radial tires and liquid ballast

[Hay Dude]

No, you just said anyone using fluid is ignorant. I guess that's different than right/wrong.

Yep, I'm sure if you dig around hard enough you could find a tire with CC. It would be a 20 year old tire that hasn't had a repair.

I agree weights are best. Until you factor in cost.

Really? I just bought a used Kubota M-135X in 2018 with CC in the rims, so there’s that. Guess I had the only one in my area???? lol

The cost of fluid is higher with just one flat requiring a tube or one tire change when an owner goes to get new tires, but who cares about that?

 

[ovrszd]

Really? I just bought a used Kubota M-135X in 2018 with CC in the rims, so there’s that. Guess I had the only one in my area???? lol

The cost of fluid is higher with just one flat requiring a tube or one tire change when an owner goes to get new tires, but who cares about that?

The additional cost of repair will never in the tire's life offset the additional cost of weights.

The largest farmer in this area uses weights. His concept is a better contact patch on the ground.

 

[Hay Dude]

I really depends on individual circumstances. In my area, crop farms are producing Chile, onions, beans, melons, cotton, and alfalfa hay on ground that has been cultivated for a century or more. Very low risk of tire punctures in those situations. On the other hand, if someone is working grass hay on fields that are reclaimed forest land with potential for staubs and also doing part time construction work, that situation is a higher risk for tire puncture.

In addition to punctures causing lower reliability when filled with fluid:

What would cost more: replacing a worn set of tires filled with fluid or air?
What would take longer: replacing a worn set of tires filled with fluid or air?

I disagree that wheel weights cost more once one of the above happens, it becomes much closer in cost. At least long term.

 

[ovrszd]

In addition to punctures causing lower reliability when filled with fluid:

What would cost more: replacing a worn set of tires filled with fluid or air?
What would take longer: replacing a worn set of tires filled with fluid or air?

I disagree that wheel weights cost more once one of the above happens, it becomes much closer in cost. At least long term.

I agree with your cost analysis. If you repeatedly have flats. Not sure how many flats you would need to equal out the cost though.

I agree a fluidless tire would be easier to disassemble and assemble.

I have fixed two leaks with zero loss of fluid at an approximate cost of .50 cents total. I'm guessing high.

I gained 1625 lbs of weight in my Kubota's rear tires using fluid. Cost me $225.

How much per pound are cast iron weights?

 

[5030]

In reality, loaded tires CRUSH hay plants and reduce yield. The less crush, the better.

 

[5030]

How much per pound are cast iron weights?

In my case, not a clue, I order mine with cast centers.

 

[ovrszd]

In my case, not a clue, I order mine with cast centers.

Yeah, I have cast centers, plus cast weights, plus fluid. But that's for Utility tractor use.

 

[Hay Dude]

It’s not a factor if you are only running a tractor 50 hours a year or are on pavement most of the time.

I do remember my days of running beet juice and calling the PA Farm Tire Service. The dispatcher would tell me up front the extra cost for pumping out and pumping back in. At $125/hour a couple hours adds up.

Probably comes close to wheel weights.

Then there’s the "Liquid ballast reduces performance by inhibiting the sidewall’s deflection in a radial tire." problem.

But we won’t discuss that

 

[LouNY]

Liquid fill costs much more for maintenance, it's going to be at least a couple of hundred more per tire.
Then there is the time and scheduling required for liquid fill repairs. Them add in the loss of power even at low speed it
has a parasite drag, then add in the decrease in tire flexibility for traction.
There are numerous reasons NOT to use liquid fill.

I can only come up with one reason to use it and that is the lower cost initially.

On the farm with well over a dozen tractors there is a mix a few still have CC fill from long ago, I don't believe any have "beet juice"
the rest all have had the liquid removed over the years and iron added.

Those people that put only a few hours on a tractor and seldom use the full potential of a tractor, or desire to over ballast one can be well satisfied with liquid fill.

 

[ovrszd]

It’s not a factor if you are only running a tractor 50 hours a year or are on pavement most of the time.

I do remember my days of running beet juice and calling the PA Farm Tire Service. The dispatcher would tell me up front the extra cost for pumping out and pumping back in. At $125/hour a couple hours adds up.

Probably comes close to wheel weights.

Then there’s the "Liquid ballast reduces performance by inhibiting the sidewall’s deflection in a radial tire." problem.

But we won’t discuss that

I average 200 hrs a year on the Kubota. During that year it will be on pavement less than 5 miles.

I agree it's more expensive to make repairs with fluid. But you would need a LOT of repairs to make up the cost of weights.

Ummmm,,,, I already addressed the "Liquid ballast reduces performance by inhibiting the sidewall's deflection in a radial tire" point.

So we already did discuss that.