Tires Took your advice and filled the tires!!

[Tom4310]

I should have done this the first day I bought the tractor home. I filled each tire with 35 gallons of -20 winshield washer fluid and it made a significant difference in how it handles and rides. The local dealer wanted $2.00 a gallon for calcium plus the cost of the tubes and the price of a service call. I did it myself for under $100 and that included the fill adapter from Gemplers. I would have picked up another 140 lbs or so from the heavier calcium but the 70 gallons of windshield fluid added about 560 lbs of weight which really made a big difference. I didn't need a pump and just filled the tires with gravity flow which took about 2 hours from start to finish.

Gemplers Air/Liquid adapter kit

 

[454shooter]

Did you have to add tubes?

 

[Tom4310]

No, I didn't add tubes. The windshield fluid won't cause a problem with corrosion as calcium would.

 

[flemdog]

So Tom can you give us the procedure that you used. Where was valve stem when you let out the air. what tires size and kind of tires do you have. This sounds like a great idea, I plan to do the same to mine when I get your information. Thanks.

 

[Tom4310]

I don't know the tire size offhand but will post it later. I have a 4310 with R4 tires and they are tubeless with the water/air stems. I bought the adapter that has a button to release the built up air but it didn't work very well. I have BH and raised the rear tires off the ground and put the stems at the 12 o'clock position. Let the air out of the tire and remove the stem inserts (can't remember what they are called). I didn't have a problem with the bead coming loose but have heard that it can happen. I used a large funnel with a 3' length of garden hose attached to it. The fill adapter has female garden hose threads so you can either cut off a section of hose or buy the male and make your own out of a section of hose. The funnel is attached to the end of the hose with a hose clamp. I stood on a crate and slowly poured the windshield washer fluid into the funnel. The key is to pour slow and don't let the fluid collect in the funnel. I just lowered the funnel to "burp" the tire. I tried the air valve on the adapter but it was too slow. You can pour about 1/2 a gallon, burp the tire and finish pouring the rest. It takes about an hour a tire. It is slow but I didn't want to buy a pump just for this and have to store something else.... I filled the tire until the fluid was at the level of the stem and then replace the valve stem and inflate. I didn't know how much air to put into the tire so I filled it to 20 psi. Seems to be fine and really made a difference. I know you can get the windshield fluid cheap at Wally World if it goes on sale but make sure you get the all season -20 fluid if you have a freeze problem. I can't say enough about the way the tractor handles and feels on inclines. I live on the side of a mountain so everything is either up, down or the dreaded side hill. Check out the link below for tire sizes and the amount of fluid it will take to fill. Hope it helps, Tom

Tire Ballast Chart

 

[rockyridgefarm]

I removed the valve cores and jacked the tractor, I filled using the fill adapter without any problem.

 

[BamaBumbler]

Questions...what's the upside/downside to the use of filling the tires w/ anti-freeze vs wiper fluid? And, do you use more of one than the other?
Thanks.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Wiper fluid uses alcohol as an antifreeze. It can get slushy. (no real problem) Sometimes you can get it pretty cheap (BlueLightSpecial...)
It is pretty safe, if it spills the alcohol should evaportate...

Antifreeze is always caustic to humans and pets, even the 'safe' stuff.
It has anti corrosion stuff in it which is good for the rims. I can get used antifreeze for nothing, so it is what I am using.

Plain water, or water with alcohol are often used.

Technically there is a difference in each as to its weight, but not so much that it matters much.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Anyone have any idea how much antifreeze it takes to just counteract rusting?

 

[BamaBumbler]

Thanks! Any insight on the adapter kit to fill the tires? Is the Gemplers adapter link posted above as good as any?