Tire ballest question

[EdKing]

When I purchased my tractor, my dealer had the tires loaded. I assumed it was with calcium chloride. I had an innertube go bad yesterday, must have been defective as it had a split about 4 inches long in it with no marks what so ever on the tire. I took it to the local tire shop to get it fixed, and he loaded it with washer fluid. With the very reasonable prices he charged I was debating getting the CaCl drained from the other tire and having it replaced with the washer fluid. When I talked to my dealer today, he told me he had them filled with brine (sea-water) that had a corrosion inhibitor added to it. I now have 2 questions,

1. Has anyone heard of using brine to ballest tires, and while corrosion inhibitors work with it ?

2. Will the weight difference between the 2 wheels (one brine, one washer fluid) cause any problems ?

I am trying to determine if it is worth the effort to remove the other tire and have the fluid changed. After the workout I had today putting the wheel back on I am wondering if I should wait till I have to get the other tire fixed or replaced. Cost is not an issue as the cost of replacing the tube and loading the one tire was only $65, and he said he would replace the ballast in the other tire for $35

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Tire ballast question

<font color=blue>... Will the weight difference between the 2 wheels (one brine, one washer fluid) cause any problems ?...</font color=blue>

Windshield washer fluid = 8 lbs. / gallon

Sea Water = 8.3 lbs. /gallon

Calcium Chloride = 11.5 lbs. /gallon (avg...varies depending on installer)

I would leave things as they are... or spend $35. if it will make you sleep better... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Carl_NH]

Re: Tire ballast question

John,

Water = 8.364 lbs/gal - hard water weighs more
Milk = 8.6 Lbs/gal
Sea Water - Pending where u are - concentration varies 8.5-10lbs
CaCl2 10.7 Lbs/gal pending concentration mixed

Average operator needs only to put a favorite beverage (or lean) to one side of the tractor or the other to make any difference as you noted.

Also where in Greene Cty Pa do they get seawater? No wonder it's $$, gotta truck the stuff at least 400Mi

 

[EdKing]

Re: Tire ballast question

Thanks John,
If the diference is only 0.3 lbs per gallon I'm not going to worry about it. I was under the impression the difference would be greater. To me it's not worth the hassle of removing the tire.

 

[JohnMiller3]

Re: Tire ballast question

<font color=blue>...Milk = 8.6 Lbs/gal...</font color=blue>

That settles it Carl... I'm using milk... it weighs more... /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif I checked his profile and though maybe he lived on one of the coasts for the sea water... but PA...? What do they do truck it in... to fill tractor tires...? /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

What other uses are there for "used" sea water...? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Carl_NH]

Re: Tire ballast question

John,

Milk in a can with some ice mounted on the rear tire will make ice cream, which is esp good when mixed with a few wild blueberries found on the traverse through the woods.

Used seawater speeds the reaction (heat conversion) for good ice cream.

enuf fun,

Carl

 

[EdKing]

Re: Tire ballast question

Thats why I was asking, I wondered if someone was jerking my chain. I had never heard of using seawater as ballest. I do know that we used brine as a coolent while doing thermo/vac testing of satilitte electronic components.

 

[Slamfire]

Re: Tire ballast question

Sounds like them merchant seamen are pretty sharp. Sellin' bilge water that they ain't allowed to pump into a Great Lake.

 

[TonyC]

Hmmm...I'm confused. I never heard of brine or sea water being used as a ballast. With all of the non-corrosive chemicals available today, why in the world would someone use salt water???

 

[Keoke]

Re: Tire ballast question

John, for working on hills, would it be better to fill rear tires to the center line of the rear axle or to the top of the rim?
For traction, no question about about going to the top of the rim. But, for hill work, I sure would like to get the boards opinion on filling only to the axle center line.

cheers,
george