Filled tire froze, now blown - what happened?

[5030tinkerer]

We've had our first true cold snap - down to 10° or so last night. This morning I started the 5030 (which is sadly still sitting outside), let it warm up for several minutes, and then started to move it. I went no more than three feet, heard a cracking noise, and turned to see green fluid pouring out of my left rear tire. Now I am in for a new tire (quoted at $367.50 plus $45 for mounting, not including filling if I go that route again). I thought that the green fluid anti-freeze should have prevented this. What happened? Any chance that something like this could be covered under a warranty?

 

[kevinj]

We've had our first true cold snap - down to 10° or so last night. This morning I started the 5030 (which is sadly still sitting outside), let it warm up for several minutes, and then started to move it. I went no more than three feet, heard a cracking noise, and turned to see green fluid pouring out of my left rear tire. Now I am in for a new tire (quoted at $367.50 plus $45 for mounting, not including filling if I go that route again). I thought that the green fluid anti-freeze should have prevented this. What happened? Any chance that something like this could be covered under a warranty?

If the fluid was "pouring out" then it was not frozen. Did I miss something here?

 

[Timber]

Is this a new tractor in its 1st winter. I would be very pissed. It doesn't sound like natural event

 

[Dusty]

If the fluid froze, it was not a high enough concentration to prevent freezing. Color is not a good indication of freeze protection. Only a test instrument will tell you the concentration of the liquid. Your anti freeze might have been good to only 30 degrees and if the temperatures dipped below that, then it would start to freeze. Like water in the ice cube trays in your refrigerator, not all the liquid was frozen when you started to move the tractor, but enough of it for it to blow the tire off the rim. Are you certain that the tire is damaged? It is possible that the bead broke loose causing the tire to loose its air and liquid, but not damage the tire. Who filled the tire? If your dealer filled the tire with antifreeze, then he should make good on the repair, since the percentage of antifreeze should have been high enough to offer freeze protection in the area that you reside. If you did the filling, then you are out in the cold on your own. You are lucky that it was the tire, not the engine. I would check to see that you have sufficient freeze protection in the radiator, especially if it is being left outside. A cracked block is a lot more expensive to replace than a tire.
Dusty

 

[5030tinkerer]

Good points, all. I am on the way to the tire dealer now to see what can be done and just check things over generally. They have committed to working with Titan (tire mfg) on my behalf if the tire is to blame. We'll see. I am the second owner of the tractor and the tires came filled, so cannot say who filled them. BTW, the fluid did indeed "pour" out - I am thinking that the fluid was perhaps just partially frozen. I'll report back after I return from the tire dealer. The tractor is a 2004 or 2005 model - I forget off hand.

When it comes to having the replacement tire, if needed, refilled, what are you guy's thoughts? Antifreeze again, calcium, or something else? I am not excited about rust additives...

 

[Dusty]

I have Rim Guard in my tires and like it. The only problem that I experienced was that the painted tire at the rim was so smooth that the Rim Guard acted as a lubricant and the tire slipped on the rim. When you have the new tire mounted, have them rough up the bead seating area with some sandpaper to eliminate this problem. The manufacturer, Rim Guard, told me that they have only had this problem on Kubota tractors and how to remedy it. It was kind of funny watching the rims turn and having the tires stationary when I tried to push into a pile of dirt. I had thought that the hydro had gone bad, until the fellow that I was working with noticed the spinning rims.
Dusty

 

[Charliebrn]

I'd consider Soft-Fil. They mix it just before filling, and after it cures, it's more like a thick Jello consistency. It isn't foam that turns to a solid, but it does completely fill the tire. The tire deflects like normal, but it'll never leak...in fact, you'll never do anything to the tire until you wear the tread completely out and then you'll need to cut the tire off. It's perfect and I plan on doing it to my new BX as soon as I get a few bucks together...it isn't cheap.

 

[Dusty]

I'd consider Soft-Fil. They mix it just before filling, and after it cures, it's more like a thick Jello consistency. It isn't foam that turns to a solid, but it does completely fill the tire. The tire deflects like normal, but it'll never leak...in fact, you'll never do anything to the tire until you wear the tread completely out and then you'll need to cut the tire off. It's perfect and I plan on doing it to my new BX as soon as I get a few bucks together...it isn't cheap.

Can you shed additional light on this product and where you learned about it? I did a Google search for the product and couldn't find anything. It sounds like a great idea for use on my BX. I would like to fill the front tires with something like this to keep them from going almost flat when I pick up more than than they are rated for, such as large boulders.

 

[DieselPower]

Yup, the only reference I can find to it online is a post charliebrn made back in 2003 to the stuff.

 

[5030tinkerer]

Well, it turns out that it wasn't the tire at all. It was the tire stem. It had been raining quite hard the last several days and I had to use the tractor in the mud yesterday. Then everything froze, including the mud on and around the tire. Apparently, there was a big chunk of mud collected near the valve stem. When the tire turned this morning, the frozen mud stayed put and severed the stem. The other tire stem suffered a similar, but not quite as catastrophic demise - it just got bent. $162 at the tire shop and quite a bit of time later, I now have two new valve stems and protective sleeves (in the form of two cut-in-half pipe sections welded to each rim) around them. Case closed.

I would strongly suggest the addition of these protective devices (that the fronts already had from the factory...) on anyone's rims should they have a need to break the bead on their tires for another reason some day anyway (tire shop folks were of the opinion that the heat generated in welding these on with the tire installed would result in a melted tire bead). Thanks for all the ideas guys.