Tires Questions before loading tires with water

[4570Man]

I don't think foam makes good ballast. Plus I'd hate to see the mess inside?

Foam filled tires are extremely heavy. Foam filled tires are probably heavier than the same tire filled with liquid. I removed the tires from a small skid steer that were foam filled. They were heavier than I could lift into a pickup. I had to use a forklift to load them.

 

[Garycw]

Foam filled tires are extremely heavy. Foam filled tires are probably heavier than the same tire filled with liquid. I removed the tires from a small skid steer that were foam filled. They were heavier than I could lift into a pickup. I had to use a forklift to load them.

All the more reason I'd prefer fluid. Fluid can be drained and then re- installed if needed. I've held off loading rear tires until I do a trans service. This requires removing left rear tire and I have enough trouble lifting unloaded tires to studs.

 

[SPYDERLK]

There's a multitude of ways to add fluid. I've been happy with washer fluid, however I wouldn't use just water even if the climate permitted. Rust!

A non issue for decades. Rims are painted and water is not aggressive in a closed system apparently. Iv had water in the Mahindra tires for 10yrs. Broke the bead on one a yr ago. Hardly any rust.

 

[MHarryE]

A non issue for decades. Rims are painted and water is not aggressive in a closed system apparently. Iv had water in the Mahindra tires for 10yrs. Broke the bead on one a yr ago. Hardly any rust.

You're right. The tire is a closed environment. The oxygen in water is not "free" to combine with iron to create ferrous oxide "rust". The small amount of air used to inflate the tire will create a light shell rust and stabilize.

Likewise calcium chloride also needs oxygen to create a rusty wheel. The machines for which I was responsible prior to my retirement were all factory filled with the high concentrate solution and rim corrosion was never a problem. However, tube type tires do create a rim rust problem because the tubes only seal to the inside. Tubes tend to deteriorate with time, especially around the stem area. A little solution gets out, lots of oxygen is available, and runs rust starting at the hole. And salt water foes have its problems if a person has a puncture. The grass is going to be killed around the area if you're lucky. If not lucky, the fluid will spray down your tractor meaning very thorough bath time, and you nan never clean it well enough.

Likewise one of our neighbors had a puncture that ended up spraying his tractor to where it was down for a long time while he cleaned off the goo. It wasn't as simple as 15 minutes with a pressure washer.

So plain water is safest if you don't have a freeze problem. I would personally go beet juice in our area needing freeze protection. Our machines were filled with CaCl for cost and performance reasons. CaCl provides a very high density solution at a very low cost and if all competitors are using salt water, we would have been at a serious cost disadvantage. Another thing - selling worldwide - most of the world is not familiar with beet juice for tire ballast so having tire shops that can handle - no way. But calcium chloride is not the extreme villain many make it out to be. If it was I would have had about 4,000 customers per year out for my head.

 

[jix]

Well, it is your tractor. In freezing climates, beet juice is the only answer for the long term. Fill for 300.00. never worry again......but, its your tractor. B7100 tires are small, so that filling tires seems like a waste of time. I would rather use a ballast box on the TPH..or weights on the wheels... or nothing.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Hi all,

I've been reading the posts about "loading" tires with water with a lot of interest. I love my tractor (Kubota L-2800 with front loader), but if I get a good load of gravel, dirt or even manure (but not as bad since it's lighter) in the loader I can really get the back wheels to bob up and down over bumps, even with my box scrapper on the back. Putting water in the back tires to help trim that out seems like a natural for a little extra ballast. I ran into a local guy over the weekend that's done this with his own tractor tires. He says he got an attachment from NAPA for his house water hose and filled the tires up straight from the spigot.

I've got a few questions first:

1) Is there any special additive you need for the water to keep the rubber in the tires from degrading? Does it actually damage the rubber at all over time?

2) Do regular tire pressure gauges work for determing the water pressure in the tire?

Are there any other special considerations I'm missing before I attempt this?

Thanks!
Roger

Well, it is your tractor. In freezing climates, beet juice is the only answer for the long term. Fill for 300.00. never worry again......but, its your tractor. B7100 tires are small, so that filling tires seems like a waste of time. I would rather use a ballast box on the TPH..or weights on the wheels... or nothing.

This absolutely applies to your situation and tractor in Canada.
... The OP, in California has all the options - including [free] water. His tractor has much larger rear tires and therefore water would provide an appreciable weight gain at no cost and no trouble in any circumstance. ... OR, even more weight gain at appreciably high initial cost - and complication should a flat occur. ... OR foam - a bad -- expensive, ruf riding, close ended -- choice, unless you are combating conditions causing frequent flats.

 

[buickanddeere]

Liquid ballast is probably a good idea, but straight water will be very hard on your rims, when we had the farm, we ran tubes and filled the tubes with a calcium water, any time we had a leak it was a mess. Straight water will freeze thats why the calcium additive. I have heard of guys here using windshield washer fluid... I think that after a while, the alcohol or what ever chemical will evaporate, my grandfather always had extra windshield washer fluid bought at the end of season on sale and after a year or so would freeze in an unheated shed, so I'm not personally convinced that washer fluid is fullproof either. I know that there is an alternative product on the market that others here have used, the name escapes me right now, but i know it will come up in a search.

Other things to look at if the liquid ballast doesn't end up serving your purpose, are the different varieties of TPH ballast boxes, and or wheel weights and a TPH weight bar.

good luck

How does alcohol evaporate out of a tire ?

 

[ovrszd]

Well, it is your tractor. In freezing climates, beet juice is the only answer for the long term. Fill for 300.00. never worry again......but, its your tractor. B7100 tires are small, so that filling tires seems like a waste of time. I would rather use a ballast box on the TPH..or weights on the wheels... or nothing.

Hmmmmm.. I filled the rear tires on my JD2210 and it made a LOT of difference in stability on steep terrain. They are 26x12x12 tires. Added 45 lbs to each tire.

In the end, tire size is irrelevant. It's the weight added in relationship to the entire weight of the tractor.

Adding 45lbs in each tire of the little JD2210 had the same effect as adding 750lbs in each tire of the Kubota M9540.

 

[k0ua]

Pete, on the windshield washer fluid freezing... There are many mixes of windshield washer fluid with different freeze points. Some of the "summer mixes" have a freeze point of 32 degrees which is the same as water. Some have a 0 degree freeze point and some a -20 freeze point. You must purchase the correct product for you intended use. The active ingredient in WW fluid to prevent freezing is methanol. You can also just purchase methanol and make your own fluid mixed with water to the freeze level you need.

 

[RaydaKub]

Yeah. I used WW fluid. I just used the calculator to figure up the cost. 14 cents per pound.

For the OP his only cost will be whatever pump mechanism he has to buy. I used a $7 drill pump.

My 20 gallons were $1.20 / gallon, good to -35.
I used a dehumidifier bucket, hose, and ladder. But my tires are only 26x12x12's.