Water in Tires?

[7000]

I'm buying a new tractor today. The dealer seems to mandate filling the rear tires with water. I have read threads on the matter that suggest that I should not do that. Rust to the wheels and such. I concur with that as water, air and metal tend to give that response. I don't what to spend for new wheels or such when that occurs.

Anyway, any thoughts on this matter would be appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Fallon]

Does it ever freeze in your neck of the woods? If it does, **** no to plain water.

Antifreeze is a common additive to prevent rust. Lots use windshield wiper fluid, although I'm not sure of its anticorrosion properties. Both decrease the temp required to cause bad things to happen when it freezes.

Personally I ended up with Bio-ballast. I thought it was a generic for Rim Guard (beet juice byproduct), its actually something else. Both are nontoxic, heavier & have lower freezing temps than water. I'd go for one of those 2, despite the higher cost.

Calcium chloride is the classic one. Very heavy & low freeze point with a cheap price. Kills metal & also plants when it leaks though. Most avoid it these days.

 

[7000]

Thank You for the response.

Freezes only seldom. Snows lightly in my area every so often. So, freezing not that bad an issue.

After reading all threads on this and other similar posts I have decided to let him fill them. He is adding antifreeze with the water so the freeze thing should be averted. Since the inside of the tire is not that exposed to oxygen the rust element I was concerned with appears to be a minor issue. With the support I get from the responders this seems to be a non issue. Therefore, its done.

Thanks again.

 

[Fallon]

If freezing isn't a concern, some anti-freeze should help for the occasions it does get cold & minimize corrosion.

Loading tires with anything definitely helps a lot with traction, stability & ability to lift with a loader. You still want some heavy ballast (a box blade or some other heavy implement) hanging off the back any time you are using the loader. The ballast hanging off the back acts like a teeter totter & pulls some weight off the comparatively weak front axle & its steering components & puts it on the beefy rear axle.

 

[ovrszd]

And, think about the rust thing for a second. The metal thickness of the rims is probably 3/16" or some metric equivalent. How long would it take water to rust thru that?? I used Windshield Washer fluid for the anti-freeze properties. If I didn't need that I would have used water. Rim-Guard and the others are used to gain weight. A gallon of those materials is heavier than straight water. Not sure how much but wanna say a couple pounds per gallon.

Don't second guess adding fluid. You need it if you are going to do any FEL work.

 

[BHD]

I had calcium chloride, in my 1970 tractors, I did loose a rim a few years ago, (the calcium is much more aggressive than water), and the rim were original so they lasted 40 years, and the other three rims are still original,

I do not think you will loose your rims with water in them any time soon, most likely will out last the original owner easily,

 

[boycebrian1]

hi im new to the forum. i have a ford 8n 2wd and i use plain wheel weights. i live in upstate new york so it does freeze every winter and i do use my tractor to move snow. some good chains and some good weights should do you just fine.

 

[davrow]

Hey, 7000, another San Diegan!

Whatcha getting? Who ya getting it from? Where's the pics? (I'll go looking for another thread for that)

I need to load my tires... just haven't got to it yet. I'll be going water/AF.

 

[orezok]

I loaded my tires with water as it rarely goes below freezing for more than 48 hours. Not enough time to cause problems, and when it does go down there, I ain't getting' on the tractor! :laughing: I did put a couple of cans of water pump lube/anti-rust in each tire to help the rust thing. I figure it works in iron engines with rubber hoses so why not.

I lived in San Diego and surrounding communities for 20 years or so, so I don't think you need to worry about freezing.

 

[thirdroc17]

I used to have all my tires filled, now I have none of them filled. While we don't plan on having leaks or punctures, they happen. Then you have a mess. Depending on what's in the tires, you could end up with little dead spots whenever the tire rotated around. Don't forget to buy that special pressure gauge too, or that fluid will soon ruin the one you have. And when you do need to add a little air, don't overfill by a pound, or you might be letting some of that fluid out. Yes, some of these problems can be alleviated by making sure the valve stem is rotated to the top of the wheel. Yeah, that's handy, NOT.

 

[dieseleric]

find a local shop that might have a waste antifreeze barrel. I work for a construction company and at any given time can get 250 gallon of used antifreeze for free. My boss has a john deere compact tractor with his rears filled with the used antifreeze.

 

[BobG_in_VA]

Most outfits around here fill with methanol and water.....I've filled one before with windshield washer fluid (good to -20degrees)....BobG in VA

 

[pat32rf]

I used to have all my tires filled, now I have none of them filled. While we don't plan on having leaks or punctures, they happen. Then you have a mess. Depending on what's in the tires, you could end up with little dead spots whenever the tire rotated around. Don't forget to buy that special pressure gauge too, or that fluid will soon ruin the one you have. And when you do need to add a little air, don't overfill by a pound, or you might be letting some of that fluid out. Yes, some of these problems can be alleviated by making sure the valve stem is rotated to the top of the wheel. Yeah, that's handy, NOT.

In the real world, how often do you get a rear wheel puncture, or even have to check the pressure? My JD has almost 6000 hours in a little over ten years of bush use, trail building, firewood hauling and snow plowing. I had the valve knocked loose once. As far as checking the pressure, either the tire looks soft or not. Doesn't really matter if it has 10psi or 14psi, as long as they are the same side to side. Once filled, they will stay the same unless there is a leak which will show as a wet spot.
My vote is windshield washer antifreeze, just in case......

 

[Old Junk Man]

I fill my own and use water & rubbing alcohol. Ive fornd that many times a tire that will not hold air will hold water. Ive inflated the flat tires on old vehicles with air and they immediately went flat. fill them up with water and the quit leaking around the beads. Bounced like the dickens at highway speed.

 

[FTG-05]

In the real world, how often do you get a rear wheel puncture, or even have to check the pressure? My JD has almost 6000 hours in a little over ten years of bush use, trail building, firewood hauling and snow plowing. I had the valve knocked loose once. As far as checking the pressure, either the tire looks soft or not. Doesn't really matter if it has 10psi or 14psi, as long as they are the same side to side. Once filled, they will stay the same unless there is a leak which will show as a wet spot.
My vote is windshield washer antifreeze, just in case......

This. I checked my front and rear tires (all filled) months ago. What leaks?

Here in SC TN, I used 2-4 gallons of RV antifreeze (the kind that doesn't kill little kids and puppies from 2000 miles away type) per tire. Can't get rimguard, the closest place available is north of the TN/KY border.

 

[Whatswrong]

Firstly this thread has been deader than a fly in DDT but for the life of me when you are all so afraid of rusting and antifreeze why aren't you putting on wheel weights instead?
I have only had one tractor rust out ,an 8N and almost every tractor I have had was weighted.

 

[Fawken]

Firstly this thread has been deader than a fly in DDT but for the life of me when you are all so afraid of rusting and antifreeze why aren't you putting on wheel weights instead?
I have only had one tractor rust out ,an 8N and almost every tractor I have had was weighted.

I try to avoid these "water in the tires" threads for that reason. Water (solution) in all four tires on my Ford for 32 years and counting. Only rusting I had was on the front left when I let a small leak go for about a year. The corrosion on that one was swift and pretty gnarly. If the tubes are good no water will ever touch the rim.

 

[tcreeley]

Antifreeze is toxic to the environment and wildlife. If you don'y think so, let your dog have his fill while you dig a hole. Calcium chloride rusts the rims. I hate calcium chloride. We are in snow country and they use it on the roads. And do we ever have a rust problem.

The answer is beet juice. The tires on my tractor are filled with it. No rust, no freeze up Great stuff. Non toxic - just beets they use for sugar.
It is sold under the name Rimguard. Rim Guard - Liquid Tire Ballast

Good luck.

 

[Whatswrong]

Again I say put on wheel weights ,3 or 4 sets make a tractor look cool ,give traction and a good counter weight for a front end loader.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Again I say put on wheel weights ,3 or 4 sets make a tractor look cool ,give traction and a good counter weight for a front end loader.

While they may look cool, steel weights, water/beet juice etc. in the tires is not a counter weight. They are useful for traction on the rear only. I say this because it doesn't remove any load from the front tires when using the FEL. In order to counter the weight of the FEL and load, the counterweight has to be behind the rear wheels. The further the counter weight sticks out behind the rear tires the better it works, to the extent that it doesn't start to be a maneuvering problem. A heavy 1000+ pound bush hog or disk makes a good counter weight. A 1000# tiller, box blade or ballast box that sets close to the tires wont be nearly as much use due to the shorter lever of the weight.

Oh yeah regarding use of steel weights. Weights are expensive to buy at around $2 per pound so that is why most folks use liquid ballast. 3 or 4 sets of 100# weights could set you back $1500 if bought new and at least $800 used if you can find any that will fit your tractor.