Dealer charge for loading tires

[Chip Woods]

while attending a recent promo event at a large Kubota dealer in the area, i got a quote on a B2601 with a loader and backhoe. nothing is cheap these days but i have to say it came out to significantly less than i was expecting, with the dealer offering nearly $6k off msrp and with quite favorable financing terms.

one thing stuck out though as i was reviewing the quote later - there was a $2000 charge for "Set up load tires." i had a very good impression of the dealership, and price, before i saw that listed. but in the past, when i've seen car dealerships try to throw in that kind of charge for nitrogen in tires, i've just walked out of the place. but i haven't purchased a tractor before. am i missing something? i understand why you would want liquid in tractor tires (as opposed to nitrogen!), but at a price of $2000 i'm thinking i must look like an idiot.

 

[jyoutz]

while attending a recent promo event at a large Kubota dealer in the area, i got a quote on a B2601 with a loader and backhoe. nothing is cheap these days but i have to say it came out to significantly less than i was expecting, with the dealer offering nearly $6k off msrp and with quite favorable financing terms.

one thing stuck out though as i was reviewing the quote later - there was a $2000 charge for "Set up load tires." i had a very good impression of the dealership, and price, before i saw that listed. but in the past, when i've seen car dealerships try to throw in that kind of charge for nitrogen in tires, i've just walked out of the place. but i haven't purchased a tractor before. am i missing something? i understand why you would want liquid in tractor tires (as opposed to nitrogen!), but at a price of $2000 i'm thinking i must look like an idiot.

That is excessive for filling tires. When I bought mine, I asked the dealer to fill mine as part of the deal (no extra cost). If the dealer won’t back out that charge, then decline tire ballast and take your tractor to a truck and equipment tire shop. They will fill tires for a lot less.

 

[ljjhouser]

I am wondering if that is their "tractor set up" fee for assembly and prep. There is a variety of ways to set up tires and rims based on your specific use of the tractor.

I have methanal in my rear tires. To add more weight, I asked for a quote from a Rim Guard dealer (closest one is about 200 miles - Called them). To remove and clean the tires and rims and refill with Rim Guard was about $250.00. My tractor is an L4701. The dealer did not charge me for loading the tires with methanal. Probably did somewhere, but not listed on the ticket.

 

[Chip Woods]

thanks for the replies, that's pretty much as i expected.

 

[jyoutz]

My dealer used a product named Bioballast to fill my tires. It a no corrosive alternative to calcium or Rimgard.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Sounds like they just tossed in a charge for liquid ballast, presuming you'd want it.

Seems a little pricey, and quite presumptive, but I don't think they were intending to pull one over on you.

I'd bring it up, see if you can get the price dropped.

 

[Goose1776]

That’s interesting
As kubota recommends NOT having the tires filled when you have the backhoe on

 

[dodge man]

A little pricey? Way pricey to load the tires. I agree, it’s just an add on and mostly for setting up the tractor. It’s easy to say a $6k discount when you turn around and add $2k back in.

 

[oldtimer 66]

I have Rim Guard and when you said " My dealer used a product named Bioballast to fill my tires. It a no corrosive alternative to calcium or Rimgard. " I had to go to the internet and see what I did. Below is a advertisement for Rim Guard.

WHAT MAKES BEET JUICE BETTER?​

	Non-Toxic	Non-Corrosive	Heavy (10.7lbs/gal)	-35°F Freeze Point	Characteristics
Rim Guard					Non-toxic. Non-corrosive. Heavy and weighted at traction point. No tubes or mixing required. Natural product. Environment and livestock friendly.
Calcium Chloride					Toxic. Highly corrosive. Weight varies upon person mixing it. Requires tubes. Not safe for the environment or livestock.
Methanol					Toxic, corrosive and highly flammable. Can degrade tires. Weighs 35-40% less than Beet Juice Tire Ballast. Should be mixed with water.
Windowshield Washer Fluid					Toxic to livestock. Not safe in groundwater. Corrosive. Weighs 25% less than Beet Juice Tire Ballast. Higher freeze point. Tubes needed for safety.
Water					Non-toxic. Potential for corrosion and rust. Lighter. Freezes even in mild winter weather. Inconsistent quality and highly variable.
Exterior Weights					Changes equipment configurations and center of gravity. Takes up space on axle and frame. Most expensive per pound.

 

[rScotty]

The alternative is just to use the tires as they come. Most 4wd tractors have great traction without loading the tires. They ride nicer, and can always be loaded later if wanted. But Unloading loaded tires is more of a problem.

And then there are flats and slow leaks....fixing a nail puncture in an unloaded tractor tire is a no-brainer. Most tractor tires come mounted as tubeless, so insert sticky plug, air up, and the fix is permanent.

A leak in a loaded tire is a whole other ball game.

 

[notaz3]

That’s interesting
As kubota recommends NOT having the tires filled when you have the backhoe on

I agree. With the backhoe you should have enough rear tire counterbalance.

 

[jyoutz]

I have Rim Guard and when you said " My dealer used a product named Bioballast to fill my tires. It a no corrosive alternative to calcium or Rimgard. " I had to go to the internet and see what I did. Below is a advertisement for Rim Guard.

WHAT MAKES BEET JUICE BETTER?​

	Non-Toxic	Non-Corrosive	Heavy (10.7lbs/gal)	-35°F Freeze Point	Characteristics
Rim Guard					Non-toxic. Non-corrosive. Heavy and weighted at traction point. No tubes or mixing required. Natural product. Environment and livestock friendly.
Calcium Chloride					Toxic. Highly corrosive. Weight varies upon person mixing it. Requires tubes. Not safe for the environment or livestock.
Methanol					Toxic, corrosive and highly flammable. Can degrade tires. Weighs 35-40% less than Beet Juice Tire Ballast. Should be mixed with water.
Windowshield Washer Fluid					Toxic to livestock. Not safe in groundwater. Corrosive. Weighs 25% less than Beet Juice Tire Ballast. Higher freeze point. Tubes needed for safety.
Water					Non-toxic. Potential for corrosion and rust. Lighter. Freezes even in mild winter weather. Inconsistent quality and highly variable.
Exterior Weights					Changes equipment configurations and center of gravity. Takes up space on axle and frame. Most expensive per pound.

Rim guard is good but messy. Bioballast has the same attributes but it’s not as messy. There is also a companion product that can be mixed called bioseal. It works like green slime to seal small punctures.

Tire Ballast - EnviroTech Services

envirotechservices.com

 

[cathy liebchen]

Kubota dealers here use water with some methanol in it, no tubes. Cheap, non corrosive and the tire shops like it

 

[rScotty]

Kubota dealers here use water with some methanol in it, no tubes. Cheap, non corrosive and the tire shops like it

I wonder why they don't use water with some red RV antifreeze = proplylene glycol? Costs less, is absolutely non-toxic, non flammable, doesn't degrade rubber like methanol. It's available everywhere. There must be a reason, but I can't think what it would be.

 

[Hay Dude]

I have Rim Guard and when you said " My dealer used a product named Bioballast to fill my tires. It a no corrosive alternative to calcium or Rimgard. " I had to go to the internet and see what I did. Below is a advertisement for Rim Guard.

WHAT MAKES BEET JUICE BETTER?​

	Non-Toxic	Non-Corrosive	Heavy (10.7lbs/gal)	-35°F Freeze Point	Characteristics
Rim Guard					Non-toxic. Non-corrosive. Heavy and weighted at traction point. No tubes or mixing required. Natural product. Environment and livestock friendly.
Calcium Chloride					Toxic. Highly corrosive. Weight varies upon person mixing it. Requires tubes. Not safe for the environment or livestock.
Methanol					Toxic, corrosive and highly flammable. Can degrade tires. Weighs 35-40% less than Beet Juice Tire Ballast. Should be mixed with water.
Windowshield Washer Fluid					Toxic to livestock. Not safe in groundwater. Corrosive. Weighs 25% less than Beet Juice Tire Ballast. Higher freeze point. Tubes needed for safety.
Water					Non-toxic. Potential for corrosion and rust. Lighter. Freezes even in mild winter weather. Inconsistent quality and highly variable.
Exterior Weights					Changes equipment configurations and center of gravity. Takes up space on axle and frame. Most expensive per pound.

That has to be the biggest stretch of the imagination I have ever read.

Exterior weights are not non-toxic? Exterior weights are not non-corrosive? Exterior weights are the best solution and what you will see on all equipment that is used seriously for hard work when reliability is a must.

Tried beet juice on 2 different tractors. It’s a smelly mess.

 

[rScotty]

That has to be the biggest stretch of the imagination I have ever read.

Exterior weights are not non-toxic? Exterior weights are not non-corrosive? Exterior weights are the best solution and what you will see on all equipment that is used seriously for hard work when reliability is a must.

Tried beet juice on 2 different tractors. It’s a smelly mess.

Loading the tires is popular with new tractor owners and is also something that dealers can offer to sweeten a deal that costs the dealer near nothing.

I think everyone has got to try loading the tires at least once just to see the advantages vs problems. It takes some experience with loaded tires before wheel weights begin to look like an answer. But I don't know anyone who has gone back to goo.

Anyway, whether more weight or less is an advantage depends on the ground and the use. No way to know that until a person tries it both ways.
rScotty

 

[jyoutz]

Loading the tires is popular with new tractor owners and is also something that dealers can offer to sweeten a deal that costs the dealer near nothing.

I think everyone has got to try loading the tires at least once just to see the advantages vs problems. It takes some experience with loaded tires before wheel weights begin to look like an answer. But I don't know anyone who has gone back to goo.

Anyway, whether more weight or less is an advantage depends on the ground and the use. No way to know that until a person tries it both ways.
rScotty

I prefer loaded tires plus exterior weights.

 

[Chip Woods]

thanks again for the replies. i'm inclined to pay less and weigh less given, as some have mentioned, the weight of the backhoe. at the moment at least, i do have some fairly soggy ground too, which is one thing i intend to address with the tractor. i don't know that extra weight would help me there, but it'll be easier to add weight later if needs be.

 

[jyoutz]

thanks again for the replies. i'm inclined to pay less and weigh less given, as some have mentioned, the weight of the backhoe. at the moment at least, i do have some fairly soggy ground too, which is one thing i intend to address with the tractor. i don't know that extra weight would help me there, but it'll be easier to add weight later if needs be.

In your case with a backhoe, I would forgo filling tires and just buy cast weights to use when your backhoe is removed.

 

[LouNY]

One reason for many of the compact and sub compact tractor owners to go with the various liquid fills is they see all the people on forums like this telling them they need it or they will flip their tractors over, dealers like it as a bargining chip The local Kioti, Yanmar dealer lists it as a $1000 option but throws it in for "free".
Also many compacts do not have the rims drilled for bolt on weights.
Bolt on iron is my much preferred ballast option even at $1.24 per pound.