loading tires

dirt clod · Aug 8, 2006

I've looked at other posts and it seems like most of you use something other than water becouse of freezing. I'm in florida it doesnt get below feezing to often and frankly I wouldnt use the tractor in the cold other than maybe needing to move something that could'nt wait.

Is there any other problem with useing straight well water?
If it does freeze and the tire is full of water would it make it differance to drive it?
is there any problem with feeling each tire about 1/2- 3/4 full or should the tires be full of water?

The book says not to load the front tires the dealer says its not needed with a FEL but he did not know why loading the front was wrong. any ideas?

Bedlam · Aug 8, 2006

There are lots of posts on the pros and cons.
I fill mine about 3/4 full. you don't fill them 100 percent. there would be no cushion and space for the air.
I used some anti freeze because of where I live. (freezing).
I have used just straight water for years. I garage the tractor.
Yes, The calcium and water weighs more. But for me, Id rather have straight water.
For Florida, Id just run 3/4 straight water.I assume your using tubes? If not, it would rust the rim.
I'm sure others will comment on it also. I would strongly recommend tubes. . Even if you were to "fill" the fronts there wouldn't be much added weight anyway. And most likely the fronts have a standard valve stem.
Good luck with it.

CDsdad · Aug 8, 2006

Mine are 3/4 loaded with water and a gallon of antifreeze added, rear and front. If I had it to do over I may not have loaded the front. I'm seldom without the loader on. As mentioned there are pros and cons to each. I may have opted for wheel weights if I'd thought of it when I purchased the tractor.

As far as driving if ice in the tires, I wouldn't.

Bedlam · Aug 8, 2006

Can I ask how you got the water in the fronts?

CDsdad · Aug 8, 2006

All 4 tires were loaded at the dealer before I picked up the tractor. I've never actually seen one loaded with water or done it myself.

ovrszd · Aug 8, 2006

If you don't add a rust preventive of some kind, you definately need to add tubes or your well water will rust out your wheels. Rather than add tubes, I'd just add a rust preventive. Or in cold climates, add antifreeze that has an anti-rust formula. My tractors are stored in a heated shop but I add enough anti-freeze to prevent freezing while pushing snow a couple hours at a time.

dirt clod · Aug 9, 2006

if I add a gallon of antifreeze to each tire will this prevent the rims from rusting or should I add something else to prevent rust?

ovrszd · Aug 9, 2006

dirt clod said:
if I add a gallon of antifreeze to each tire will this prevent the rims from rusting or should I add something else to prevent rust?

Since you are not worried about freezing, you might want to talk to a tire shop or a Farm and Home Store about a rust preventive to use. It might be cheaper to do that than buy enough Anti-Freeze to solve the problem. I'm not sure how big of tire you are dealing with so can't really suggest an amount of Anti-Freeze. Maybe a good rule would be one gallon of Anti-Freeze per five gallons of water???

ovrszd · Aug 9, 2006

Oh, one last comment. I load rear tires for balance on hillsides more than traction. With that in mind, I don't fill past the level of the axle shaft. My goal is to keep my center of balance low to the ground. I figure anything I put above the axle is just adding to the weight that is trying to tip the tractor over.

firemanpat2910 · Aug 9, 2006

Im right down the road from you and use plain water in all 4 on my 2 wheel drive ford. I filled them with the valve stems at 12:00 until water not air came out when bleeding. I have not had any problems with sloshing or surging even at trasport speeds on the road.

dirt clod · Aug 9, 2006

hey fireman thats what I used to do with the old mf135. But it was so old I wasnt worried about the rims rusting out.I even had a air hose chuck hooked to a garden hose and after filling and letting all the air out I would preasurize the tire with water. Just wnated to make sure I wouldnt have to buy rims in a few years for the kubota.

bones1 · Aug 9, 2006

OVRSZD, I have one of my famous dumb questions.I had my tires filled at the dealer,or at least they told me they did it before it was delivered.Never having had this done before how do I know they were filled and whether or not they were filled past the axle like you mentioned? Some way to check?.
Told ya it was dumb.

3RRL · Aug 10, 2006

You can let out air and the fluid should come out. Just be sure to check it with the valve stem in the 12:00 position first. Then move the tractor so the valve stem is at 1:00, 2:00 and finally to see if it's filled above the axle, check when the valve stem is rotated enough so it is level (near) with the top of the axle. Normally, a dealer will fill the tires with the valve stem at 12:00 to that level, above the top of the rim.

ovrszd · Aug 10, 2006

3RRL said:
You can let out air and the fluid should come out. Just be sure to check it with the valve stem in the 12:00 position first. Then move the tractor so the valve stem is at 1:00, 2:00 and finally to see if it's filled above the axle, check when the valve stem is rotated enough so it is level (near) with the top of the axle. Normally, a dealer will fill the tires with the valve stem at 12:00 to that level, above the top of the rim.

Yep, that's how you do it. Easier if you have someone to watch or drive and loosen the core until air is hissing out at 12:00, then drive forward slowly until fluid spits out, that's your filled level!!! Retighten core and you are all set.

If you are working alone and have a jack, raise the tire off the ground and do the above by turning the tire by hand until it spits!!!

bones1 · Aug 10, 2006

Thanks for the info. I'll take a look at it this weekend.Have a good day!.

Superduper · Aug 17, 2006

I have asked at more than one dealer and researched online regarding filling of tires without tubes. The recommendation from dealers and from tire/manufactureres/dealers is to fill the tires to the point where the rim is completely submerged (about 75%). To develop rust, you need moisture and oxygen. Therefore, if the rim is constantly submerged, rust is apparently not a significant problem because the rim is not constantly exposed to oxygen and the available oxygen is limited to the 25% fill. On the other hand, filling to less than the 75% will cause the rim to constantly submerse and O2 exposure accelerating rust/corrossion.

jimmysisson · Aug 22, 2006

bones1 said:
OVRSZD, I have one of my famous dumb questions.I had my tires filled at the dealer,or at least they told me they did it before it was delivered.Never having had this done before how do I know they were filled and whether or not they were filled past the axle like you mentioned? Some way to check?.
Told ya it was dumb.

If you don't mind waiting, when it's cool nights and warm days and a bit humid you'll see the condensation line on the tires if parked in an open shed. Of course the dribble test is quicker

.
Jim

ovrszd · Aug 23, 2006

jimmysisson said:
If you don't mind waiting, when it's cool nights and warm days and a bit humid you'll see the condensation line on the tires if parked in an open shed. Of course the dribble test is quicker .
Jim

Yep, that is why as mentioned somewhere above in this thread, they suggest you fill to cover the rim inside. So when it does that night sweat, it doesn't condense on the steel wheel and cause rust. I don't run mine that full so it's important to have anticorrosive additive.