Tires Ballasting tires with saline (not calcium chloride)

shvl73 · Nov 13, 2007

I wouldn't be too concerned about using -20F washer fluid. Used straight, I've never seen it freeze anywhere near solid. It can (and has) frozen in the spray nozzles but, I can't imagine it would freeze much here in New England. At least not that you would notice in an ag tire. Some extreme northern areas, it might be a concern but, if I was looking to fill cost effectively, I'd look at using it.

canoetrpr · Nov 13, 2007

I recall Soundguy I think pointing out that CaCl2 is a LOT cheaper at swimming pool supply places rather than tire places. You might want to follow up on that.

IslandTractor · Nov 13, 2007

shvl73 said:
I wouldn't be too concerned about using -20F washer fluid. Used straight, I've never seen it freeze anywhere near solid. It can (and has) frozen in the spray nozzles but, I can't imagine it would freeze much here in New England. At least not that you would notice in an ag tire. Some extreme northern areas, it might be a concern but, if I was looking to fill cost effectively, I'd look at using it.

I agree that -20F should be fine in NE. Especially in southern NE on the coast where it only dips below zero occasionally. My concern, perhaps unwarranted, is that after looking into the methanol/water thing and especially the price of methanol, I'm not sure the WWF temp claims are more than marketing fluff. They don't state what the % methanol is on the label or even in the materials safety forms. I do recognize that I may be too immersed in the detail at the moment which is why I've decided to hold off on making a decision. I realized that late last night when I though of going out to Home Depot to buy a gallon of the -20 so I could weigh it accurately in order to calculate the %methanol.

(and to think that I've been giving poor Bill grief about polishing his bush hog

)

One thing that occurs to me as a question. I don't even care if it freezes so long as it doesn't hurt the tire. I would never use the tractor in below zero conditions (I don't live on the island when it is snowing) so the issue is really just would freezing hurt the tires if stationary?

BigE_ · Nov 14, 2007

The prices you guys are paying for RimGuard blows me away. I have a TC33, and the local New Holland place wants about $400 to fill the back tires with RimGuard. The tire shop in a town 45 minutes away wants $180 for it.

I figure I'm paying mechanics wages at the New Holland place (plus paying for their internet connection so they can spam Craigslist all day), and at the tire shop the guy is basically hooking up a pump and walking away for a while.

Reg · Nov 14, 2007

BigE_ said:
The prices you guys are paying for RimGuard blows me away. I have a TC33, and the local New Holland place wants about $400 to fill the back tires with RimGuard. The tire shop in a town 45 minutes away wants $180 for it.

I figure I'm paying mechanics wages at the New Holland place (plus paying for their internet connection so they can spam Craigslist all day), and at the tire shop the guy is basically hooking up a pump and walking away for a while.

I did that.
Basically I hooked up a siphon, walked away and did other things.
I think I went to bed while the left tire was being filled, courtesy of gravity.
A 55 gallon drum with (almost all of) the desired quantity of RimGuard in it, a hose with a sinker on it to keep it down, the fill valve. Start the siphon, raise the bucket, go do other things.

ARRGGGHHHH !!!!! Somebody will probably scream.
Yes, I left the bucket raised with the tractor un-attended and there ARE young kids in the neighborhood and mischievous teens - errr, what else ?
Cats, Dogs, raccoons etc.

johnk · Nov 14, 2007

Here's a little article that may help with your decision. Probably a little biased though.
Rim Guard - Liquid Tire Ballast Product Information

Farmwithjunk · Nov 14, 2007

canoetrpr said:
I recall Soundguy I think pointing out that CaCl2 is a LOT cheaper at swimming pool supply places rather than tire places. You might want to follow up on that.

That was me! A tire dealer quoted me near $50 per 50lb bag. A pool supply vendor quoted me 20-something. I found it at a Southern States Co-op for $16.95 per 50lb bag a few weeks back.

I filled two 13.6X28 R1's with Cacl at a 3-1/2lb per gallon mix. (approx $120 as I recall) The tractor I replaced tires on has had Cacl in the rears for 36 years. One rim had SOME surface rust on the inside as a result of a leak some years ago. 2nd rim, which had never seen a flat, had NO rust. It looked like it did when new in 1971. I use tubes. Always have, always will. (Reason for re-newing mix? Old mix was diluted and "freeze protection" was potentially (likely) compromised after several flats during recent years. Old mix was used to treat a gravel drive to reduce dust. That, and MY OCD said NEW fluid after 36 years

NO Bill, I DIDN'T wax the inside of the rims before re-mounting tires)

Corrosion issue is grossly overstated in most instances. Cacl won't cause your rims to implode in a few days. Allow a leaking tire/tube to remain in place for months, you might have a problem in 25 years. If it were as bad as some people would have you believe, don't you suppose farmers, who are by nature a practical bunch, would have looked elsewhere for ballast material a LONG time ago? It isn't the biological nightmare some would have you to believe either. It's relatively easy to control a fluid leak in a tractor tire. Get the leak at 12 o-clock, jack the wheel up, and release air pressure. Leak stopped. ANY fluid fill has it's cost. Regardless of Cacl, beet juice, WWF, or auto anti-freeze, I want to contain and save ANY fluid in the event of a leak.

There are other options, but Cacl is a GOOD option. It's been used since the inception of pneumatic tires on farm tractors without serious challenge. Don't let old wives tales and sales propaganda scare you away. Make your decision based on cost, practicality, and functionality.

jimmer2880 · Nov 14, 2007

I'm not completely against Cacl. However, we did own a MF for about 12 years (bought it used, so I guess the stuff could have been in the wheels for an additional 10 years) that had it's rims rusted very bad around the valve-stems. The only way we were able to continue to use the rims, was to switch to tubes.

When I fill my next set of tires, I will probably use CaCl because of the cost. However, they will have tubes in them. I willl never put CaCl in a wheel again without tubes.

Reg · Nov 14, 2007

Co$t ?
Well, it seems to be a coupla hunnert bux anyway, even for regular "salt".
Then add tubes.
Then add the co$t and hassle factor of repairing a tire with a tube in it, vs
plugging a tubeless tire (OK, multiply that by the probability of getting a flat).

It co$t me $300 for RimGuard, would have co$t $200 for Calc., plus tubes and tube installation.
In the scale of things, the extra $100 (minus tubes and tube installation) isn't much money.
I'm fairly confident that if I only get ONE flat that I can plug without dismounting the wheel and (Somehow) hauling it to town and back for repair/tube replacement - I'll be money ahead.

IslandTractor · Nov 14, 2007

Here is a little statement from a John Deere sales manual that has some interesting opinions. Basically they seem to discourage liquid loading of rear tires and suggest max of 40% fill. Obviously that is only one opinion but coming from JD I figure it deserves consideration.

Using liquid ballast in tires