Getting clay mud off tires easily

[davidlott52]

I just let it dry and it will fall off next time I drive it.

Sweeping up is easier than trying to get the wet mud off.

 

[Electronics tech]

Drive them on an asphalt road for a short distance and leave the 'turds' in the road...

Mud 'turd'les.

 

[Gord Baker]

What is a solution for sticky, clay-mud build-up on tractor tires and skid steer tracks when I get back at the shop? From Oct-Mar it doesn't take much for the sticky clay to create a 1-2" layer all the way around the tires/tracks.
Short of pressure washing before going inside, is there a labor-saving way to get the bulk of that mud off before going indoors or near the shop.
Is there some type of "cattle-guard" that you could drive over that would get it off?
How about some sort of tire-scraping wheel or track attachment?
Maybe something you can put on the tire as a non-stick treatment?
Something else?
Thanks, Scott

NO. Pressure wash.

 

[Grumpycat]

In the dirtbike world we use Armor-All on the tires. Armor-All would wet their pants if they heard me say that because there have been many streetbike accidents where Armor-All was made to make the tires pretty... and slick. Armor-All between pavement and rubber is as bad as wet ice.

As others have observed no treatment lasts long. But I think Armor-All is kinder to tire rubber than brake fluid or Liquid Wrench.

 

[Snap50]

Seeing the topic all I could think was My Cousin Vinny......"You got mud in your tires".

 

[Dale Pendell]

I googled it. Seems spraying a clean tire with liquid wrench will inhibit the clay from sticking. Makes sense that any kind of spray lubricant might do the same. I have run the tires through the sandy bottoms to peel off the mud bud our clay is not the worst kind.

Liquid Wrench is toxic for the environment----don't spread it on your property

 

[MRTOES]

What is a solution for sticky, clay-mud build-up on tractor tires and skid steer tracks when I get back at the shop? From Oct-Mar it doesn't take much for the sticky clay to create a 1-2" layer all the way around the tires/tracks.
Short of pressure washing before going inside, is there a labor-saving way to get the bulk of that mud off before going indoors or near the shop.
Is there some type of "cattle-guard" that you could drive over that would get it off?
How about some sort of tire-scraping wheel or track attachment?
Maybe something you can put on the tire as a non-stick treatment?
Something else?
Thanks, Scott

I live in an area of black river region mud. The "easiest" way is to let it dry and take a big hammer to the tires. The mud will 90% crack off then do the pressure washer. Almost nothing will get this stuff from between disk harrow blades except the above method. Wish I had a better answer for you.

 

[IHpower]

Years ago touring the JD Tractor Assembly Plant I noticed the tractors going to Europe had different tires, especially the rears. They had a flatter profile across the treads. They also looked a little wider but the flatter square-corner profile may give the illusion of being wider.
i never thought much about the reason for the distinct design difference. Reading this thread gives me the idea it might be related to climate and soil conditions in Europe. Just a thought.

 

[redman135]

Would a truck "wheel wash" do the job?
Most quarries and sand pits use them.

 

[JP_Austin]

I just built a new shop and put a cement pad off to the side. I have a pressure washer right inside the door and it gets used to clean up the tractor prior to coming inside. Even with that I still have some mud that is difficult to remove and it falls off inside.

Luckily I put a drainage trench down the middle of the parking spot. Sweep the dirt into the drain trench then about every six months I remove the grates and wash out the trench. The drain goes into a dry well I installed for this purpose.

So far works for me. I agree the best way is to avoid working in the mud. However in my case I am frequently working around the periphery of a pond so its unavoidable.