Tire loading

[JohnMiller3]

<font color=blue>… Have you seen any rusted rims from windshield washer fluid?...</font color=blue>

Hi Tom,

Just about every tractor I’ve had has been Calcium Chloride filled as being the most common, economical here in the Northeast… (vs. foam filled is 2nd ~ $1. lb.)

I didn’t know about windshield washer fluid being used until a buddy had his unit done in the mid ‘90’s and that was from a tire outfit about 100 miles south of here… locally the tire guys stick with the proven and time tested Calc. Chloride… in fact a couple of them looked at me as if I had three heads… when I asked if they could use windshield washer fluid instead… and the funny thing is these are very big tire outfits that do lots of ag stuff… in fact the rimguard/beet juice is relatively unknown in my area…

So… to answer your question on rusted rims from ww fluid… I really don’t believe it’s been “time tested” long enough to have any results one way or the other… I just recently filled all four of my tires on my JD with ww fluid without tubes… so ask your question in another 10 or 15 years… and maybe we’ll be able to give you a “real life” answer then… /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Mrwurm]

I got my tires filled with RimGuard. I have a TC30 with turf tires 13.6x16 . Cost me $150. According to the dealer, RimGuard is non-corrosive, heavier than calciulm chloride, will not freeze, natural beet direvitive, and non-toxic. He said you could even drink it (I did'nt try).

 

[markie61]

<font color=blue>...natural beet direvitive, and non-toxic. He said you could even drink it (I did'nt try). </font color=blue>

Maybe with a shot of Stolychina or Smirnoff..../w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

Mark

 

[TOMLESCOEQUIP]

Talked to a local goodyear dealer about the windshield fluid fill...He said alot of people are using it in the smaller tractors without tubes and He's seen no problems so far.....He did say that if I brought the ww fluid and the tractor to his shop that he would fill the tires for me for $20.00 each......An FYI for those who may not want to do it themselves........Tom

 

[MarkStewart]

How are tires filled? Is it something I could do myself? I assume that I would need a special valve or something. If so, is it difficult? Thanks.

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

Mark,

To fill the tires do the following:

1. By a pump that connects to a drill, about $6.00 at HomeDepot
2. Go to the autostore or tractor store and get a valve for the filling tire with liquid. It screws onto the valve stem, and has a garden hose connection on it, about $6.
3. Connect the gareden hose to the pump, and from the pump into a 5 gallon bucket.
4. Pour the windshield washer fluid or what ever your choice of fluid is into the 5 gallon bucket.
5. Turn on the pump via the drill and fill the tire.
6. Keep the valve steam at the 12 o clock postion when filling.
7. Stop after the first 5 gallon and let the air out of the tire, the pump put in.
8. Repeat until the tire is filled about 75%, remove the valve steam keeping the tire at 12 o’clock. When you do not get fluid out, the tire has enough.
9. Put in about 10-15 psi of air into the tire.

I filled about 10 gallons into a tire in about 15 minutes using this method, also you need to remove the valve assembly, and then repalce when done and put air in the tire. You may also want to jack the tractor up to take the weight off the tire if you do not remove the tire from the tractor.


Good luck

Tom

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[Anonymous Poster]

I've never filled tires myself so can't comment on the ease of filling. I did notice that "Gemplers" 2003 Master Catalog has a section on tires, specifically, a page of information and supplies headed "everything you need to put liquid ballast in your tires". See also www.gemplers.com

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I am new to this tractor stuff and have a couple of questions about this subject. I recently bought a Mahindra 5500(54 eng. hp).
What are the benefits to using liquid in the rear tires?
Front tires?
What are the disadvantages? (Rear?, Front?)
Just how much benefit do you get for the risk of rim damage?
What about using regular antifreeze (Prestone, Zerex, etc) or the new environmentally safe antifreeze in place of CaCl or WW?
A farmer friend recommended the antifreeze idea but said they use tubes because the anti. will eventually attack the rubber - tubes cheaper than tires - BUT there are rubber hoses in vehicle cooling systems. COMMENTS please.
Thank You for your input
4570Forever

 

[Casimir]

4570:

Briefly, advantages to filling the rear tires:
More weight, hence better traction;
Counterbalances the weight in a FEL or front-mounted implement, such as a snow blower;
May provide better stability on slopes (I still don't like to exceed 15% side slopes, anyway).

Disadvantages:
More weight, which could leave deeper tracks in your lawn, or ?
If you get a leak, the liquid could kill vegetation or pets, if it is ethelyene glycol antifreeze (the environmentally safe antifreeze is better in this instance);
CaCl is corrosive, so wheels may rust out;
Also, leaks or punctures may be more difficult to repair.

Front tires:
May help to counterbalance rear implements, otherwise????

Foam filled tires virtually elimnate flats, but are much more expensive.

I have windshield washer fluid in my rear turfs, which allows me to use a FEL without additional rear weights, and I don't notice that much more problem with damaging the lawn. If I buy new, though, I will probably go for foam, because I hate repairing punctured tractor tires. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I forgot to mention: no FEL could afford it - maybe later.
Operation is small farm (40 A) w/horses, tracks shouldn't be a major problem.
All implements are rear attach.
Same farmer friend warned that liquid in front tires could be a problem due to higher rotational speed causing "balance" problems.
Tractor included 6 front weights (?lbs), and 2 wheel weights on each rear wheel (?lbs).
How much weight would the liquid add to 14.9 X 28 tires? 7:50 X 16 tires?
I really appreciate all the info I am getting from TractorByNet form respondents.
Thanks
4570Forever