L4400 4x4 New Tires W Water

[Surshot]

I took my Kubota in for new shoes after 12 years. My tire dealer died of C-19 his son took over. This tractor always rode great, it now rides like it has square wheels.
Son replaced the 4 ply with 6 ply, just for info.
The new industrial tires are water filled, not 2/3 or 3/4, 100% filled. Rolled to the top, the valves squirt water. That seems odd.
The Rears are at 32 pounds, I mostly mow and pick up limbs, trees, etc.

The fronts are at 45 pounds
I get it that the fronts with a grapple and root rake need to be at a higher air pressure due to the FEL weight plus loads.

Seems like my prior wheels were about 2/3 full of water and the rear tires were at about 20 pounds air pressure.

If I remember the original info, 12 years ago, you must have space with a water fill to allow the tire to still flex, otherwise it rides like the tires are all solid.

 

[5030]

Why are they filled with anything, anyway? You don't need filled tires at all from what you posted.

I've never run filled tires on any of my tractors and don't plan on ever doing it.

 

[jeff9366]

The air in its tires is the only suspension a tractor has. No air = no suspension.

"Loaded" rear tires are normally 75% filled with liquid, the remainder air.

 

[DK35vince]

Just put the valve stems to the top and remove the valve core, let some fluid run out till it stops.
I run 15 psi in my loaded rears. Lower the rear tire pressure, see if it helps your ride.

 

[JWR]

I took my Kubota in for new shoes after 12 years. My tire dealer died of C-19 his son took over. This tractor always rode great, it now rides like it has square wheels.
Son replaced the 4 ply with 6 ply, just for info.
The new industrial tires are water filled, not 2/3 or 3/4, 100% filled. Rolled to the top, the valves squirt water. That seems odd.
The Rears are at 32 pounds, I mostly mow and pick up limbs, trees, etc.

The fronts are at 45 pounds
I get it that the fronts with a grapple and root rake need to be at a higher air pressure due to the FEL weight plus loads.

Seems like my prior wheels were about 2/3 full of water and the rear tires were at about 20 pounds air pressure.

If I remember the original info, 12 years ago, you must have space with a water fill to allow the tire to still flex, otherwise it rides like the tires are all solid.

Your tire shop is paying no attention to the tires, has no experience with tractor tires or some other malady -- not good. Your prior wheels about 2/3 full NOT totally full of fluid (and I hope it is not just water) was about right and so was the 20 psi. Read the side of the tires. They tell you what the max pressure should be and you should have a few psi less than that. Both the 32 and 45 psi are way too high and that (aggravated by being too full of fluid) is your entire rough ride problem. You do need one more tool: A tire dealer reamer. And it needs to be used without mercy.

 

[JWR]

Why are they filled with anything, anyway? You don't need filled tires at all from what you posted.

I've never run filled tires on any of my tractors and don't plan on ever doing it.

I differ. I do not know the specifics of the OP's application and don't have a well founded opinion as to whether he needs fluid in his tires or not. I run filled rear tires on all my tractors and plan on using fluid in them permanently. Filled tires give more weight obviously and weight for any tractor means traction and pulling/pushing capacity. All mine are AG tires rarely used on anything but sod/soil. The OP says he mostly mows and picks up limbs, trees, etc. which sounds to me like sod/soil so I'm not sure why he runs R4 industrial tires but one assumes he has been for 12 years on his old tires and should know the tradeoffs.

 

[newbury]

You do need one more tool: A tire dealer reamer. And it needs to be used without mercy.

Can you get that on Amazon?

 

[5030]

To each his own. I have a big enough issue with compaction and destroying alfalfa plants as it is with my 8500 pound M9's. Why I'm re shoeing with radials on one. Bigger contact patch on the ground. Only been doing this over 20 years now and I know what works for me and what don't. Your mileage may vary He's not doing anything that is ground engaging anyway and if I ever did, the fill would never be water anyway. Beet juice or windshield washer fluid or Cryotec.

My Titans did a good job (over 6300 hours on them) but I've been told Trelleborgs are superior tires. We shall see. As much as new treads cost today, I was even considering having my carcasses recapped.

 

[5030]

What I'd like to know is how this dealer filled them 100% with liquid of any kind. That has to be a neat trick.

 

[Doughknob]

They are likely not filled 100%. Since even with the stem up, it is still on the rim which is lower than the top of the tire.

There is a notion out there that if one covers the entire rim with some fluid, the rim will not corrode since it gets no air (o2). This is not automatically the case.

park tractor sideways on a good slope with stem up on the uphill wheel and see if it still runs water.

prior setup is more realistic.