Weight Options

[chaos]

I just bought a JD4120 w/ FEL, R4 tires and have a couple of days to choose whether to fill the tires.

The choices I know of include:
FILLING TIRES - Calcium Chloride, Rim Guard, or water/non-toxic antifreeze
WHEEL WEIGHTS
3-POINT WEIGHT
REAR IMPLEMENT

My property has 4 acres of messy clear cut that I will be clearing and road building. 1/2 is slopped with about 10% relatively steep. There is about an acre and a half of field/lawn that I will use a rotary mower to maintain. Also another acre of soft land with springs, a pond and creek.

My concerns with filling the tires include toxic/corrosive fill (I have dogs and cats), rutting the lawn, and getting stuck in soft ground.

Assumptions:
Calcium chloride is no extra cost.
Rim guard will cost additional $300.
Non-toxic antifreeze is more than rim guard.
Wheel weights and 3-point weights are more than filling tires for equivilent weight.

All opinions are appreciated!
Specific questions include:
Anybody have experience with rim guard?
Which will perform best on hills?
Do filled tires affect performce when the FEL is not on the tractor?

Thanks, Dave

 

[chaos]

I just bought a JD4120 w/ FEL, R4 tires and have a couple of days to choose whether to fill the tires.

The choices I know of include:
FILLING TIRES - Calcium Chloride, Rim Guard, or water/non-toxic antifreeze
WHEEL WEIGHTS
3-POINT WEIGHT
REAR IMPLEMENT

My property has 4 acres of messy clear cut that I will be clearing and road building. 1/2 is slopped with about 10% relatively steep. There is about an acre and a half of field/lawn that I will use a rotary mower to maintain. Also another acre of soft land with springs, a pond and creek.

My concerns with filling the tires include toxic/corrosive fill (I have dogs and cats), rutting the lawn, and getting stuck in soft ground.

Assumptions:
Calcium chloride is no extra cost.
Rim guard will cost additional $300.
Non-toxic antifreeze is more than rim guard.
Wheel weights and 3-point weights are more than filling tires for equivilent weight.

All opinions are appreciated!
Specific questions include:
Anybody have experience with rim guard?
Which will perform best on hills?
Do filled tires affect performce when the FEL is not on the tractor?

Thanks, Dave

 

[MrJimi]

Dave, filled tires are there all the time? Attachments at the other end are removable! Think about that?
If I had or wanted to fill tires? I would definitely get in to flat proof fillings.
Jim /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[MrJimi]

Dave, filled tires are there all the time? Attachments at the other end are removable! Think about that?
If I had or wanted to fill tires? I would definitely get in to flat proof fillings.
Jim /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[AndyMA]

I fill all my machines tires. The recent ones have been RimGuard. I like it. I wouldn't run a tractor with a loader without filling the tires.

Andy

 

[AndyMA]

I fill all my machines tires. The recent ones have been RimGuard. I like it. I wouldn't run a tractor with a loader without filling the tires.

Andy

 

[Doc_Bob]

I went with wheel weights. last forever. never need to have the tires drained for a flat or repair. No need to worry about a undetected leak causing an imbalance of one wheel weighing more than the other. If I need to remove a wheel, I can remove the wheel weights and have some hope of handling the tire/rim combination. With filled tire/rim, theywill weigh a lot more!!!!!!!!!!!!! So much that I will never be able to handle the combination of filled tire and wheel.

Whatever you do, whatever you choose, make sure you have weight in your rear wheels.

Bob

 

[Doc_Bob]

I went with wheel weights. last forever. never need to have the tires drained for a flat or repair. No need to worry about a undetected leak causing an imbalance of one wheel weighing more than the other. If I need to remove a wheel, I can remove the wheel weights and have some hope of handling the tire/rim combination. With filled tire/rim, theywill weigh a lot more!!!!!!!!!!!!! So much that I will never be able to handle the combination of filled tire and wheel.

Whatever you do, whatever you choose, make sure you have weight in your rear wheels.

Bob

 

[GaryE]

Dave,

You don’t say where you are located, but if you live somewhere there is a long “mud season” like I do, there will be times when you wish you had filled your tires with helium!

If soft ground is an issue, I would vote for some sort of removable weight.

Gary

 

[GaryE]

Dave,

You don’t say where you are located, but if you live somewhere there is a long “mud season” like I do, there will be times when you wish you had filled your tires with helium!

If soft ground is an issue, I would vote for some sort of removable weight.

Gary

 

[chaos]

I live East of Portland, OR in the foothills of Mt Hood. It rains a lot here.

The rain affects only the part of the property with the pond, springs, and creek. I don't expect to do too much work in that area.

 

[chaos]

I live East of Portland, OR in the foothills of Mt Hood. It rains a lot here.

The rain affects only the part of the property with the pond, springs, and creek. I don't expect to do too much work in that area.

 

[KiotiJohn]

Keep in mind that on many tractor brands, R4 tires can not take wheel weights. Not all brands, but many only offer them for Ag, R1 tires.

With 4WD and a good heavy implement on the back for ballast, I don't believe filling is the best, or necessary option, for loading or other tasks.

RV anitfreeze, and windshield washer fluid (usually much less expense) are also good alternatives for filling if you decide to go that way. I wouldn't use CaCl or other toxic antifreeze at all.

With the work you're going to be doing, I would expect some punctures, so filling would be out of MY choices.

I don't have filled tires on my CK20, and haven't really needed them. If I need more weight for a job, I just do it with the BH on.

Most other times, my boxblade is sufficient ballast and I don't have to worry about all that weight when using the backhoe.

John

 

[KiotiJohn]

Keep in mind that on many tractor brands, R4 tires can not take wheel weights. Not all brands, but many only offer them for Ag, R1 tires.

With 4WD and a good heavy implement on the back for ballast, I don't believe filling is the best, or necessary option, for loading or other tasks.

RV anitfreeze, and windshield washer fluid (usually much less expense) are also good alternatives for filling if you decide to go that way. I wouldn't use CaCl or other toxic antifreeze at all.

With the work you're going to be doing, I would expect some punctures, so filling would be out of MY choices.

I don't have filled tires on my CK20, and haven't really needed them. If I need more weight for a job, I just do it with the BH on.

Most other times, my boxblade is sufficient ballast and I don't have to worry about all that weight when using the backhoe.

John

 

[mschuck]

I'm in Portland OR too, and I had my R4's on my New Holland TC30 filled with Beat Juice and it cost $300.

I'm no expert on tractors but I'm glad I've got my tires filled.

After helping my neighbor move several yards of rock and dirt I'm glad I have the extra weight. On a slight slope with a full bucket it felt much more stable than his little Kabota without filled real wheels, he had to hook up his brush hog and put weights on it to make it stable and it still was a bit sketchy.

I've also used my tractor to move some rather large sections of a big fir and I'm sure the filled wheels helped quite a bit.

I live up in the Skyline area and I've got some sloop too and I'm always glad I've got the weight in the tires and I can always add more weight to the 3pt if I need it. I don't think I'd ever want less weight.

With respect to hurting the grass I've run all over my lawn and caused no damage from the rear wheels, the front wheels in 4 wheel drive mode caused some slight damage but nothing to worry about.

 

[mschuck]

I'm in Portland OR too, and I had my R4's on my New Holland TC30 filled with Beat Juice and it cost $300.

I'm no expert on tractors but I'm glad I've got my tires filled.

After helping my neighbor move several yards of rock and dirt I'm glad I have the extra weight. On a slight slope with a full bucket it felt much more stable than his little Kabota without filled real wheels, he had to hook up his brush hog and put weights on it to make it stable and it still was a bit sketchy.

I've also used my tractor to move some rather large sections of a big fir and I'm sure the filled wheels helped quite a bit.

I live up in the Skyline area and I've got some sloop too and I'm always glad I've got the weight in the tires and I can always add more weight to the 3pt if I need it. I don't think I'd ever want less weight.

With respect to hurting the grass I've run all over my lawn and caused no damage from the rear wheels, the front wheels in 4 wheel drive mode caused some slight damage but nothing to worry about.