Another tire ballast question

[Grn mtn boy]

So I added a new Woods LC108 FEL to my Kubota 3830 this weekend and now I need to load my tires. I've read many articles comparing loaded tires and ballast boxes etc... I've decided to go with the loaded tires for a couple of reasons. One being I've got a 7 ft rear finish mower that slides the tractor around a bit and loaded tires will help with that.
So here's my question:
Have any of you only partially filled your tires? My L3830 has the 17.5L X 24 R4s and calls for approximately 55 gallons for a 75% fill. With chloride or Rim Guard that adds over 1000 lbs. If I tube the tires is there any issues with a 40-50% fill to reduce the weight? I mow my fields every couple of weeks and I'm worried about being too heavy when things are wet. I'll have my winch on in addition to the tire ballast when doing loader work.

 

[joshuabardwell]

I have never heard anyone reference tubing the tires except if you're using CaCl, to prevent corrosion. But if you tube the tires, it gets a lot more expensive to have work done on them, and you can't patch them in the field with a standard tubeless "punch" repair kit. I've also never heard anyone say you had to fully fill the tires. Just don't go over 75%. Most people fill the tires as much as possible because they want all the ballast they can get.

 

[Grn mtn boy]

"But if you tube the tires, it gets a lot more expensive"

The local tire guy claims once you load the tires it's very difficult to plug The tire. He said the glue has a hard time sealing the hole even with the hole at top dead center. Have you had any luck plugging a loaded tire?

 

[crazyal]

Did you look at your tires to see if they already have tubes in them? My rears came with tubes.

 

[joshuabardwell]

The local tire guy claims once you load the tires it's very difficult to plug The tire. He said the glue has a hard time sealing the hole even with the hole at top dead center. Have you had any luck plugging a loaded tire?

I can only repeat what I've been told here, which is that if you have a puncture with tubes, you have to remove the ballast liquid, break the bead, remove the tube, patch the tube, repair the tire, re-install the tube, re-mount the tire, pump the ballast back in, and inflate. Whereas with loaded tires without tubes, a standard plug kit will work. Maybe others with direct experience will speak up.

 

[Grn mtn boy]

Did you look at your tires to see if they already have tubes in them? My rears came with tubes.

My tires are tubeless.

 

[oldnslo]

With only partially filled tire you run the risk of the tires becoming unbalanced at road speeds. I.e. the centrifugal force allows the fluid to travel around with tire and this causes one heck of a rough ride. What speed this happens at depends on amount of fluid, tire size etc...

If you just brush hogging a pasture wait a day until it dries if you are that worried about leaving tracks.

 

[Mark Page]

Mine are filled with a methanol and water mix to a level just over the rim. CaCl is bad news, I've seen it rot a rim to pcs over time. Beet juice is nice but pricey. Use about 12lbs of pressure when your done.

 

[doohicky]

All our farm tractors besides the Farmall H has loaded tires. They are all tubed because we used the CaCl mix, as Mark has stated the CaCl will rot the rims thus the need for the tubes. I would still be hessitant in putting anything in a tubeless tire because it will eventually rot the rim, still not sure on the washerfluid and water mix.