School me on liquid filled tires

[stevefromindiana]

You could let a little out into a clear glass cup and try to determine it by its color, consistency, feel, smell, etc. You also might try getting in touch with the prior owner. Others might weigh in with better ways.

 

[bucktaker]

Calcium Chloride has a salty taste....dont ask how i know

 

[jcmseven]

I think the best way is to look at it:

1. Calcium chloride is generally whitish and salty in taste and is briny (i.e., the solute can be seen) It may also have some rust particles in it from where it is chewing up the inside of the rim.
2. Ethylene glycol is greenish, has the characteristic anti-freeze odor and should not be tasted, of course
3. Methanol is clear and bubbly as it comes out of the valve, has little odor and should not be tasted either, with "washer fluid" usually has a bluish hint, even when mixed with lots of water.
4. Rimguard (what I have at least) has a reddish hue.

Hope this helps.

John

 

[k0ua]

And propylene glycol (RV antifreeze) is usually pink in color, and no smell, and is safe to ingest ( I would not actually do it, as the stuff in the bottle is not food grade)
James K0UA

 

[RoyJackson]

Calcium Chloride has a salty taste....dont ask how i know

Yep...real salty!!
(Don't ask me either!)

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have run loaded front tire all my life on Ag tractor as it is a cheap way to get more front end weight. I see more benefit in loading the front tires than hanging suitcase weights and less stress on the axle for the same amount of weight. When carrying the weight in the tires, at least 65% of it is never on the axle directly as your only use a 75 % fill ratio and half that is below the axle centerline so it is just pressing on the bottom of the tire which is what you want it to do. Since most tractor work is done in slow motion, I cant see that it would have a lot of gyro effect on the steering either. As long as you dont exceed the maximum front weight capacity per design, then it should not hurt at all to load the tires. I think that the likely reason they dont recommend loading the front tires is because folks may also stack on as much weight as the front weigh bar will hold and also load the tires, throw on a FEL and then it is likely much more than these little tractors are designed for.

 

[2fast2]

Drain a little out onto a sheet of plastic. Examine it. If it is calcium, let it evaporate and it'll leave a residue, probably with some rust stain included. Antifreeze looks like antifreeze and feels oils on the fingers. Water and methanol won't feel like much of anything except water.

I just had new rear tires mounted and filled. 16.9 x 28. Around here it doesn't get very cold so they use water with some methanol added. Total cost to me was $95 for labor including the methanol. Capacity for these is 67 gallons each, and Rimguard is $4/gal around here, so over $500 is out of the question for me. With the "leftover" $400 I purchased the LARGE version of the John Deere ballast box ("used" but never used), which will give me somewhere between 1300 and 2000 lbs. extra weight depending on whether I use sand or stone or portland cement.

Sorry for getting off topic a bit.

 

[foggy1111]

I just did a fill with Rim Guard. I called the folks at Rim Guard to find a dealer....and hauled my tractor about 50 miles each way to the dealer.

He was a good guy and was set up mostly for mobile ag tire service in his area. The Rim Guard (beet juice) cost me 3.00 per gallon installed. (I also had him swap my rear tires to gain about two inches in width.)

To me the biggest advantage (other than rust) with Rim Guard is that I can remain tubeless and plug small leaks with a tire kit in the field. Tubes also cost quite a bit.

In our area it gets down to -30 F and colder each winter. I don't trust the methanol to remain viable over time....and I'm not too sure about the pink antifreeze after several years either.

I just saw the effects of ten years of Cal Chloride on my old garden tractor rims.....not too good!

 

[sunnyside360]

To me the biggest advantage (other than rust) with Rim Guard is that I can remain tubeless and plug small leaks with a tire kit in the field. Tubes also cost quite a bit.

Yep, agree 100%. That's one of the main reasons I'm using Rim Guard.

 

[DanD78]

Deere says to not load the front tires for the 3520. QUOTE]

Steve, Did the dealer tell you this or was it in the manual. I looked all over in the manual for my 3320 and found nothing so I put Rim Guard in the fronts when I did the rears. So far no issues with a little over 100 hours sense filled.

Dan D.