Brand new tractor - should I load the tires myself?

wolftree · Aug 28, 2014

I would have the dealer install the rimguard and be done with it. You are spending thousands on a tractor.

lostcreekranch · Aug 28, 2014

Our small tractor is a Kubota B2710 with Turf Tires. Has anyone filled turf tires on similar sized tractor? Did it make much difference?

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George2615 · Aug 28, 2014

boggen said:
7 hours seems a bit extensive to me.

--wondering if you left valve core in, the tire nipple. and/or you didn't remove the bushing pipe on tire nipple to allow for more flow of fluid.
--wondering if you were burping way to much.

2 to 3 hours dealing with 2 tires. most of it was jacking around, trying to get everything ready, (jacks, hoses, etc...)

No I didn't leave the valve core in. In fact I completely removed the valve stem housing (bushing pipe) for a larger hole to push fluid through. The problem was the HF pump not doing what it was supposed to. I should have taken the pump back and exchanged but decided to put up with it just to get it done. I wanted to get it done that weekend. Once I start something I want to finish it.
And Rick, when I'm working for myself I'm the cheap underpaid guy. Basically work for free if its my own stuff but its something I like to do.
Had I taken it to a dealer it would have only cost me $100 more plus gas for making the 40 mile trip twice to drop off and pick up the tractor. If I hadn't already bought the fluid it would have been the way to go. But then it would have taken years to use up 78 gallons of washer fluid in the cars.
After I was done I tried just pumping water through the pump and hose and it barely shot a stream of 2'.

FTG-05 · Aug 28, 2014

Took me about 1/2 hour each for my front tires (~12 gallons each). I used the tire doo hickey from Gempler's, made it quick and easy and a sump pump I already had. I plan to redo my rear tires with RV antifreeze to ensure I can use my tractor down to about 20 degrees or so. Each of my rear tires uses 55 gallons, so I'll probably go with a 50/50 mix. Can't use Rimguard unless I'm willing to go the KY/TN border, that's the closest place that has it.

dclynch · Aug 29, 2014

I took my tires to the closest dealer and they put beet juice for 90.00 a tire. they has a fork lift to put them back in my truck and we slid them out and put them back on the tractor our selves. It took 3 of us to do it but we had the whole job done in a couple of hours.

radioman · Aug 29, 2014

I picked up rimguard from closest dealer to me in buckets and I popped the bead on one side of tire and put it in. aired it back up and I was done. but then I had smaller tires and a BH mounted on mine so it was easy to adjust height to reconnect bolts . In your case - If you do decide to do it yourself - if you fill with it on the tractor and have the time- then do it. If you take the tire off and take it to the dealer anyways - I just hope you have help as its really heavy.

JKR · Aug 29, 2014

I had the dealer put Rim Guard in for me. I had no time to do it my self and the dealer also replace the value stems.

Ram4x4 · Sep 13, 2014

I'd say filling the rears is definitely worth it if you do any FEL work. Even with the rears filled, a full loader bucket of damp dirt still makes the rear light and if you're moving that dirt around on wet or damp ground, or up hill, you'll lose traction on the rear. I had the dealer fill my rears with RG when I bought the tractor. I can't image how squirrely it'd be with empty rears (and not interested in finding out).

If it wasn't so danged expensive, I'd have preferred to have the tires filled with that rubber compound stuff (never ever have to worry about a flat), but to do the rears would have been over $2500. I filled the fronts on my old tractor when I was in Texas with that stuff (constant flats due to mesquite thorns) and it was awesome...and heeeeavvvyyy....just too dang expensive.

FTG-05 · Sep 14, 2014

If it's taking you 7 hours to fill a tire(s), then you're not using the right tools. Get the Gemplers air/fluid filler doo-hickey for about $15 (plus a cheap/simple sump pump and some garden hoses) and take care of business in about an hour or less. I did my 12 gallon 10-16.5 tires in about 15 minutes +/- plus some set up time. No way would I consider taking a tractor to the dealer to have them fill them up, unless that's the only place I could get what I wanted (e.g. Rimguard). But RG isn't a problem here since you can't get it here - closest place is the TN/KY border.

It's not hard, get the Gempler doo-hickey and do it!

Good luck!