Liquid in tires

[jigs_n_fixtures]

John_Mc,

I am certain about the contents of RimGuard. The resulting de sugared pulp, with some residual sugar, is what RimGuard is installing in tires. Stuff is like slurry and most installers will not install RimGuard when weather is cold because it gets very thick and is hard to pump.

RimGuard is selling the de sugared waste product that would have previously been spread back out onto fields as fertilizer. Selling a waste product for profit and probably getting paid to take the waste from the de sugaring plant.

Are you certain it isn’t actually a molasses? De-sugared extract of the beet pulp, sure sounds like Molasses to me.

 

[tjandrews]

I purchased 20 gallons of minus 20-degree wind shield washer fluid for $1/gallon at the end of winter at my local Walmart Store. That gave me about 80 lbs of ballast in each rear tire of my JD 2305. I also bought a hose-end-adapter at Tractor Supply for $9 that screwed onto the tire valve stem (needle valve removed and tire jacked up to remove weight). Then used a small "water feature pump", a bucket, and a garden hose to fill each rear tire about 3/4 full. Simple, inexpensive, and a do it myself project for about $30. Dan C.

Sounds like what we did with our IH 424's 13x28 tires, except that we used the 12V pump from a 15 gallon spot sprayer for the fill job. Since then, I converted the sprayer for boom use, and that required a stronger pump, but I kept the old pump handy for handling tire ballast. I've had to repair punctures in the old tires 3 times since, and each time I used that pump to temporarily transfer the washer fluid to a clean plastic barrel so I could do the repair, then put it back again. We haven't lost more than a gallon of the fluid yet.

And here in Central NY, I haven't noticed the fluid freeze solid yet.

 

[tjandrews]

That blue windshield washer fluid freezes quit easily around here in the winter, just the thing to ruin a pair of expensive tires.

Depends on which formulation you get. Here in Onondaga County the -20 degree mid-winter stuff might freeze as a thin layer on a cold windshield, but if the washer sprayed it it didn't freeze in the reservoir, and it won't be freezing inside a tire. I'm not sure my old IH 424 would start if it got cold enough to freeze the fluid in the tires, anyway.

 

[npalen]

When the tire lays flat on the ground it can be filled 100%.

When tractor tires are foamed, they are filled 100% with the tire laying on the ground.

How does one get the air out when filling 100%?

 

[npalen]

Never seen anything but water and no freeze in tires here. A few people grow beets in their gardens, but that's it. Water is plentiful though. Alcohol or anti freeze is readily available. I've always fixed my own flats. Put tires on my vehicles. I have used a tire shop when out of town and in a bind.

Alcohol as in white lightning?

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Alcohol as in white lightning?

Yes, but a quick run and no need to filter the barda grease off. Just straight run.

 

[npalen]

Yes, but a quick run and no need to filter the barda grease off. Just straight run.

What is "barda grease"?

 

[npalen]

I'm still curious about what happens inside a fluid filled tractor tire in the even of a roll over. It would seem that the inertia of that fluid, very rapidly moving from the bottom of the tire to the "downhill" side, might cause the tractor to end up on its top where otherwise it would have stayed on its side. Yes, it could be said that the tractor wouldn't have rolled in the first place if the tires were weighted.

 

[Raul-02]

Should I add liquid to the tires?

It can help with traction, maybe a little with stability, but make sure it is a corrosion inhibiting liquid.

 

[Raul-02]

What is "barda grease"?

fusel oils. They are two carbon alcohols formed when distilling and are eliminated by filtering the liquor through charcoal.

 

[cat fever]

Having used my tractor for years without the rears being filled, then getting them filled (Rim Guard) I would not hesitate to fill them. Best thing I ever did along with bucket hooks and a Piranha tooth bar.

 

[ScottHam]

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.

Your recommendation re: 50% filled with water to keep the center of gravity lower makes a lot of sense to me. I have heard others indicate that the water should be filled above the rim level to prevent rust, but I'm not convinced that rusting out rims due to water-filled tires is a significant issue that outweighs the stability gained via your 50% suggestion. I appreciate any thoughts you have regarding this. Thanks.

 

[M59]

Your recommendation re: 50% filled with water to keep the center of gravity lower makes a lot of sense to me. I have heard others indicate that the water should be filled above the rim level to prevent rust, but I'm not convinced that rusting out rims due to water-filled tires is a significant issue that outweighs the stability gained via your 50% suggestion. I appreciate any thoughts you have regarding this. Thanks.

ScottHam,

Standard practice is orient the valve stem at top of tire. Fill tire with ballast until liquid has reached valve stem stem level. Fill remainder of tire with air to proper OEM indicated air pressure.

When checking tire for proper air pressure, place valve stem at high point and use pressure gauge.

My personal preference is RimGard of all the ways to add liquid tire ballast since it has the highest specific gravity, is non corrosive, and doesn't kill animals or poison the ground if it leaks out of tire. I can also add more weight, on my M59, per tire with RimGard ( 589 Lbs ) than I can per Kubota's allowance of 3 weights per tire for total of 317 Lbs and Wholegoods cost of $507 for weight set per tire.

It also cost me nothing to add since it was part of the tractor when I bought it used.

Putting liquid in tires and hanging weights on the rim is a tossup and your choice is matter of cost. Weights

 

[M59]

fusel oils. They are two carbon alcohols formed when distilling and are eliminated by filtering the liquor through charcoal.

Raul-02,

All alcohols contain carbon. Ethyl is C₂H₆O. Methyl, the stuff you don't want and is in window washer fluid, is CH₃OH.

Better to divert the heads and tails than try to filter them out with activated charcoal due to load up and pass thru.

 

[M59]

Are you certain it isn’t actually a molasses? De-sugared extract of the beet pulp, sure sounds like Molasses to me.

jigs_n_fixtures,

Yes, essentially it is molasses but it probably has more of the sugar beet slurry it in than molasses.

I leave the cookin and kitchen stuff to the wife so I never really thought of RimGard as mollasses.

 

[John_Mc]

450 pounds of ballast windshield washer fluid at $1 per gallon would cost 450 lbs/8.5 lbs/gal = 53 gallons, or about $53 per tire. I think that is much cheaper than the Beet Juice product. Dan C.

Straight water is 8.3 lbs/gal. Straight methanol is 6.6 lbs/gal. Windshield washer fluid is a mix of water and methanol and generally weighs about 7.6 lbs/gallon

Some tire places will not work on tires filled with methanol.

 

[Raul-02]

All alcohols contain carbon.

I said two carbon alcohols.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

What is "barda grease"?

That the little bit you have to filter off. That is what causes poisoning, blindness, and cripples you.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Straight water is 8.3 lbs/gal. Straight methanol is 6.6 lbs/gal. Windshield washer fluid is a mix of water and methanol and generally weighs about 7.6 lbs/gallon

Some tire places will not work on tires filled with methanol.

Why would you tell them. Just say you have a flat.

 

[LouNY]

Depends on which formulation you get. Here in Onondaga County the -20 degree mid-winter stuff might freeze as a thin layer on a cold windshield, but if the washer sprayed it it didn't freeze in the reservoir, and it won't be freezing inside a tire. I'm not sure my old IH 424 would start if it got cold enough to freeze the fluid in the tires, anyway.

About the same temps here but I've had the lines freeze with the blue stuff in the system well before -20, I don't think it had even gotten to zero.
Now I do know that some of the blue stuff does list a lower freeze point then others that don't even list a freeze point.
Myself I use the Preston De-icer fluid in the winter and it will still skim ice a windshield at times.
And I wouldn't put any of them in my tires.