Traction Loaded rear tires

[Bladehauler]

I have a R4047 and I want to fill the rear tires with water ( in my part of Texas we might get a freeze once a year for a day ) will it hurt if the water did freeze as long as I didnt drive the tractor?

and my main concern is rust, I dont think my rears have tubes, can you tell from the valve stems ? I know the fronts dont cause I broke the bead on one this morning .


Thanks for any and all advice !!

Have a great Labor Day

C-Ya
Scott

 

[MIKE R]

If the water in the tires froze I could almost bet there would be damage. You could put in an antifreeze water mixture to prevent the rust and freezing. Water is nowhere near as tough on metal as the Calcium ballast is. Another fairly new liquid ballast is Beat Juice. The antifreeze/water would probably be the cheapest way for you to ballast the rear tires. Some one else should have some more info on this.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

It would have to be colder than just freezing for more than a day to freeze a larger volume of water like what will be in the tire. Like you said freezing isn't the problem. Put some type of rust inhibitor in with the water and call it good. I used a regular anti-freeze mixture on both of my tractors, good so far going on 7 years now. I would put in 3-4 gallons of regular type anti freeze and fill to the top of the rim and call it good.
But that is just me, others would do it a different way and that is good also. Any and all weight added is a big plus in my book. But again, that is just me.

Let us know what you end up doing and how you like it. I believe that it will feel like you have a different machine. I know it felt like that to me with both my 75hp & 32hp tractors.

 

[MarkV]

I agree with MtnView but would use one of the more environmentally friendly anti freezes. The regular stuff does really nasty things to pets and animals if it ever leaks. Also has a sweet taste which tends to attract animals.

MarkV

 

[k0ua]

You could put in a little of the RV anti-freeze. It is non toxic to pets and humans for that matter. It contains Propylene Glycol not Ethylene Glycol which is your regular green toxic antifreeze. But like Mt. View said it would take more than a day of below 32 degree weather to freeze such a large mass of water. Plus if your tires can get any sun at all they would have a heat gain in the daytime as they are black. Make sure you fill to over the rim 75% fill as this will help prevent rusting to keep the rim covered at all times. I think you could get by with just the water fill where you live it sounds like. And it makes it very easy to fill with water from your hydrant with a $9 burp/fill valve from tractor supply or others. Also easy to take the water out if you needed to. I cannot get by with straight water here, as it gets too cold for too long of a period.

James K0UA

 

[Bladehauler]

Thanks for the advice !!! I am wondering if it would be smart to break the tires down and put tubes in, then I would not worry about rusting the rims. or will 4-5 gallons of antifreeze in 55 gallons of water prevent rusting ?? my tires are 17.5 x 24 r4s.... I just don't want to cause myself problems later with bad decisions now !!

 

[SSdoxie]

Automotive anti-freeze has rust inhibitor added to it, no need to bother with tubes. If the tire capacity is 55 gl. adding 5 gl. anti-freexe to 50 gl. water should bring the freeze point to somewhere around 20F give or take. Propylene-Glycol is the Eco friendly stuff but does cost more.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

If you are one of those guys that happen to get a flat now and then, then the eco friendly anti freeze would be the way to go, just costs more. I personally have never had a tractor that gets used on a regular basis have a flat tire. Of course now by saying that, I will. :laughing:

 

[RDrancher]

I'm up here by Denton and have been running two gallons of anti-freeze per tire for over 2000 hours with no freezing problems.

I'll agree with Brian...you'll think you upgraded tractors. I actually forgot how nice loaded tires were until I had to rent a machine without them while mine was being repaired. The heavier rental tractor, even with a heavier box blade and 15 more HP, was a pain to run doing loader work.

 

[Bladehauler]

Automotive anti-freeze has rust inhibitor added to it, no need to bother with tubes. If the tire capacity is 55 gl. adding 5 gl. anti-freexe to 50 gl. water should bring the freeze point to somewhere around 20F give or take. Propylene-Glycol is the Eco friendly stuff but does cost more.

Thank You

 

[Bladehauler]

Is RV antifreeze the same as engine antifreeze ? I mean rust inhibitors etc. ?

 

[SPYDERLK]

I run plain water in mine here in VA. Extremely convenient. Some freezing after Nov but ice usually just skins inside the tire and breaks easily. Longer cold periods I dig into the manure pile and park the tractor on cold nights. Water is not much of a rust issue. No rust in evidence after 7yrs.
larry

 

[k0ua]

Is RV antifreeze the same as engine antifreeze ? I mean rust inhibitors etc. ?

I don't think the pink stuff (Propylene Glycol) sold as RV anti freeze does. This is to pour down your drains and in your toilet to prevent freezing in your RV. However the Eco safe Automobile anti-freeze I believe does. I also don't think rusting would be much of a problem if you cover the rim of the wheel fully with water.

James K0UA

 

[Bladehauler]

Thank You all for the info !! In reality I would love to go with rimguard , but I dont think it's in my budget. ( I havent officially priced it , but Im sure it's NOT cheap ) checked pet safe antifreeze at TSC , $19.99 a gallon............Im not sure how much good 1 gallon in each tire with 54 gallons of water would be, and if I put 4-5 gallons in now Im at a little over a $100 per tire so.. I guess my question is will 1 in 54 gallons help or bite the bullet,and spend the money for rimguard ??

Thanks,
Scott

 

[MarkV]

I think in your climate 1 gallon per tire would be fine. I believe I used 1 1/2 gal per tire here in N. Georgia and no problems in the last 10 years.

MarkV

 

[Deere Dude]

I have a R4047 and I want to fill the rear tires with water ( in my part of Texas we might get a freeze once a year for a day ) will it hurt if the water did freeze as long as I didnt drive the tractor?

and my main concern is rust, I dont think my rears have tubes, can you tell from the valve stems ? I know the fronts dont cause I broke the bead on one this morning .


Thanks for any and all advice !!

Have a great Labor Day

C-Ya
Scott

My owners manual from John Deere says to use calcium chloride in my wheels. That is pretty corrosive from all I hear. If something like that is okay (which I would not advise because it does rust in time) just plain water wouldn't hurt anything. But a little environmentally safe antifreeze mixed in with it would be fine even if it is just for peace of mind.

 

[eray1066]

Beet juice (Rimguard) is much heavier than water, not toxic, more expensive than water and a better choice. But if you do use water it should not be a problem. I had a tractor with water loaded rears that I moved up to Maine where the temperatures were below -20 degrees F for a couple of weeks at a time. The Turf tires froze solid with no damage. A fella would not want to try and set any speed records with frozen ballast in his tires. They are a bit out of balance.

 

[RDrancher]

I guess my question is will 1 in 54 gallons help or bite the bullet,and spend the money for rimguard ??

Rimguard is nice...until you get a puncture from a mesquite, or even worse, a locust thorn, then watch it run out of your tire. $20 a tire and water would be my choice.

 

[Gary Fowler]

We always ran straight water in farm tractor tires in North Louisiana and only occassionally got them frozen up for a few days. As said, if parked where sunlight hits the tires, it helps prevent freezing and thaws them pretty quickly when they do freeze. I wouldnt run them if frozen as it might damage the tire. If the tire is sweating like an iced tea glass, leave it parked. When it quits sweating the ice has melted and it is OK to run it. Freezing in itself wont hurt anything as long as it isnt moved. A couple of gallons of anti-freeze in each tire would keep it down to slush at most and you could still run it. I still have 4 gallons of antifreeze in my shop that I purchased to do just what we are discussing, but never installed it. Maybe it is time after 2 years of procrastination.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I dont think my rears have tubes, can you tell from the valve stems ? I know the fronts dont cause I broke the bead on one this morning .
C-Ya
Scott

Heck just look on the tire. It will most likely say "Tubeless" which just about all tires are these days unless they have been modified by the owner.