Tire ballast and tubes

[Surgeon]

Is it necessary to have a tube with Windshield Wiper filled tires?

 

[Surgeon]

Windshield wiper fluid

 

[lostcreekranch]

You are much better off without tubes.

 

[Soundguy]

ww fluid will not corode your rims... you could use eco safe AF too.

if you use cacl.. I'd for sure use tubes.

( IMHO.. I always use tubes anyways.. etc.. )

 

[lostcreekranch]

ww fluid will not corode your rims... you could use eco safe AF too. if you use cacl.. I'd for sure use tubes. ( IMHO.. I always use tubes anyways.. etc.. )

The problem with tubes is the sure leakage around the valve stem. If you are using Calcium Chloride, the leakage will cause big corrosion issues with your rims as rims will be exposed to both air and chemicals. If you have good tires, there is no upside to using tubes.

 

[arrow]

The problem with tubes is the sure leakage around the valve stem. If you are using Calcium Chloride, the leakage will cause big corrosion issues with your rims as rims will be exposed to both air and chemicals. If you have good tires, there is no upside to using tubes.

Actually as a person who ran calcium in their tires for more than a quarter of a century (makes it seem longer when you say it that way), I did find an upside. I used this tractor for logging over heavily obstructed ground. Many times I would "tweak" a rim that abraded a rock or such. Over the years, my rims had their share of "tweaks" enough so that they would not hold air if I did not have tubes. Had I not had tubes, I would have spewed calcium all over the place more times than I'd care to think about. Valve stem protectors were mandatory in this environment and I did have a leak I did not know about. Caused a hole in the rim about the size of a fingernail. Don't know how long it was there but I had it welded up
I then "Chassis Guarded" the rim (POR 15 substance like) after I got any more surface rust off and painted the inside of the rim with bridge paint on top of the Chassis Guard. I applied a layer of duct tape over the inside part of the rim, mounted the new tires back on and filled them back up with the calcium. I never wanted to see the inside of these rims again.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Actually as a person who ran calcium in their tires for more than a quarter of a century (makes it seem longer when you say it that way), I did find an upside. I used this tractor for logging over heavily obstructed ground. Many times I would "tweak" a rim that abraded a rock or such. Over the years, my rims had their share of "tweaks" enough so that they would not hold air if I did not have tubes. Had I not had tubes, I would have spewed calcium all over the place more times than I'd care to think about. Valve stem protectors were mandatory in this environment and I did have a leak I did not know about. Caused a hole in the rim about the size of a fingernail. Don't know how long it was there but I had it welded up I then "Chassis Guarded" the rim (POR 15 substance like) after I got any more surface rust off and painted the inside of the rim with bridge paint on top of the Chassis Guard. I applied a layer of duct tape over the inside part of the rim, mounted the new tires back on and filled them back up with the calcium. I never wanted to see the inside of these rims again.

Arrow;

Think you proved the point.

Our experience is almost 50 years and emigrated to Texas, from Nebraska, after US Air Force in early 1970's. No more Calcium Chloride. Water, with a bit of antifreeze, until inexpensive washer fluid came available. Luckily, never had any issues with flats, when running the very weak antifreeze mix.

If I was still living in mid-West, I would opt for the non-toxic anti-freeze with appropriate mix of water ............. In tubeless tires.

Rick

 

[Soundguy]

none of my valve stems leak. if your stems leak.. repalce the cores or outter sections...

Arrow;

Think you proved the point.

Our experience is almost 50 years and emigrated to Texas, from Nebraska, after US Air Force in early 1970's. No more Calcium Chloride. Water, with a bit of antifreeze, until inexpensive washer fluid came available. Luckily, never had any issues with flats, when running the very weak antifreeze mix.

If I was still living in mid-West, I would opt for the non-toxic anti-freeze with appropriate mix of water ............. In tubeless tires.

Rick

 

[crazyal]

It's normal for air trapped between the tube and tire to slowly bleed out through the valve stem. If you have leakage around your valve stem with a tube installed and ballast is coming out then you have a hole in your tube.

 

[arrow]

Arrow;

Think you proved the point.

Our experience is almost 50 years and emigrated to Texas, from Nebraska, after US Air Force in early 1970's. No more Calcium Chloride. Water, with a bit of antifreeze, until inexpensive washer fluid came available. Luckily, never had any issues with flats, when running the very weak antifreeze mix.

If I was still living in mid-West, I would opt for the non-toxic anti-freeze with appropriate mix of water ............. In tubeless tires.

Rick

If the point is that after 28 years of calcium that all I had to do was weld up one hole while garnering the benefits of the added traction for this long a period and an extra 140 lbs over water or anti freeze you are correct. If the point is that tubes can most certainly aid in the entrapment of liquid, you are correct again. What was unproven to me is that is that there is no upside to tubes. All depends on one's situation.