Pulling a 12-bottom plow requires immense draft force. Adding cast-iron wheel weights and liquid ballast to the tires ensures the tractor puts all its power into the soil without excessive wheel slip.

The general rule of thumb for heavy draft work is to target a wheel slip ratio of 8% to 12%. If wheel slip is below 5%, the tractor is over-ballasted, which wastes fuel and causes severe drivetrain stress. If slip exceeds 15%, the tires are just digging holes, destroying the soil structure and wasting time. Balancing the machine involves calculating the weight-to-horsepower ratio and physically adding cast iron suitcase weights to the front bracket or filling the rear inner duals with heavy liquid solutions like Calcium Chloride or Beet Juice.