Ballast Self filling of tires with washer fluid practical?
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Anonymous Poster
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Hi GSS and all,
A local establishment [Pharmor] is going out of business here...felt kind of funny with me and the wife both pushing shopping carts nearly overflowing with gallon jugs of windshield wiper fluid to the check out. I bought a totol of fifty gallons at 71 cents per gallon. Figure what is left over will go into the car and van...
Also got one of those little drill pumps for under $6. Now I am wondering if I need one of those filling valve devices. Seems to me I could just rig up something where a thin tube goes in the tire valve stem, with some space around it to let out air as the fluid goes in. The rear wheels would naturally be up off the ground, I think I could use the backhoe stabilizers to hold the rear wheels off the ground while filling the tires.
Maybe I will do a trial run and fill the tires on the back of my little MTD garden tractor tomorrow! Yes, that is a great idea, I have been wanting to put more weight on the back of that thing anyway. Great test to see whether I need to buy one of those special valves. Hope I can find some tubing that will be small enough!
By the way, fifty gallon jugs is a lot. I have a van so it was no problem, but in a regular car...hope the trunk is a big one or you may have to make two trips. No big deal though.
Then again, all you tractor guys probably drive pickups...so there should not be any problem at all!
Will let you know how the test fill goes tomorrow if I do it...
Bill
A local establishment [Pharmor] is going out of business here...felt kind of funny with me and the wife both pushing shopping carts nearly overflowing with gallon jugs of windshield wiper fluid to the check out. I bought a totol of fifty gallons at 71 cents per gallon. Figure what is left over will go into the car and van...
Also got one of those little drill pumps for under $6. Now I am wondering if I need one of those filling valve devices. Seems to me I could just rig up something where a thin tube goes in the tire valve stem, with some space around it to let out air as the fluid goes in. The rear wheels would naturally be up off the ground, I think I could use the backhoe stabilizers to hold the rear wheels off the ground while filling the tires.
Maybe I will do a trial run and fill the tires on the back of my little MTD garden tractor tomorrow! Yes, that is a great idea, I have been wanting to put more weight on the back of that thing anyway. Great test to see whether I need to buy one of those special valves. Hope I can find some tubing that will be small enough!
By the way, fifty gallon jugs is a lot. I have a van so it was no problem, but in a regular car...hope the trunk is a big one or you may have to make two trips. No big deal though.
Then again, all you tractor guys probably drive pickups...so there should not be any problem at all!
Will let you know how the test fill goes tomorrow if I do it...
Bill
Bird
Rest in Peace
<font color=blue>where a thin tube goes in the tire valve stem, with some space around it to let out air</font color=blue>
I'll be very surprised if you can find a tube thin enough, and if you do it'll be so small that it would take forever to get any liquid through it; personal opinion. My recommendation would be a tube just big enough to fit over and onto the valve stem, pump in some liquid, remove the tube to let out air, and repeat until fluid comes out when you let out the air.
I'll be very surprised if you can find a tube thin enough, and if you do it'll be so small that it would take forever to get any liquid through it; personal opinion. My recommendation would be a tube just big enough to fit over and onto the valve stem, pump in some liquid, remove the tube to let out air, and repeat until fluid comes out when you let out the air.
GSS
Gold Member
[censored], that is a really good idea! Just got off the phone with the wife, so hopefully she'll hit the motherload at the local PharMor... Thanks!
I already bought one of those fluid valves from Gempler's, so since you are in the area, you are welcome to borrow it. No need to spend the cash and time waiting for it when you already have the fluid and are ready to go. I'll be treking around a little bit tomorrow (Sat), so let me know and I'd be happy to meet you somewhere.
- Gerald
I already bought one of those fluid valves from Gempler's, so since you are in the area, you are welcome to borrow it. No need to spend the cash and time waiting for it when you already have the fluid and are ready to go. I'll be treking around a little bit tomorrow (Sat), so let me know and I'd be happy to meet you somewhere.
- Gerald
GSS
Gold Member
Wow, I didn't realize dam (with an n) would get censored. Sorry if I offended anyone...
Bill, you rule! I just went to PharMor at lunch and they had a boat load of it left. Picked up 100 gallons, so I can do all 4 wheels. Thanks a lot for the great tip. If you want to use my valve thingy, please do not hesitate to call me. I'll email you my phone number.
I am in your debt...
- Gerald
Bill, you rule! I just went to PharMor at lunch and they had a boat load of it left. Picked up 100 gallons, so I can do all 4 wheels. Thanks a lot for the great tip. If you want to use my valve thingy, please do not hesitate to call me. I'll email you my phone number.
I am in your debt...
- Gerald
beenthere
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No offense here, but it wasn't needed to tell us what you wanted us to know. I like the fact that our posts don't have unnecessary words.
GSS
Gold Member
No, it wasn't needed. But I like to convey emotion in what I write so it's not the same ole boring spew... Some people use smileys; I use interjections.
I disagree. At least a quarter of the posts in these threads are shootin' the breeze, matter-of-fact comments and "unnecessary words".
That's all I am going to say about that.
I disagree. At least a quarter of the posts in these threads are shootin' the breeze, matter-of-fact comments and "unnecessary words".
That's all I am going to say about that.
GFB
Member
Below is the info from a post I made a few months ago. I have a BX1800 so I didn't need as much fluid but the process is the same:
Thought I'd share the procedure I used to fill my rear tires with 10 Gal each of windshield washer fluid. I drilled a small hole in the cap and inserted plastic tubing, then used hot glue gun to seal. Plastic tubing runs to a metal tubing inserted into tire valve. Plastic jug is then inverted and a hole cut out the bottom and obviously must be higher than the tire. Make hole big enough to pour the fluid into this jug as it becomes empty. Metal tubing needs to be 1/8" outside diameter, plastic tubing just large enough to slip over the metal tube. Jack tractor up just enough to take weight off wheels. Takes about 25 minutes per gallon. Including the tool to remove the valve core the cost is about $3 plus washer fluid @ 84 cents/gallon.
Thought I'd share the procedure I used to fill my rear tires with 10 Gal each of windshield washer fluid. I drilled a small hole in the cap and inserted plastic tubing, then used hot glue gun to seal. Plastic tubing runs to a metal tubing inserted into tire valve. Plastic jug is then inverted and a hole cut out the bottom and obviously must be higher than the tire. Make hole big enough to pour the fluid into this jug as it becomes empty. Metal tubing needs to be 1/8" outside diameter, plastic tubing just large enough to slip over the metal tube. Jack tractor up just enough to take weight off wheels. Takes about 25 minutes per gallon. Including the tool to remove the valve core the cost is about $3 plus washer fluid @ 84 cents/gallon.