Tires fluid filled tires?

trailertrash · Sep 23, 2002

I,m curious about windshield washer fluid being used as a tire weight.I was primarily wondering where one buy's large amounts and the main advantages over normal calcium. I can uderstand:corosion.price?.But I was curious if tire shops install,wondering about freezing(be some serious unbalancing)thank you

GSS · Sep 23, 2002

macher and I just did ours with windshield fluid. A local chain was going out of business so we got each gallon for like $0.71.

It may actually be a little lighter per gallon than straight water, but its ability to not freeze down to like -20 makes it worth it. I guess RV antifreeze would be ideal, but the price is prohibitive at ~$5/gln.

I guess the only other advantage is that you can do it yourself in a few hours with a bucket, drill pump, $8 adapter and a few feet of old hose. It cost me about $60 including the adapter and I figure I added about 600 pounds to the rear of the Cub.

- Gerald

beenthere · Sep 23, 2002

My take on windshield washer fluid - about 8 lbs/gal (about 3 lbs/gal less in weight than calcium chloride), will not freeze down to -20 F (if used straight), is cheaper at about $1/gal, and that is what I use. Has worked well for years (at least 5). You will get various opinions.
Don't know what you mean by "large amounts". I do know that I've seen the price/gal ($0.88) in gallon jugs less than the price/gal ($1.70) in 55 gal drums (and from the same source, plus their was a deposit on the 55 gal. drum). Go figure!??

Anonymous Poster · Sep 23, 2002

HI,

One of the advantages of WW fluid over Calcium cloride is that you don't need to install a tube in the tire with ww fluid, so filling the tires is an easy, do it at home job.

AS GSS said, all you need is a cheap drill pump. You don't even need an adapter...you can stick a piece of plastic tubing right on the tire valve and hold it there with a small hose clamp. An adapter that lets you releave the air pressure a couple times as the fluid fills the tire would be handy though.

If you do a search of the archives you will find a thread or two onself filling tires with WW fluid.

I think it took about an hour to fill the rear tires on my Kubota B2910. 23 gallons per tire, 12.4 x 16 R4s...

Around here [Pittsburgh, PA] WW fluid sells for about $1 per gallon normally. Make sure you get the winter blend. I have seen some that is a summer blend that does not state it is good down to -20F. It might be the same stuff, but who knows?

You do get some strange looks heading to the checkout with a train of carts filled with gallon jugs of WW fluid. Especially in summer.../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bill Macher in Pgh, PA

Steelfan · Sep 23, 2002

Welcome trailertrash,

I loaded my TC21D with Washer fluid, but I didn't use a drill. With the help of my cousin, we took the rear tires off. We let all the air out of them, and broke the bead on one side. We then used a crowbar to keep the tire away from the rim, and poured the WF in the tire. We put 15 gallons in each tire on myTC21D. Pumped up the tire to 30 LBS, and put it back on. Took 30 mins, and just the cost of the WF. I think the whole thing cost me less then $30. You can also do as the Macher did. Please remember calium will rust any metal that it touchs. I feel better about Washer Fluid. Hope this helps you. Good Luck.

Kent

Moon · Sep 23, 2002

hmmmmm, my dealer put in methonal. Anyone else hear of using that? I talked to two dealers and both used it. No tube necessary, and it won't freeze (they said ...for SE Ohio anyway).
I wonder what the tractor dealers figure you'll put in when they give weight with and without tires loaded. According to Kubota, loading my tires should have added 1350lbs to my 3010 (R4's). I do like the extra stability, and I don't notice any difference for other chores; on flater ground.

Anonymous Poster · Sep 23, 2002

I might be totally wrong here...but I think that I read that WW fluid is methonal based.

Maybe the local tractor dealers just want to make the WW fluid they use sound more exotic?

Anyway, the local tractor dealer (blue) told me that they use WW fluid, and the tire dealer where I got my front tires foam filled commented that using ww fluid was OK, when I asked him if I had made a mistake filling my tires with it.

WW fluid...cheap and easy...suits my way of doing things...

Bill in Pgh, PA

GSS · Sep 24, 2002

That's right, it is, but I'm pretty sure WW fluid is water mixed with methanol. Maybe that dealer is using straight methanol. If so, a mix might be better though, because you are getting additional weight from the water since methanol is a little lighter than water. The difference is propbably minimal though considering the relatively small amounts of fluid we are using.

- Gerald

ditt · Sep 24, 2002

GSS, I'm curious as to where you purchased the drill pump and the tire adapter ?
my son and I have a TC30 and are thinking about filling the tires with ww fluid as that sounds like the sensible and cheapest way to go.

Ditt

GSS · Sep 24, 2002

You can find drill pumps really anywhere. Try your local hardware store. Probably like $6-10. Also make sure you have a plug-in drill. You'll go through quite a few batteries with a cordless.

I got the adapter through Gemplers ($8 + S&H) (www.gemplers.com), but as macher said, you should be able to use a screw clamp to fasten a small hose to the valve stem.

Also, don't forget that you'll need to remove the stem's valve core to pump the fluid in. I also put a jack under that side of the tractor so that when the air pressure was released, the weight of the tractor didn't crush the tire and maybe even pull it off the rim. Oh, and try putting the stem at the very top so that the fluid will run into the tire and not try to come back out...

Good luck.

- Gerald