Traction Loaded rear tires

[Bladehauler]

Is RV antifreeze the same as engine antifreeze ? I mean rust inhibitors etc. ?

[SPYDERLK]

I run plain water in mine here in VA. Extremely convenient. Some freezing after Nov but ice usually just skins inside the tire and breaks easily. Longer cold periods I dig into the manure pile and park the tractor on cold nights. Water is not much of a rust issue. No rust in evidence after 7yrs.
larry

[k0ua]

Is RV antifreeze the same as engine antifreeze ? I mean rust inhibitors etc. ?

I don't think the pink stuff (Propylene Glycol) sold as RV anti freeze does. This is to pour down your drains and in your toilet to prevent freezing in your RV. However the Eco safe Automobile anti-freeze I believe does. I also don't think rusting would be much of a problem if you cover the rim of the wheel fully with water.

James K0UA

[Bladehauler]

Thank You all for the info !! In reality I would love to go with rimguard , but I dont think it's in my budget. ( I havent officially priced it , but Im sure it's NOT cheap ) checked pet safe antifreeze at TSC , $19.99 a gallon............Im not sure how much good 1 gallon in each tire with 54 gallons of water would be, and if I put 4-5 gallons in now Im at a little over a $100 per tire so.. I guess my question is will 1 in 54 gallons help or bite the bullet,and spend the money for rimguard ??

Thanks,
Scott

[MarkV]

I think in your climate 1 gallon per tire would be fine. I believe I used 1 1/2 gal per tire here in N. Georgia and no problems in the last 10 years.

MarkV

[Deere Dude]

I have a R4047 and I want to fill the rear tires with water ( in my part of Texas we might get a freeze once a year for a day ) will it hurt if the water did freeze as long as I didnt drive the tractor?

and my main concern is rust, I dont think my rears have tubes, can you tell from the valve stems ? I know the fronts dont cause I broke the bead on one this morning .


Thanks for any and all advice !!

Have a great Labor Day

C-Ya
Scott

My owners manual from John deere says to use calcium chloride in my wheels. That is pretty corrosive from all I hear. If something like that is okay (which I would not advise because it does rust in time) just plain water wouldn't hurt anything. But a little environmentally safe antifreeze mixed in with it would be fine even if it is just for peace of mind.

[eray1066]

Beet juice (Rimguard) is much heavier than water, not toxic, more expensive than water and a better choice. But if you do use water it should not be a problem. I had a tractor with water loaded rears that I moved up to Maine where the temperatures were below -20 degrees F for a couple of weeks at a time. The Turf tires froze solid with no damage. A fella would not want to try and set any speed records with frozen ballast in his tires. They are a bit out of balance.

[RDrancher]

I guess my question is will 1 in 54 gallons help or bite the bullet,and spend the money for rimguard ??

Rimguard is nice...until you get a puncture from a mesquite, or even worse, a locust thorn, then watch it run out of your tire. $20 a tire and water would be my choice.

[Gary Fowler]

We always ran straight water in farm tractor tires in North Louisiana and only occassionally got them frozen up for a few days. As said, if parked where sunlight hits the tires, it helps prevent freezing and thaws them pretty quickly when they do freeze. I wouldnt run them if frozen as it might damage the tire. If the tire is sweating like an iced tea glass, leave it parked. When it quits sweating the ice has melted and it is OK to run it. Freezing in itself wont hurt anything as long as it isnt moved. A couple of gallons of anti-freeze in each tire would keep it down to slush at most and you could still run it. I still have 4 gallons of antifreeze in my shop that I purchased to do just what we are discussing, but never installed it. Maybe it is time after 2 years of procrastination.

[Gary Fowler]

I dont think my rears have tubes, can you tell from the valve stems ? I know the fronts dont cause I broke the bead on one this morning .
C-Ya
Scott

Heck just look on the tire. It will most likely say "Tubeless" which just about all tires are these days unless they have been modified by the owner.