Riggin' for steep slopes

[MarkV]

Re: Riggin\' for steep slopes

Greg, I filled the rear tires of my tractor with the environmentally safe anti freeze (I think the brand was Sierra) and here is how I did it. First you need a special valve that screws into the valve stem. I got one from a tractor dealer for $7 and I have heard that Napa has or can get them. The valve allows you to hook up a garden hose to it for the water and has a little release button to let out air. You let most of the air out of the tire, start putting water in, as the air pressure builds you turn off the water and bleed off air with the release button. I wanted about 75% full so I had the valve stem at the 2 o’clock position and when water rather than air came out of the release valve it was full. Of course the above only puts the water in. For the anti-freeze I used one of the drill operated pumps that has hose fittings on both ends and cost about $10. I put the anti-freeze in a bucket and pumped it into the tire the same way as the water. I did put the anti-freeze in first. With both liquids in I positioned the valve stem at 12 o’clock and added the normal amount of air pressure. You do need to make sure you have the valve stem on top when checking pressure or the liquid will do bad things to your pressure gauge.

As far as removing the existing fill, it will drain out of the valve stem. I think the problem will be containing it.

MarkV

 

[Bird]

Re: Riggin\' for steep slopes

<font color=blue>liquid will do bad things to your pressure gauge</font color=blue>

Mark, you can also buy air/liquid tire gauges, which is what I used, although I still only checked tire pressure with the valve stem at the 12 o'clock position, and always gave it just a short burst of air first to clear the valve.

 

[BKColeman]

Re: Riggin\' for steep slopes

Bird,
Should liquid come out when the valve stem is at the 12 o'clock position? I checked mine last night for the first time and there was considerable liquid coming out. Mine are filled w/ water and methanol.

I've read they should be filled to the top of the rim, which is about an inch or two higher than the base of the valve stem so I didn't know if it had too much in it or not.

Thanks,
Brad

 

[Bird]

Re: Riggin\' for steep slopes

Brad, I filled mine with the valve stem at the 12 o'clock position until it ran out and l let out any that would run out at that position (had a jack under the axle so there was no load on the tire). That should be 75% full, which is the way the manual said to do it. Now of course, if you open that valve stem with the tractor weight on the tire, you could expect a little liquid to come out.

 

[MarkV]

Re: Riggin\' for steep slopes

Bird,
I didn't know there was a gauge that was made to work with liquid, thanks for the info. Are they a common item or something you had to order?

MarkV

 

[Wingnut]

Re: Riggin\' for steep slopes

ATV's too? I understood (maybe incorrectly) that low pressure tires didn't work very well with Slime and other sealants .... because of the low pressure.
I'd thought of using slime in my lawn tractor tires (it seems that the native form of willow is almost as spiky as mesquite!) but when I checked out the Slime containers, I would have needed to use at least 3 times as much as an auto tire ... for a tire 1/4 the size. It looks as though it'll be cheaper for me to buy new tires than fill these with Slime.

 

[BKColeman]

Re: Riggin\' for steep slopes

I just bought my air/liquid tire gauge at Wal-Mart a couple of days ago. It was called a tractor gauge. $2.99 in the automotive section.

--Brad

 

[WVBill]

Re: Riggin\' for steep slopes

I have a maintenance agreement on my Sears lawn tractor that includes fixing flats. After the third call out in one year (I've got Multiflora and Locust) the guy put Slime in the tires and I haven't had a flat since (2 years).

 

[Soundguy]

Re: Riggin\' for steep slopes

I know that walmart sells a grey collered 'slime type product' that is specifically made for atv and similar ( lawnmower ) tires.
I'm not sure if slime also makes one for that application.

Chris

 

[Bird]

Re: Riggin\' for steep slopes

Mark, I see that Brad beat me to a response, but you can buy them lots of places. I got mine from the Matco tool truck my brother had, but Wal-mart, NAPA, TSC, and probably dozens of other places, and they're no more expensive that other tire gauges.