Tires Tire liquid

[Jim_in_Omaha]

My tires have been filled at some point by the dealer or the first owner. I was going to check the pressure and with the valve stem up there was still fluid coming out.
My question is: What should this fluid look like and does it have any smell? This stuff looked more like water and had no smell.

thanks
Jim

 

[5030]

That's calcium chloride. Don't get any on your grass. It will kill the grass and none will grow there for quite some time. Same applies for any plant. The chloride will kill them.

If the tires are tubeless, you have a problem. The chloride will rust the rims from the inside. Most of the time, tubeless tires will have tubes in them for a fill. Sometimes though, not.

If the stem is in the 12 noon position and there is still liquid coming out, they are overfilled.

 

[Jim_in_Omaha]

Can I tell by looking at the stem if it has a tube in it? And when I tried to measure it, the stem was approx. 10:00

thanks again
Jim

 

[GerardC]

I read that the stem should be at 11 o'clock.

 

[5030]

Gerard:

Let's see:

If the stem is at 10:00 o'clock, you are early
If the stem is at 11:00 o'clock, you are on time
If the stem is at 12 noon, who knows.

I always heard 11:00 o'clock too. I just wanted him to put the stem at the highest point on the wheel and see if any calcium chloride came out. It would be filled too full then. You have to leave air space so the tire can flex. I gave up filling tires years ago. I'd rather add external weights. Loaded tires were great for plowing, you filled the tire than was on the dead furrow side. Problem with filled tires is that with any large tire, if you dismount the tire/rim from the tractor, you'd better be Superman or it's going to bust your nuts or your back. Then you have the corrosion problem. Beet juice, washer fluid or external weights are better.

As far as the valve stem being an indicator of whether the tire is tubed or tubeless, usually a tubed tire will have a stem with a retainer nut on it. I said usually, not always.

If your not going to farm (plow). I'd loose the calcium chloride anyway. About the only thing it's good for is dust control on dirt roads.

 

[GerardC]

5030:

Thanks for the added info. Oh, glad I was on time /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.

 

[Jim_in_Omaha]

So how do I get ride of it without killing every green living thing within 100 feet?

 

[Jim_in_Omaha]

I checked them again. The front tires are filled with something that looks and feels like antifreeze (green). The rear are clear and feel like water with no smell. The valve stem on the front could be tubeless. The rear have a metal valve stem with a lock nut.

thanks again
Jim

 

[5030]

Jim:

I'd say it is antifreeze. Is it slippery between your fingers sort of like liquid soap? If it is, it's ethylene glycol. As far as the calcium chloride, if you want to get rid of it, either take the tire/wheel assembly to a ag. tire shop and have them do it or do it in a gravel drive. You will eliminate your weed problem in the gravel that way. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Poppa]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ... or do it in a gravel drive. You will eliminate your weed problem in the gravel that way. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

That was what I was going to suggest. Seems to me Mopower440 or someone else was looking for a way to control weeds on their new drive. Maybe Jim can work out a deal for weed control.

Mike