Traction diy tire antifreeze

[tjkubota93]

I saw on the internet where a lady makes her own windshield washer fluid with 1 gallon water, 8oz isopropyl alcohol, and 1oz castille soap. Yall think I could load my tires with a 1 gallon water/8 oz isopropyl solution? That would cost about $0.88 per gallon. I dont need soap or blue color for Inside tires (unless soap would help the rubber). I am a tight waud so I like stuff like that. I also thought about using rv antifreeze. Any thoughts?

 

[creekbend]

Hopefully this will help? Go to OrangeTractorTalks | Kubota Tractor Tips, Classifieds, Specifications and Discussion and go to "How to ballast Tires", then go to "Comparing different types of liquid tire ballast". Best wishes.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

From the inside of a tire...... All tractors look the same.....

I loaded my rear (turfs) with regular auto anti freeze and low temp windshield washer fluid....
Each tire held 22 gallons. I used 5 gallon anti freeze and 17 gallon ww fluid.
But I live in a lot colder zone than you. (northern zone 3)

I have read of people using rv anti freeze. I have no idea at what concentration. The thinking if it is lost on the ground it is less toxic than auto products or salt.

If you use the mix you describe, I would think you would want a little soap in each wheel to give the rubber and steel (if tubeless) a little coating of lube.

Good luck

 

[tjkubota93]

Thanks. I got the orange tractor tire ballast bookmarked already. I like the idea of rv antifreeze brcause of non toxic. I think isopropyl would be better than ww methanol as far toxicity. I think the lowest the temp at our house gets is around 20.

 

[greenrider1]

Looks like youv've got a BX? I can't imagine your tires hold enough volume to make it worth your time to mix your own washer fluid. Windshield washer fluid doesn't cost that much to begin with, so you'd only be saving a few bucks, and you would still have to find a way to pump it in there. My dealer filled the rears on my L5740 for $200. It would not have been worth my time to mess with it myself. I'm not sure what percentage alcohol is in washer fluid, but something like 20% comes to mind, which is 25.6 fluid ounces of alcohol per gallon. RV antifreeze costs much more than washer fluid too. Just be careful that you get washer fluid with alcohol in it. Some places (Walmart) carry a "summer blend" that is nothing more than colored water. Good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[tjkubota93]

I didn't know about summer blend. Thats good info. I have a 1860.

 

[tjkubota93]

Holy poop $200! I'm too tight to pay that! I enjoy doing things myself. The only thing I have paid for is seamless gutters (takes expensive machine) and a roof (it would take me a year)

 

[k0ua]

Here is a chart for Propylene Glycol.. AKA RV anti-freeze. Note as it usually comes from the bottle it is rated to -50 degrees F. So as you can see on the chart this is about a 55 percent solution. So as you can see if you cut this 1/2 and 1/2 with water, you would be at about 27 percent with a freeze point at maybe +12 deg F. Is that enough for your area? On my last tractor I used it straight from the bottle, with 1 gallon in 24 extra pumped in for a total of 25 gallons each tire. In my Kioti I have Methanol solution. as we made a new purchase deal with the dealer. Adding a small amount of isopropanol is not going to lower the freezing point a lot. Ordinary isopropanol is usually 70% straight from the bottle.. Although there are higher concentration blends. You just need to find a chart for it like I did with the RV anti-freeze. Yes a lot of the "summer blend" of windshield washer fluid freezes at +32 deg F.. same as water. Winter blends, some is 0 deg. and some is -20. I have never seen any around here lower than -20 F.

James K0UA

 

[tjkubota93]

Ok thats helpful. 12 is cold enough. It doesn't get that cold here and tractor is garage kept.

 

[k0ua]

Ok thats helpful. 12 is cold enough. It doesn't get that cold here and tractor is garage kept.

That sounds like you would be alright then with 1/2 and 1/2 with water. Just make sure the bottle says -50. The stuff I used did.