Tires Fill Tractor Tires with ?

[skyline]

Sorry if this has been addressed a bunch before but the search was returning an internal error.

I want to add fluid for extra weight on my new bobcat CT225 tractor. I live near Portland, OR so extreme freezing in not a huge issue but it does freeze.

The various tire shops all tell me different things from "Calcium is old school" we don't recommend that for corrosion reasons, to beet juice, to "biosomething" at $4.00/gallon, to "you need to add tubes to use with calcium"
to calcium isn't a problem since it doesn't have to be as strong for our weather conditions.

I don't know who to believe and what is reasonable.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[RollingsFarms]

my dealer uses water with a few gallons of antifreeze. you might also want to look into rimguard. same thing as beet juice i've heard, and more expensive then water/antifreeze, but does weigh more.

 

[Donkey Shade Farm]

Ditto on the ethylene glycol. Added 90 lbs to each of my compact tractor tires, and no issues with the FEL, even with full buckets of gravel.

 

[Charolais]

In my area we use methanol/water mix. I've seen folks post that they were afraid of the methanol but it's diluted in water so there's no danger. Just have to use enough methanol so it doesn't freeze. Methanol has been used in ballast in this area for over 30 years now and never heard of a danger issue. It doesn't kill grass if you have a leak either. Not enough methanol used to do that kind of harm.

 

[dodge man]

I had rimguard put in the rear wheels of my Kubota BX2350, it cost about $100. I don't know how my tire sizes compare to yours so it might cost more for yours. It does work well and was worth the money.

 

[tugboat-2]

Hello: ...I'm in Ontario, Canada,...where it certainly does freeze,...I'm using Canadian beet juice which is also eco-friendly and you don't need tubes in your tires. If there is an accident, it doesn't harm anything. It's just a (very similar) Canadian version of the Rimgaurd you have there in the U.S. (and of course it does NOT contain "salt") I'm very happy with mine. I always used calcium chloride in my old tractors over the years,.....but I didn't have the heart to put it in my first "brand new" JD-3520-Cab aka: Rolls.

Best wishes to you,
. . . tug

 

[wedge40]

Ditto the rimguard. I finally put in my tires this spring. You'll be amazed at how much the extra weight will help. I put almost 55 gal/tire in the tractor so I added about 1100#. Tractor really sticks to the ground now.

Wedge

 

[WH401]

IMO, Rimguard is the only choice for tire ballast. It's bio degradable/non-toxic so it won't harm the ground or animals if you get a puncture, it's 30% heavier than water, it's non corrosive, and it's freeze resistant down to -35.

 

[jeeps567]

i have a kobota L3240 and also had beet juice put in the rear tires. i have also heard that beet juice is heaver than colride neil

 

[mjonesnh]

Methanol/ water mix. This seems to be the most popular ballast for tires in my area.

 

[HCJ]

I am cheap, and temps here rarely get below 20 for very long. I filled my rear tires on my M6800 with water and 5 gallons of regular antifreeze. I used the standard hose adapter and a small gas pump pulling the mix out of a large plastic barrel. It took (if I remember correctly) about 60 or 70 gallons and took about 20 minutes. Seems to be working great.

 

[Ranch_Hand_Supp]

Water and Antifreeze is what we use.


Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

 

[Ken45101]

AFAIK, water will work okay as long as you don't use the tractor if it freezes.

I'm definitely against calcium. First tractor (bought used) had a wheel eaten up by corrosion. Last year I bought a new M5040 and the dealer had put in calcium and I didn't know it. By this spring, the calcium had eaten up one of the valve stems. I plan to replace it with Rimguard.

I've also heard of some using windshield washer solution.

Ken

 

[Reg]

According to your tire size and just how cold it gets, it can take a long time for that much water to freeze much below a sloppy slush.
I guess HARD frozen tires would be really uncomfortable due to the flat spot, but MIGHT be usable for snow clearing in an emergency, might also break up into crushed ice after a while.

Anyway, I put about 1100 lbs of Rimguard in a set of 17.5L 24 R4s at $3 a gallon and filled them myself with the ~$10 tool and siphon hose from my FEL bucket lifted high.
My local dealer sold me the RimGuard in 55 gallon drums that I brought, I think they would have put it in the tires for the same price, I just didn't want to haul the tractor there.

YES it makes a difference; it is kinda tempting to DOZER(verb) with it.
I have a set of unloaded turf wheels for the summer, mostly mowing, season.

 

[jas67]

I used 15 gal windshield washer fluid per rear tire on my B7610 for about 240lbs total weight added to the rear. Cost me about $35 for 30 gal. at Wal Mart. To put it in, I broke the tire bead on the side that has the stem, wedged a block of wood in to hold a gap, and then poured it in. Then just reseal the bead with method of your choice (search YouTube for "starter fluid tire mounting" ). I put a ratchet strap around the outside of the tire and then just add enough air to get it the seal, then let enough air out to release the strap, and then inflate to the proper pressure.

 

[Hematite]

IMO, Rimguard is the only choice for tire ballast. It's bio degradable/non-toxic so it won't harm the ground or animals if you get a puncture, it's 30% heavier than water, it's non corrosive, and it's freeze resistant down to -35.

Absolutely +1

 

[LBrown59]

air---

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

air---

Wow LB...you are a "geneyus"...very helpful post. Not too much extra weight with Air, I also prefer Rimguard.

 

[bstrom]

Rimguard beet juice. It's worth it because if calcium chloride or something else
nasty leaks near you wife's garden areas you will never hear the end of it and won't be able to get any more implements
I've heard it's sticky though, a regular garage does not like to fix tires that have had it in, anybody else heard that?

 

[Reg]

Rimguard beet juice. It's worth it because if calcium chloride or something else
nasty leaks near you wife's garden areas you will never hear the end of it and won't be able to get any more implements
I've heard it's sticky though, a regular garage does not like to fix tires that have had it in, anybody else heard that?

It gets a bit sticky if you let it dry, but it is totally water soluble and a garden hose flushes it away to... ???
Just A_W_A_Yyyy____.........