gain any real felt benefit from lowering the front air pressure because the pivot of the front axle in uneven terrain takes up any potential shock until the axle hits the frame. Even then, probably 90% of the felt shock comes from the rear, not the front.

One thing to note about reducing air pressure in the rear and not the front is that when you are using 4WD, the rolling circumference of the rear tires changes enough so that you are putting more strain on the front differential. If you lower the air pressure in the rear, figure out what the percentage of air that you reduced from max is and remove that same percentage of air from the front tires too. That will help to reduce some of the extra strain off the front differential. If you are doing any FEL work at all you do not want to lower the pressure in the front tires at all. You run a very real risk of the tire coming off the bead. Take my word for it. BTDT, lesson learned.

Last thing, the tires that are on my tractor are the same size front and rear as what you have on your tractor. I changed my tires out from the stock size to the ones that go on the BX2360 several years ago. So the information that I am giving you is applicable in your case because our tractor weight is near enough that the negligible difference in weight is macht nichts.

 

[RCW]

Would using a Bush Hog instead of the MMM smooth the ride out any better?

No. Changing tire pressure won't help either.

You're wise to keep the 8N for that purpose....they've been great it for many decades.

The reason you're feeling all those bumps in a field is because the tires on a BX are tiny compared to your Ford 8N.

Those little tires on the BX will find every little divot in your field. You're going to feel it regardless of tire pressure.....

Your 8N has 12.4x28(?) or so rear tires, fronts are maybe 6x16 or so? Big enough to smooth out the ride. The Ford is also about 4X the weight of your BX.

I have a BX2360 also that I mow with using a MMM. My own lawn is bumpy...

Also have a '50's Minneapolis Moline with 12.4x38 rears....I don't feel a bump with the 'Moline in places where I bounce around with the BX. Moline weighs about 6,500 pounds.

 

[whitetiger]

The Ford is also about 4X the weight of your BX.

The shipping weight for the 8N is approximately 2500 pounds, the BX2360 is approximately 1325 pounds.

 

[GrizBota]

We’ve had a couple of threads like this recently. Folks wondering why their tractors ride so rough while mowing. I speculate it primarily two causes: going too fast for the conditions, getting less young and more sensitive to being bounced around.

Until tractors start being built with dampened suspension, 90% of the solution will be to slow down when mowing rough ground. Or not, and just put up with being banged around and maybe busting up some equipment once in awhile.