Tires Water in Rear Tires

Blondie70 · May 18, 2017

I have a L3301. The rear tires are almost full of plain water. Is there a corrosion inhibitor that I need to put into the tires...?? I let some of the water out to soften the ride. Water is just below the top of the rim. I have found some inhibitor for large cooling systems but don't know if it would mess up the tires, as the systems don't have any rubber in them. Any ideas on what I can use in my tires or do I really even need it in there?
Thanks, Pete

Maxify55 · May 18, 2017

I run water in my tires down here in Florida but if you're up there in Miss. where it freezes then you'll need to put in some sort of additive to lower your freeze level in your tires.
Given, of course, that you don't keep your machine indoors?
As far as air pressure in your rears.... Here's a video for you to watch.

Cheers!

Gary Fowler · May 18, 2017

I have always ran pure water in my tires. No additive needed unless you want to prevent ice from forming. I do put mine with water over the top of the rim. I start with the valve stem directly at the 12 O'clock position, fill them till I hear the change in the way the water is flowing into the tire (easy to tell when the water level goes over the valve stem due to the change of sound it makes). Then I remove my fill gadget, let the water out just till it starts spurting out some air with the water, then screw the valve stem back in. This assures that water is covering the top of the rim.

There is oxygen scavenger chemicals that you can use to remove dissolved oxygen in the water if you feel it is necessary but I have never had any problem with pure water affecting the rims. My Dad used pure water in everything from his new 8N thru his 9000 Ford tractor and never had any rust on the rims.

We never worried about the water freezing (it did freeze sometimes in winter) because we didn't have use for the tractors during below freezing weather. Sun shinning on the black tires thawed them pretty quick and as long as you don't move the tractor while the water is frozen, no harm will come to the tire (or tube if you have one). If you plan to use your tractor during winter freeze, then you need to add anti-freeze or methanol to the water to the amount required to prevent freezing at your lowest expected temps. Remember that a slush will form before freezing solid and it doesn't hurt to use the tire when icy slush is in it.

Last time I did a cost comparison, it is just about as cheap to use washer fluid (the -40F type) when you can get it for 99cents a gallon as anti-freeze when you want protection to around 20F.

Blondie70 · May 18, 2017

No freezing issue. I do have the water below the top of the rim...but not far below. The ride was killing me. I do have the pressure below the book value for the ride...works great and ride is much better. I am only worried about corrosion because of the top of rim always in air. Maybe I should add water to cover it as I cannot find any corrosion killer to add to the water.
Thanks for the help on this. Pete

boggen · May 18, 2017

RV antifreeze. = if you get a leak = non toxic to plants/animals. and has some additives in it.

there should be some various additives (small little bottles) at local hardware stores, automotive stores, heck even gas stations. that can be added to coolant systems of vehicles. that might be something. never cared to try it in a tire, nor much thought about it. had antifreeze in them already, plus tubes.

over the rim = keep the metal rim under water, so the little bit of air in tire, is less likely to have direct access to the the metal of the rim and cause rusting.

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inflating tire up to max PSI, can help seat the "bead" of the tire on to the rim. if the bead of the tire is not seat correctly and good. well you just kinda have a tire that can leak or roll of the rim. but once bead is seat... for a tractor tire... time to reduce pressure.

a low PSI in a tractor tire, causes the tire to get more flat when it actually touches the ground. that large contact patch = more traction.
a high PSI in a tractor tire, causes "balloon shape" tire, were just the very center of tire touches the ground.

Gary Fowler · May 18, 2017

Blondie70 said:
No freezing issue. I do have the water below the top of the rim...but not far below. The ride was killing me. I do have the pressure below the book value for the ride...works great and ride is much better. I am only worried about corrosion because of the top of rim always in air. Maybe I should add water to cover it as I cannot find any corrosion killer to add to the water.
Thanks for the help on this. Pete

As long as you have the above the rim air pocket (or close to it) the amount of water in the tire is of no consequence in the ride. Just adjust the air pressure not the water level. If you have it filled correctly (75% fill) then the valve stem will be just above the water level so you can put in or take out air as desired as long as the stem is top dead center. I run about 10 PSI in my rear tires on my tractor except for the B26 TLB which is recommended to not use water in the tires with backhoe installed. I put about 20 -25 PSI in them to keep them seated firmly. I had one pop off the rim once when working on a side slope due to low air pressure. With those 10 ply R4 tires they don't squat when low pressure like an R1 does, which reminds me that I should check the air pressure in all the TLB tires which I haven't done in several months.

redman135 · May 19, 2017

If you are that concerned about rim corrosion then fit an inner tube. I was advised by the tyre mechanic you should also keep the water level below the 10 oclock level so that you can take accurate preassure readings AND not rust out your air gauge. This advice was followed and I never had trouble. My tyres were ag tyres and ran at about 15lb most of the time.
I never had ice problems as the lowest temperature was -5 C / 23 F

Fallon · May 19, 2017

redman135 said:
If you are that concerned about rim corrosion then fit an inner tube. I was advised by the tyre mechanic you should also keep the water level below the 10 oclock level so that you can take accurate preassure readings AND not rust out your air gauge. This advice was followed and I never had trouble. My tyres were ag tyres and ran at about 15lb most of the time.
I never had ice problems as the lowest temperature was -5 C / 23 F

They make gauges that are designed for fluid filled tires.

Under $10
Milton S-928 Air/Water Tire Pressure Pencil Gauge Amazon.com: Milton S-928 Air/Water Tire Pressure Pencil Gauge: Automotive