Tires Filling rear tires
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GPintheMitten
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- Kubota B2620 with BH65 backhoe, Ford 2N
I had to buy new rims on my Ford 2N due to calcium chloride. You might not get corrosion but lots of people do. After replacing wheels, and paying for loading twice and down time, its cheaper to go rim guard.
Red Horse
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GP/20-20,
I hear yah. I had an 89 755 that was filled with calcium. I sold the tractor to a relative back in 05 and it is still going strong. More than one knowledgeable person (for one, long time owner of a commercial tire business, second, owner of a two store Deere operation who by the way doesn't do calcium anymore given mark up on rimguard) has told me the only problem with calcium is when the tire is underfilled leaving the any portion of the bead OUT of the mix.
Check out the price of rimguard fill vs. the price of a rim? I'll bet its a wash.
arrow
Super Member
Have had calcium in my tires for 25 years. At 19 years it leaked out because I broke the stem. Had some corrosion. Repainted the inside of rims with bridge paint. Always used a tube.
Red Horse
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I rest my case. Do it right and its cost effective.
creekbend
Super Star Member
I purchased a new L4400 last July.This was taken directly from my Operator's Manual. Liquid Ballast in rear tires--Water and calcium chloride solution provides safe and economical ballast. Used properly, it will not damage tires, tubes or rims.The addition of calcium chloride is recommended to prevent the water from freezing. Use of this method of weighting the tires has the full approval of the tire companies. See your dealer for this service. Do not fill tires with water or solution more than 75% of full capacity (to the valve stem level at 12 o'clock position).
crazyal
Super Member
I priced it out using Dowflakes and it works out to be about $2 a gallon, $1.50 if I use tablets or "rock salt" shaped CaCl2 that requires more work to mix with water, you have to do it yourself. Rim Guard (beet Juice) I can have installed for $3 to $3.50 a gallon (depending on which dealer I use) and they install it but I have to bring the tires to them. I also looked into WWF and can buy it in bulk for $1.50 a gallon. I didn't bother to look into mixing Methanol and water myself.
I guess it really comes down to if it's worth saving a few bucks doing it yourself and how much weight you want to add. If your worried about damaging your rim with CaCl2 then the few bucks you can save isn't work it. A new rim and the cost of adding new ballast is going to cost you more than if you just went with Rim Guard.
If you install tubes as recommended for CaCl2 and are prone to getting flats then it's going to make it a pain to repair the it if you could have plugged the tire otherwise. For me that's not an issue since my tires came with tubes so if I get a flat I would have to drain the ballast to fix the flat no matter what or remove the tubes before adding ballast.
I don't think there's a right answer as to which is best. If you need to buy tubes then the cost of CaCl2 rises.
I guess it really comes down to if it's worth saving a few bucks doing it yourself and how much weight you want to add. If your worried about damaging your rim with CaCl2 then the few bucks you can save isn't work it. A new rim and the cost of adding new ballast is going to cost you more than if you just went with Rim Guard.
If you install tubes as recommended for CaCl2 and are prone to getting flats then it's going to make it a pain to repair the it if you could have plugged the tire otherwise. For me that's not an issue since my tires came with tubes so if I get a flat I would have to drain the ballast to fix the flat no matter what or remove the tubes before adding ballast.
I don't think there's a right answer as to which is best. If you need to buy tubes then the cost of CaCl2 rises.
art
Super Member
You must have requested the dealer to add the tubes as tractor tires have been coming without tubes for about twenty years now. We have added them for different customers when adding fluid upon their request. When the tires are sealed properly it doesn't make to much difference liquid is in them as once the oxygen is gone the rims won't rust. We have seen them go over fifty years without needing to be replaced.
Once again I will state if you don't need it, the whole machine will work longer and cost you less! We are filling less then 40% of the tractors we sell. Those that are still filling them are old school farmers that don't like new technolgy or just to change and often quote "thats the way dad did it and it's got to be good enough for me". Good thing they did away with the crank before dad passed away!
GPintheMitten
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Different ways to go about it, for sure. The OP has got several suggestions. I guess he can go from there just like we all did. 
Tires can and do get damaged and leak. Nobody seems to mention that possibility to much. I'm not sure I would want however many gallons of calcium chloride or some other corrosive leaking into my yard and soil or wherever the thing might be parked. I know there would be a big argument at my house over it since my wife is a garden professional. The Kubota dealer in my area just uses Rimguard now for that possibility and the possibility of rim corrosion.
