Weight in your tires

[Rob-D]

The problem with CaCl and WW fluid is if you get a leak or blow a tire. Not the best things to have on the ground! At least Rimguard is safe but I can see I'm going with weights. I get to keep them if I sell my tractor too.

Rob

 

[Bedlam]

I would try a rotary drill pump like this Search results for: 'drill pump'
Just make a reducer to get it to a smaller hose ..Works fine.I live in the north and it freezes here but Ive gone to straight water in the tire. The tractor is garaged in the basement so unless I leave it outside there isn't any freezing.The advantage is I change tires allot to fix holes in the tubes.I also have wheel weights as well.I've always had both for the lat 30 years.If you don't mind some time you can rig a funnel with a reduced hose in it to gravity feed any liquid. I have mixed my own calcium and used the funnel method. but at 1.99 a pump they are throw aways.

 

[dklistul]

Roy, I am in Colorado and if I go with straight water, it'll obviously have to come out before winter but I just might go that route for the summer just to see what difference there is in the feel of the tractor when mowing. If I like it, I'll probably go with something else next year, or maybe even in the fall in prep for snow removal. (I've used this machine for 5 winters -2006-2007 was particularly nasty - without any weight in the wheels and actually did alright with it.) We'll see. If my travel schedule gets as crazy as it's been the last month, I won't need to worry about it because I won't be home to run the machine anyway.

 

[msmud]

As I see this issue, the most realistic problem with fluid-filled tires is ride comfort more than rims being eaten through, or killing the environment if there is a spill of CaCl2, etc. Most of these CUTs are short wheelbase machines whose ride comfort is a bit challenged to begin with. The Ag handbooks all mention this; namely, that fluid-filling imparts unnecessary harshness to the ride and limits the amount of adjustment you can make via changing air pressure as compared to a wheel-weight laden tire.

 

[dklistul]

That is another good reason why I might just try straight water this summer. The two biggest reason I'm setting my 770 up for mowing are:

1) Speed. The JD cuts a 60" swath at about 6-7 MPH, where my old Monkey Wards rider cuts a 44" swath at about half that speed.

2) Ride comfort. That little rider just beats me to death. My place is all natural (no turf, just natural grass), which means it's pretty rough for the relatively small tires of the little mower. My back and kidneys always feel like I've been 3 rounds with Mike Tyson after mowing the whole place on that thing. The JD is much smoother because of the larger tires.

If I find fluid in the tires does too much to negate reason #2, I'll research other ways to ballast the tractor (i.e., wheel weights).

Thanks for the good feedback from everyone.

 

[RoyJackson]

2) Ride comfort. That little rider just beats me to death. My place is all natural (no turf, just natural grass), which means it's pretty rough for the relatively small tires of the little mower. My back and kidneys always feel like I've been 3 rounds with Mike Tyson after mowing the whole place on that thing. The JD is much smoother because of the larger tires.

If I find fluid in the tires does too much to negate reason #2, I'll research other ways to ballast the tractor (i.e., wheel weights).

Thanks for the good feedback from everyone.

It's probably the longer wheel base improving the ride...

I think you'll find filled tires to help you a lot...especially in those areas that make you uncomfortble.

Good luck, Bro!

 

[saskman49]

Have tubes and calcium in all four on our machine.

 

[saskman49]

That is another good reason why I might just try straight water this summer. The two biggest reason I'm setting my 770 up for mowing are:

1) Speed. The JD cuts a 60" swath at about 6-7 MPH, where my old Monkey Wards rider cuts a 44" swath at about half that speed.

2) Ride comfort. That little rider just beats me to death. My place is all natural (no turf, just natural grass), which means it's pretty rough for the relatively small tires of the little mower. My back and kidneys always feel like I've been 3 rounds with Mike Tyson after mowing the whole place on that thing. The JD is much smoother because of the larger tires.

If I find fluid in the tires does too much to negate reason #2, I'll research other ways to ballast the tractor (i.e., wheel weights).

Thanks for the good feedback from everyone.

If you find it rides too rough... Put a suspension seat on it like one of the Michigan seats from Northern Tool.

 

[deerecat]

I just got done installing anti-freeze in my tires, I just took off the tire lay them on there side and let the air out and break the top bead down and just pour the fuild in till it comes out the top of the bead and stop, then comes the messy part, air the tire back up and get top bead to seat, I used small come-a-long around the tire to get the bead almost seated then applied air to valve stem and till beads seated then installed valve core, aired to 20psi and used crane to lift tire up, installed tire back on tractor and torque wheel bolts, do the same thing to the other side, took about 50 gal for 43r20 r4 tire
100 gal for both sides. I had gotten some used anti-freeze from engein swap jobs that I worked on. at the mines. Cost 0 dollors for the whole job, just 2hrs of my time.

 

[Rob-D]

I just got done installing anti-freeze in my tires, I just took off the tire lay them on there side and let the air out and break the top bead down and just pour the fuild in till it comes out the top of the bead and stop, then comes the messy part, air the tire back up and get top bead to seat, I used small come-a-long around the tire to get the bead almost seated then applied air to valve stem and till beads seated then installed valve core, aired to 20psi and used crane to lift tire up, installed tire back on tractor and torque wheel bolts, do the same thing to the other side, took about 50 gal for 43r20 r4 tire
100 gal for both sides. I had gotten some used anti-freeze from engein swap jobs that I worked on. at the mines. Cost 0 dollors for the whole job, just 2hrs of my time.

I worry about CACL2 and antifreeze here. We have animals, gardens and fruit trees. Chances are nothing will ever happen but it only needs to happen once and we have big trouble.(years of work could be lost)
I loaded the ztrac with Rimguard and it helped. I'm light and the ride doesn't bother me so it worked out for the best. On the tractor I'm getting weights, I know they are expensive but so is CACL2 all over the place. I just have to decide if the smaller, I think they are 110# is enough or I have to go to the 150# ones.


Rob