Tires Ballast in tires

[kootenai]

Ballast in tires. How do I know if it is in there? Hopefully a simple question. I am looking at a L3400 and the seller does not know if there is ballast in the tire. How do I easily answer that question? Push on the valve stem and liquid comes out?

 

[T Dew]

I'll be curious to know if there is a better way. That's what I have always done. If you get just air, then there is no ballast. I can't think of another way, but I have learned a lot on this forum. I'll be right here watching with you.

 

[Loadstar]

Not sure how big the tractor is but if I rock the WD45 I'm working on or my 640 I can easily hear it sloshing. (Engine is off of course) I would just poke valve stem.
Easiest way is to try to lift it haha just kiddin

 

[k0ua]

Just press in the valve stem with the tire at 6 o'clock (at least not at 12:00 o'clock) and see what comes out. Of course you can see the fluid level on a cool high humidity morning. The portion of the tire with fluid will have moisture on it and the upper portion of the tire will be dry. you can also detect the fluid level by "thumping" it with you knuckles like "thumping" a watermelon and listening for the change in density. This requires some experience and practice.

James K0UA

 

[AStanton]

I would remove the valve stem cap and examine the valve. If you see stuff that looks like and smells like grasshopper vomit, then they are loaded.

 

[Ted Summey]

+ 1 on Push the valve stem with it between 4 and 8. Fluid will come out. Some fluids can cause a chemical burn so be careful (calcium chloride).

 

[kootenai]

Excellent! I see there is a hierarchy of materials for ballast. First, calcium chloride; next, beet juice; and finally, Grasshopper vomit. I believe it is necessary to wear a hazmat suit when handling the vomit of grass hoppers so I may hire this one out.

 

[cartod]

Weight in tires is not ballast. Ballast is counter balance. You cannot get counter balance without weight behind the rear axle.

 

[Notforhire]

Weight in tires is not ballast. Ballast is counter balance. You cannot get counter balance without weight behind the rear axle.

Funny, my OM has a section on adding liquid ballast.
There are different types of ballast, for different reasons, ie front ballast.
Stability on slopes, is one benefit of loaded tires.
I will agree that to best counter balance something like a loader, the weight must be aft of the rear axle.
Weight boxes, hung on the 3PH can be filled with grasshopper vomit, but should be covered.

Best, Bill

 

[creekbend]

This site provides some info on the subject. OrangeTractorTalks | Kubota Tractor Tips, Classifieds, Specifications and Discussion Go to the section on "How to ballast tires". Hope this helps somewhat.

 

[Loadstar]

Weight in tires is not ballast. Ballast is counter balance. You cannot get counter balance without weight behind the rear axle.

Lol Ballast is under train tracks, or a part in a fluorescent light too.

 

[Ted Summey]

Messicks has a good section on tire ballast including a chart for the number of gallons of liquid by tire size. It gives weight based on gallons of water. Calcium Chloride and Beet Juice will have weight in the 11 pounds per gallon range. Water will be in the 8.4 pounds per gallon range. Methanol will be 6 pounds per gallon - it is usually mixed with water so the weight will be more in the 8 pounds per gallon. Antifreeze and windshield washer fluid will be sound the weight of water.

 

[Loadstar]

What's the best way to avoid rim rot?

 

[Dave M7040]

Stay away form calcium chloride. If you get a puncture and the stuff leaks between the tube and rim it will rust the rim quickly
Dave M7040

 

[Ted Summey]

The best way to avoid rim rot is to maintain your tires with proper air pressure. Keep tubes in good shape. Make sure valve stems don't leak. Keep valve cores tight.

Calcium Chloride is the big culprit for rim rot. It is a corrosive salt. We have a 1972 Massey Ferguson that has had calcium Chloride loaded fronts and rears. We had new tires installed a little over a year ago and the rims were fine. The tires did have tubes in them. At the same time we had the tires replaced on our IH 140, the rims had to be replaced because the calcium chloride had eaten them around the valve stem. The valve stems had been giving trouble on that tractor for years. The difference was we should have had the tubes replaced in he 140 when they started leaking. Clean any leaking calcium chloride off as soon as possible. FWIW we reused the calcium chloride in all of those tires with new tubes. I have calcium chloride in my Kubota MX5100. An alternative just wasn't available.

Beet juice or Rim Guard is non corrosive and environmentally friendly. It is somewhat more expensive as I understand it and may not be universally available.

 

[Loadstar]

What's the best way to avoid rim rot?

 

[Loadstar]

I dont know why it double posted. We have always had calcium and have replaced a lot of rims. Thanks for the pointers.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Funny, my OM has a section on adding liquid ballast.
There are different types of ballast, for different reasons, ie front ballast.
Stability on slopes, is one benefit of loaded tires.
I will agree that to best counter balance something like a loader, the weight must be aft of the rear axle.
Weight boxes, hung on the 3PH can be filled with grasshopper vomit, but should be covered.

Best, Bill

Liquid in the tires most certainly is ballast. The point of rotation is the front axle and the "moment' is the weight of the fluid times the distance from the front axle . Weight on the three point hitch is more effective then fluid in the tires because the distance is greater. Put a 1000 pounds of fluid in a set of rear tires that are seven feet from the front axle and they will give you 7000 ft lbs of force. Move that same 1000 pounds out to the ends of the 3PH at 2.5 feet behind the rear axle and you get 9500 ft. lbs of force.

 

[rdsaustintx]

I will regret this, so here goes:

Call filled tires whatever you want. Filling tires increases available tractive force, lowers CG and helps a bit keeping rears on the ground for loader work.

However, filled tires do NOTHING to reduce front axle load.

Grasshopper vomit. Now that's funny right there

 

[vtsnowedin]

I will regret this, so here goes:

Call filled tires whatever you want. Filling tires increases available tractive force, lowers CG and helps a bit keeping rears on the ground for loader work.

However, filled tires do NOTHING to reduce front axle load.

Grasshopper vomit. Now that's funny right there

Agreed. I was only considering keeping the tractor with all four wheels on the ground not the load on the front axle. But say that the load in the bucket is ten feet in front of the rear axle and a 1000 lb ballast box was three feet back of the axle. The 1000 pounds would only reduce the load on the front axle 300 pounds right?