wheel weights? why not?

[ctgoldwing]

Thanks for all the input!

If I was in Florida I would just put water in them but Connecticut does have cooler winter temps

I think I am sold, now I just have to decide what to put in them. Calcium Chloride is out - not a total 'green' but the risk of dumping that near my well is enough of reason not to. I work for a plumbing / heating distributor & we sell a non toxic antifreeze that I can get for a little over $8/gal. I can cut that 50/50 & still have freeze protection down to 10 degrees (I'm not going out if its colder than that). So it works out to about $4/gal installed.

 

[rdsaustintx]

Calcium Chloride is out - not a total 'green' but the risk of dumping that near my well is enough of reason not to.

Maybe (likely) I am missing something here, but CaCl is not very toxic at all. Down here (where the geology is limestone) our drinking water is LOADED with CaCl. It is not unusual for water heaters to double or triple in weight due to CaCl precipitation.

Some folks soften their water to reduce the scaling, but softeners exchange sodium ions for the calcium. I'd rather drink the calcium...

Russell in BubbaLand

 

[crazyal]

Thanks for all the input!

If I was in Florida I would just put water in them but Connecticut does have cooler winter temps

I think I am sold, now I just have to decide what to put in them. Calcium Chloride is out - not a total 'green' but the risk of dumping that near my well is enough of reason not to. I work for a plumbing / heating distributor & we sell a non toxic antifreeze that I can get for a little over $8/gal. I can cut that 50/50 & still have freeze protection down to 10 degrees (I'm not going out if its colder than that). So it works out to about $4/gal installed.

Go to Rim Guard's website and you can ask them for local dealers near you. Rim Guard is beet juice and it's about $3 to $3.50 installed. It won't hurt your wheels or tires and it's heavier per gallon than water.

Rim Guard - Liquid Tire Ballast FAQs

 

[grnspot110]

Yeah, every 30+ years at worst.
larry

Some of us keep things a while! Besides, it doesn't take that long to cause damage.

I have fluid in the rears of my JD 790, but only because it was in them when I bought it. Wouldn't think of putting it in any of my garden tractors! ~~ grnspot110

 

[LD1]

As others have mentioned, worrying about calcium corroding wheels is NOT a reason to ditch having the rear tires filled in lieu of wheel weights.

There are pleanty of other products on the market to load the tires with including rimguard(beet juice), windshield washer fluid (which can be had for a buck or two per gallon and done at home), antifreeze mix, as well as the tried and true putting tubes in.


But I guess it all comes down to what the OP is trying to do with the tractor. If FEL work is a major concern, wheelweights arent a valid substitute for a counter weight on the 3PH. The counter weight IS needed so you dont overload you front axle. And if you have filled tires and a counterweight, that should be sufficent.

But if heavy ground engaging tasks are a priority, like plowing or blading, then by all means do both. But I personally wouldn't go with the wheel weights before I tried filling the tires. Main reasin is due to cost.

 

[brokenknee]

How does someone put washer fluid in the tires? If it is through the valve stem is there a fast way to do it?

 

[LD1]

How does someone put washer fluid in the tires? If it is through the valve stem is there a fast way to do it?

There is different attachments and pumps you can buy to speed up the process but yes it is through the valve stem.

Tires that were ment to be loaded are different than your car tires. The valve stems usually have a larger opening. When I did mine, I used an old inline fuel pump. But any kind of small pump and little hose will work. A hose just a little smaller than the opening works best to let the air bleed out while it is filling.

 

[RobertN]

There was someone here on TBN, that built thier own wheelweight setup a few years ago. I am sure the thread is out there is you search.

They made a bracket that attached to the wheel lugs. Then they were able to put 45lb olimpic weights like you would find at a gym, on the tractor.

 

[k0ua]

Filled tires with Polyethelene glycol. (RV anti-freeze) The pump was $6 at home depot. small drill pump. I ran it with a little 1/4 inch drill, never even got warm. went to Tractor supply and bought the $9 fill/burp valve adaptor that adapts garden hose to fill valve (schrader valve) some garden hose scraps, 3 gallon bucket, valve core removal tool, and WA-LA you are in the tire filling business. About 1 gallon a minute is the rate, be sure to jack up the tire to just barely off the ground to not break the bead. fill valve at 12 o'clock, remove core, let air out, and put fluid in, burp tire every 2 gallons, because pressure in tire will rise as fluid goes in so displaced air has to go out, or air pressure will rise, and the pump will not be able to overcome the rising air pressure. when you have put in the correct amount (check chart, lots on internet) stop remove adapter, put valve core back in, fill to correct tire pressure (owners manual) and do the other one. enjoy all the extra traction, and safer feeling on hills.
James K0UA

 

[brokenknee]

After doing a little more research on the Internet, I found two different types of valve attachments for filling your tires. The ones pictured are from Gempler's (http://www.gemplers.com/tech/tire-liquid.htm), but Tractor supply http://www.tractorsupply.com/vehicl...vehicle-tire-repair/adapter-air-water-1170832 also sells them.





Here is a PDF I also found on the subject

View attachment Filling_Rear_Tires.pdf

Or it can be found here.

http://www.ntractorclub.com/howtos/pdfs/Filling_Rear_Tires.pdf

 

[k0ua]

the $9.99 tractor supply one is the one I used, and it did not leak at the burp button. and you dont need a container with a fitting. just put a scrap of hose over into the bucket, and it will suck the fluid out. My pump could not pump 6 or 8 gallons before burping I had to burp after 2 gallons or the pump would slow down a lot. but my pump is more or less a throwaway at $6.99 at home depot, and probably not as powerfull as the authors.

Search Results for drill pump

It was almost fun to do.
James K0UA

 

[brokenknee]

the $9.99 tractor supply one is the one I used, and it did not leak at the burp button. and you dont need a container with a fitting. just put a scrap of hose over into the bucket, and it will suck the fluid out. My pump could not pump 6 or 8 gallons before burping I had to burp after 2 gallons or the pump would slow down a lot. but my pump is more or less a throwaway at $6.99 at home depot, and probably not as powerfull as the authors.

Search Results for drill pump

It was almost fun to do.
James K0UA

I have a submersible sump pump, do you think that would work?

 

[LD1]

I have a submersible sump pump, do you think that would work?

It depends on the type of the pump.

If it is a positive displacement pump, It will build pressure, which is good as long as you "burp" or have a way of venting while pumping. But being a positive displacement pump, you are limited to how much you can reduce the output hose size or it will not allow enough flow, which will build pressure and cause the pump to get hot. So, if the pump is small enough to start, then yes it will work.

But if it is a centrifigual pump, they build limited pressure and you can reduce the output down by alot without damaging the pump. BUT, given that they build minimal pressure, it may not work and you may have to burp the tire more often than you would like.

 

[brokenknee]

Here is a chart I found for the amount of liquid you will need for your tire.


View attachment 186744

 

[brokenknee]

It depends on the type of the pump.

If it is a positive displacement pump, It will build pressure, which is good as long as you "burp" or have a way of venting while pumping. But being a positive displacement pump, you are limited to how much you can reduce the output hose size or it will not allow enough flow, which will build pressure and cause the pump to get hot. So, if the pump is small enough to start, then yes it will work.

But if it is a centrifigual pump, they build limited pressure and you can reduce the output down by alot without damaging the pump. BUT, given that they build minimal pressure, it may not work and you may have to burp the tire more often than you would like.

Not sure what type it is. I know you can connect a garden hose to the outlet end.

 

[LD1]

Not sure what type it is. I know you can connect a garden hose to the outlet end.

It should say on the pump, or at least a model # you can look up online.

If not, hook it up to your garden hose, run it, and put your thumb over it. If it feels like it is building a lot of pressure, like actually having the hose hooked up to the faucet, then you probabally won't be able to reduce it small enough without burning up the pump.

If there is very little pressure, then it may work if you have a way of venting the tire. Like using a hose smaller than the valvestem hole. Yea it takes a while, but results are worth it.

As an example, most of your smaller goldfish pond pumps (the cheap onesat lowes and menards) are not positive displacement pumps. Meanin they dont build a whole lot of pressure.

A real world example of what I mean:
I have a 2000GPH pond pump. The TEE that feeds the waterfall is 3/4" hose and will fill a 5gal bucket in about 8-10 seconds. My city water takes about 30 seconds to fill. So it flows WAY more than my garden hose.

I though I would try hooking my up to that pump output for watering the flowers around the pond (a 15x20 pond). Wound NOT work. It didn't have enough pressure to even spray half way across the pond. Where as my city tap will shoot water 30' the other side if I wanted.

 

[k0ua]

why bother? the drill pump has hose connections on both ends, and is only 6.99 and is safe. I had some submersible pumps too, but I decided why risk tearing them up when the drill pump is so cheap.
James K0UA

 

[brokenknee]

why bother? the drill pump has hose connections on both ends, and is only 6.99 and is safe. I had some submersible pumps too, but I decided why risk tearing them up when the drill pump is so cheap.
James K0UA

I don't mind spending the 6.99 if it will last to fill my tires, I am not sure on the size of my tires off hand. Will look when I head out to the shed in the morning.

How many gallons did you put in your tires? If it last even for just this one job it is cheap enough, just don't want to have to go purchase another one or two if it is not up to the job.

 

[brokenknee]

One thing that I did not see brought up. Can you use tire chains on loaded tires without damaging the tire?

 

[k0ua]

How many gallons did you put in your tires? If it last even for just this one job it is cheap enough, just don't want to have to go purchase another one or two if it is not up to the job.

I only put 25 gallons each in mine, as I wanted all the fluid to be below the axle, the chart called for 29, I dont know for sure if that was a good idea or not, but that is what I did. My thinking was that if all the fluid was below the axle line I would have a slightly lower center of gravity, I was looking for max stability on these treacherous hills here. It did improve the side hill stability , and makes the tractor feel a lot better when mowing. also helped the overall traction/push-pull ability. Of course I use the 750 lb homemade ballast when using the loader. The little drill pump lasted for this, but overall I think it is a throw-away tool, it is just plastic, no bearings etc. but it worked for me. I had the hoses and the bucket, and a jack to raise up the tractor, so all told I have $17 in tools for the job.