Way out in lead, er, left field

[etpm]

I hafta add weight to my Yanmar YM2310. I keep thinking about liquid weight and steel weight. The steel being discs that bolt to the wheels. The holes in the rim are there after all. But then I had a thought. The best weight for lowering the center of gravity is, of course, weight down low. Liquid in tires is biased slightly to the lower half because they are not filled to the top. But the bias is slight. And like a bullet to the brain this idea struck me. What about a few hundred pounds of lead shot in each tire? Add some sort of liquid to lubricate the shot so that it tends to stay at the bottom of the tire. The reduced friction would, maybe, keep the shot from abrading the inside of the tire. It would at least reduce the wear. So, bad idea? Should I put the gin away?
Thanks,
Eric

 

[CobyRupert]

How would you get it in tire? Or out if you you have to move or change tire?
How could you be sure a pellet does get into the bead when you mount tire and prevent a good seal?

 

[MossRoad]

Think about it.

Liquid is not compressible. If you fully filled a tire with liquid, you'd be riding on solid tires. That's why there's an air gap at the top of the tire. To allow compression and expansion of the tire as you encounter ruts, bumps, etc.

Also, the liquid in the tire doesn't spin around and around. It pretty much stays put as the tire slips past it. You'd have to get up to a pretty good speed to have enough centrifugal force to keep the liquid pressed against the outer circumference of the tire.

If you put lead shot inside the tire, it would be similar to a cement mixer. As you move, all of the weight would try to stay in the back portion of the tire, and it would constantly be sliding up and down in that space. I'd guess it would make for a very uncomfortable, pulse-like feeling.

I had a tractor with calcium chloride in the rear tires. I could have added a lot more weight in wheel weights than I could have added with the liquid.

There's about 7.48 gallons in a cubic foot.
A cubic foot of water weighs about 62 pounds.
A cubic foot of steel weighs about 489 pounds.
If you really want to lower your center of gravity, I'd go with the wheel weights on the outside of the rims.

Weights are removable. Addable. Subtractable. Etc.

 

[CalG]

Ball type weights are actually "a thing" for tire balance. Or was at one time. Water caused agglomeration may have ended it's application.

Getting lead shot into a tubeless tire is a no brainer. Break down one side only, pour the shot in and air up!

I think the idea has merit! Soapy lube water and all. The water antifreeze soap combination just would add weight right where it is most desired!

Now to do the cost analysis... lead shot at $3 per pound....water at ,00002 cents per pound hmmm......

 

[California]

Put away the gin... Get iron weights. Modify similar ones if you have to.

I loaded the YM240 tires to 50% (axle high) with tapwater. (There's no freeze hazard here). It improved pulling power a lot, but the weight made me go up the grades in the orchard in a lower gear so slower. My main objective was rollover stability,. As you noted, all the weight is low down. Then after ROPS became available I bought one of the first ones and drained the tires down to what would would come out with the stems at 6 o'clock. It rides better and pulling power is sufficient.

When I got the little YM186D it needed rear ballast to offset the loader when there wasn't an implement on the back. I found iron wheel weights and modified them to fit. One of the best improvements I can think of.

Just put iron wheel weights on it. They allow the casing to flex better than liquid fill so the traction improvement is greater.

 

[etpm]

Ball type weights are actually "a thing" for tire balance. Or was at one time. Water caused agglomeration may have ended it's application.

Getting lead shot into a tubeless tire is a no brainer. Break down one side only, pour the shot in and air up!

I think the idea has merit! Soapy lube water and all. The water antifreeze soap combination just would add weight right where it is most desired!

Now to do the cost analysis... lead shot at $3 per pound....water at ,00002 cents per pound hmmm......

Yeah, the cost. There is that. Maybe I could go to the local gun range and sift the trap shooting range. Then again.....
Eric

 

[pmsmechanic]

Go to a tire shop and get all the weights you can. Also to the gun range. Melt the lead and pour it into forms for weights. From what I understand as long as you don't get melted lead too hot you don't need to worry about lead poisoning. If the melted lead is smoking it's too hot.

 

[CalG]

wheel weights and poured ingots would raise holy hell with any tire casing.

 

[4570Man]

Go to a tire shop and get all the weights you can. Also to the gun range. Melt the lead and pour it into forms for weights. From what I understand as long as you don't get melted lead too hot you don't need to worry about lead poisoning. If the melted lead is smoking it's too hot.

Any reclaimed lead is going to smoke like crazy regardless of the temperature.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Any reclaimed lead is going to smoke like crazy regardless of the temperature.

And I learn something new again. Thanks