loading tires

[dirt clod]

I've looked at other posts and it seems like most of you use something other than water becouse of freezing. I'm in florida it doesnt get below feezing to often and frankly I wouldnt use the tractor in the cold other than maybe needing to move something that could'nt wait.

Is there any other problem with useing straight well water?
If it does freeze and the tire is full of water would it make it differance to drive it?
is there any problem with feeling each tire about 1/2- 3/4 full or should the tires be full of water?

The book says not to load the front tires the dealer says its not needed with a FEL but he did not know why loading the front was wrong. any ideas?

 

[Bedlam]

There are lots of posts on the pros and cons.
I fill mine about 3/4 full. you don't fill them 100 percent. there would be no cushion and space for the air.
I used some anti freeze because of where I live. (freezing).
I have used just straight water for years. I garage the tractor.
Yes, The calcium and water weighs more. But for me, Id rather have straight water.
For Florida, Id just run 3/4 straight water.I assume your using tubes? If not, it would rust the rim.
I'm sure others will comment on it also. I would strongly recommend tubes. . Even if you were to "fill" the fronts there wouldn't be much added weight anyway. And most likely the fronts have a standard valve stem.
Good luck with it.

 

[CDsdad]

Mine are 3/4 loaded with water and a gallon of antifreeze added, rear and front. If I had it to do over I may not have loaded the front. I'm seldom without the loader on. As mentioned there are pros and cons to each. I may have opted for wheel weights if I'd thought of it when I purchased the tractor.

As far as driving if ice in the tires, I wouldn't.

 

[Bedlam]

Can I ask how you got the water in the fronts?

 

[CDsdad]

All 4 tires were loaded at the dealer before I picked up the tractor. I've never actually seen one loaded with water or done it myself.

 

[ovrszd]

If you don't add a rust preventive of some kind, you definately need to add tubes or your well water will rust out your wheels. Rather than add tubes, I'd just add a rust preventive. Or in cold climates, add antifreeze that has an anti-rust formula. My tractors are stored in a heated shop but I add enough anti-freeze to prevent freezing while pushing snow a couple hours at a time.

 

[dirt clod]

if I add a gallon of antifreeze to each tire will this prevent the rims from rusting or should I add something else to prevent rust?

 

[ovrszd]

if I add a gallon of antifreeze to each tire will this prevent the rims from rusting or should I add something else to prevent rust?

Since you are not worried about freezing, you might want to talk to a tire shop or a Farm and Home Store about a rust preventive to use. It might be cheaper to do that than buy enough Anti-Freeze to solve the problem. I'm not sure how big of tire you are dealing with so can't really suggest an amount of Anti-Freeze. Maybe a good rule would be one gallon of Anti-Freeze per five gallons of water???

 

[ovrszd]

Oh, one last comment. I load rear tires for balance on hillsides more than traction. With that in mind, I don't fill past the level of the axle shaft. My goal is to keep my center of balance low to the ground. I figure anything I put above the axle is just adding to the weight that is trying to tip the tractor over.

 

[firemanpat2910]

Im right down the road from you and use plain water in all 4 on my 2 wheel drive ford. I filled them with the valve stems at 12:00 until water not air came out when bleeding. I have not had any problems with sloshing or surging even at trasport speeds on the road.