Ballast Tire Ballast

[Montana Green]

Hi Guys
Recently purchased a 4940 , I find the back end lite when doing loader work such as moving a bucket full of dirt. Have any of you guys added calcium or other products to the tires for back end weight ? and to what capacity 50% full 75% full etc.Yes I do know that I could use a ballast box , but normally I only have one item to move so having to disconnect what is ever on the 3ph and then put on the box and then take it off is a little time consuming so I thought about adding weight inside the tires .
Let me know your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks Lyle

[blueriver]

Lyle,
Good question and I too am considering this. My neighbor has done it to his Kubota, it is like maybe 30 hp. He says it makes the world of difference, HOWEVER he says he only added water! I don't like that idea. I look forward to some info on this topic.

I try to keep my boxblade on most times, that does help.

Todd

[Reg]

There are MANY threads on tire ballast.
Water is OK if you live where it doesn't freeze, some folk use windshield washer fluid because it has an antifreeze in it (methyl alcohol by some accounts).
Calcium chloride is traditional, but rusts out the rims - eventually.
Rim guard is around $3 a gallon and supposedly weighs 10.7 lbs per gallon.

I filled mine with RimGuard (also known as "beet juice) each rear tire (17.5Lx24) took just about 50 gallons and it DOES make a HUGE difference. The traction is just THERE !
I was able to buy it by the gallon. I brought my own drums, hauled them home, put the two drums in the loader bucket, took the weight off each rear wheel in turn, got the valve to the top, started the siphon, raised the bucket to max height to maximize flow, did other things and came back later. Siphoning is SLOW, but it avoids the problem of hauling the tractor to/from the dealer.

[NetworkMD]

I agree 100% Rimguard or similier product that will not rust the rim if there is a leak.

[citytransplant]

I keep box scraper attached full time. If I were to load tires, I would insert tubes and use windshield washer fluid. Gets well below freezing where I live.

[Montana Green]

I emailed the guys at Rim Guard and unfortunately they have no distributors in western Canada , I think due to fact that their is no supply of raw material ( beet juice). Will have to go with washer fluid or calcium.
Thanks Lyle

[hadrosaur]

My 4540 rear tires are filled with methanol. That seems to be the (expensive) standard around here, middle Tennessee.

[dry_creek_farm]

I've got the tires on my Montana filled with a 50/50 mixture of standard anti-freeze. I got my buddy who owns an auto repair shop to order me 2 barrels of prestone. Can't recall the exact price but I think it came to a couple of dollars per gallon.

I filled the tires by jacking the tire off the ground and then turning it so the valve is at the top. I then let all the air out and started to pump the water/prestone mix back in. After stopping a few times to let the built up pressure out of the tire and then pump a few more gallons in I just filled them up to pressure with air and let it down.

Supposedly the anti-freeze will not attack the rubber or steel rim (cooling systems have rubber hoses and cast iron engine blocks) as long as you change out the mixture every 3-5 years.

[Montana Green]

Can you guys tell me if their is a special valve required to put liquid in tires?
Thanks.

[2manyrocks]

There is an adaptor that may make this easier. It screws on the tire valve and has a female garden hose coupler on the other end. So if you have a pump available, you can pump the fluid in the tire. I think I got mine at Tractor Supply Company.

I asked my local coop about filling tires. They said they use methanol instead of antifreeze because it's not as bad for the environment when it finally leaks out.