Liquid in tires

[Stonewall Cardinal]

I have a pretty new 55 hp JD. Should I add liquid to the tires? I have a canyon in my property with a couple fairly steep roads going down there and wonder if liquid in tires would help. I have not yet braved these roads as I'm still getting use to the tractor. If so, what kind of liquid. I'm in Texas but it does freeze a few days a year here.

 

[jeff9366]

Is your Deere 5055e equipped with a Front End Loader?

If you are concerned with the stability of your tractor, first consider spreading the rear wheels farther apart. Then consider filling your rear tires 50% with liquid to lower the tractor's center-of-gravity.

If your Deere 5055e is 2-WD you may have very limited braking going downhill, as tractors only have brakes on the rear wheels. Going downhill tractor weight shifts to the front wheels, so rear wheels are only in light contact with the ground.

If your Deere 5055e is 4-WD, and 4-WD is engaged, you will have something resembling four wheel braking.

If your tractor is barn stored when not in use it is unlikely water will freeze in your tires. However, you may wish to add some windshield washer fluid, which contains alcohol, to the tire fill liquid to lower the freezing point two or three degrees. You know your Texas winter weather better than I.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

You can use RV antifreeze or the 0° washer fluid, or go with the high dollar Rim Guard. Fluid will definitely increase your traction and stability.

 

[Stonewall Cardinal]

Is your Deere 5055e equipped with a Front End Loader?

If you are concerned with the stability of your tractor, first consider spreading the rear wheels farther apart. Then consider filling your rear tires 50% with liquid to lower the tractor's center-of-gravity.

If your Deere 5055e is 2-WD you may have very limited braking going downhill, as tractors only have brakes on the rear wheels. Going downhill tractor weight shifts to the front wheels, so rear wheels are only in light contact with the ground.

If your Deere 5055e is 4-WD, and 4-WD is engaged, you will have something resembling four wheel braking.

If your tractor is barn stored when not in use it is unlikely water will freeze in your tires. However, you may wish to add some windshield washer fluid, which contains alcohol, to the tire fill liquid to lower the freezing point two or three degrees. You know your Texas winter weather better than I.

Thanks. Yes, it has a FEL and it is 4WD. It's kept under a shed with 3 walls, but is not out of the cold.

 

[Rockbadchild]

You can brave some pretty steep hills if you are going straight down or straight up, it's when you are going side ways in a hill where you have to be careful. If that's the case then you might want to consider adding fluid in your tires.

 

[jeff9366]

Rear tires are filled 75% with fluid when max traction is required.

This is "sometimes" for 4-WD tractors and almost always for 2-WD tractors.

I'll "guesstimate" that two 75% loaded rear 5055e tires will add ~800 to 900 pounds to total tractor weight. This may be useful if you will be pulling heavy Category 2 Three Point Hitch implements through tough soil. But the additional weight also increase soil compaction, which is never good, in my opinion, and can create rear wheel tractor ruts in the field.

(From years of posting here I expect 85% of implements pulled by Deere 5055e tractors are Category 1 TPH implements NOT Category 2 TPH implements.)

Rear tires are filled 50% with fluid when a lower the center-of-gravity / improved-stability is the primary objective and adding weight for traction is the second objective. With 50% fill all the liquid weight is lower than rear axle height.

Tires should never be filled 100%. Without at least 25% air in the rear tires a tractor has zero suspension and will ride ROUGH.

I have owned three tractors of good weight but moderate horsepower. The tires on all three of my tractors have been inflated only with air.

Your Texas tractor operating conditions may vary considerably from my Florida tractor operating conditions.

 

[jeff9366]

If you add your LOCATION to your T-B-N PROFILE, so it shows with every post your author, you will receive responses germane to your operating conditions.


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2. Click on SETTINGS in drop down box.

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[/pine]

Generally...filling the rears with liquid ballast is primarily for adding traction...
Often encountered using the FEL...the first time you spin your tires you will realize this...
...Always be sure 4 wheel drive is engaged when descending hills especially in wet or slippery conditions...braking on hills can cause the rears to lose traction and then it's WHEEeeeeeeeeee....!!! (4WD prevents this)...always be ready to drop the FEL bucket and or the 3PH implement etc...

 

[RjCorazza]

I have my rears filled for added weight and traction plowing snow. I believe mine are filled with an alcohol based fluid.
I think loaded rears are a good idea on any loader tractor, plus added 3 point ballast as required.

 

[amhicks21]

I run with bulk washer fluid in all 4 tires in the winter. Haven't had any issues and its very cheap. I used to have a set of rear tires that were bought used that had calcium chloride in em and that was enough to convince me to never use that stuff. They nearly rotted through.