New measurement method for liquid ballast tire fill percentage

[WinterDeere]

if you have access any thermal imaging camera, and want to know how much liquid ballast your tires contain, all you need to do is move the machine (or your liquid tank, if doing a fresh fill) from one temperature extreme to another, and wait a few minutes for the air-filled part of the tire to change temperature. In this case, I moved the tractor from a warm shop to 16F outdoors, and waited 20 minutes. You can see my dealer got my tires filled pretty close to the 50% (400 lb) I requested:

 

[chim]

Clever idea

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I was able to find a cheaper way to do the same thing:

 

[oosik]

THAT is one unique method - for sure. I see it, like Slowpoke Slim, every frosty morning. Mine are full of RimGuard to about an inch, or so, above the top of the rim.

 

[WinterDeere]

I was able to find a cheaper way to do the same thing:

View attachment 638133

Nice! I like it. But my method works in summer, too. ��

 

[WinterDeere]

Oh, and I should ask... the one tire is right around 50%, but the other is only maybe 35% (by eye). One friend who has differing fills on his two tires claims he always spins the lighter one, which makes sense. Should I ask the dealer to remediate this, or let it go? I already paid for the material based on a full 50%, although it wasn’t that expensive that I’m worried about the cost, it’s more about the unequal traction.

 

[Zebrafive]

I don't know if you have enough difference for the lighter one to spin first. You might want to try. I lost the fill in one tire and it ALWAYS spun first. I had a flat and when they repaired it, they did not refill. I was told wrong truck came for service call and if I wanted it filled it would be another $75 service fee, plus fill fee and materials. I was not present when the tire was fixed (boot and new tube). I had hit a broken off Tee post, and had them fix the tractor where it sat. They came when I was at work. Farm is 6 miles from the house, so no one was there.


Great idea! I would see condensation on my tires to the fill height when conditions were right. I would even have puddles of water around the tires and at first thought they were leaking. Your idea can be used any time you can make temp change.

 

[CADplans]

Should I ask the dealer to remediate this, or let it go?

My tire guy says the steel wheel should be 100% submerged,, to keep air away from the steel.

If air gets to the steel, the steel will rust,,
That is why most people can not check the tire pressure with a gauge, no matter what the stem position, fluid will come out the stem if you put a tire gauge to the stem.

I check my tire inflation with a tape measure,, I have a dimension for the wheel height above the shop floor.
If the # is low, I add air,, no gauge needed,,

 

[4570Man]

Nice! I like it. But my method works in summer, too.

Sometimes in humid weather the tires will condensate at the level and below even when it’s above freezing.

 

[RickB]

I just slap the sidewall with the flat of my hand. It is easy to hear the difference between air and liquid.

 

[WinterDeere]

I just slap the sidewall with the flat of my hand. It is easy to hear the difference between air and liquid.

Yes, agreed, but with far less accuracy. This is what made me bring the thermal camera home from work, in the first place. My ear was telling me it was low, and it turns out the tire I was checking by ear was the low one.

 

[RickB]

I can tell the fill level within a couple of inches. I have never cared enough to be more accurate than that. Life is too short.

 

[ovrszd]

I just slap the sidewall with the flat of my hand. It is easy to hear the difference between air and liquid.

Cheater...

 

[ovrszd]

I can tell the fill level within a couple of inches. I have never cared enough to be more accurate than that. Life is too short.

Cheater....

 

[WinterDeere]

I can tell the fill level within a couple of inches. I have never cared enough to be more accurate than that. Life is too short.

I guess, if it's the sort of thing that bothers you. I'm just the opposite, any chance to play with a techie toy like the FLIR camera beats an evening doing other chores.

 

[4570Man]

I guess, if it's the sort of thing that bothers you. I'm just the opposite, any chance to play with a techie toy like the FLIR camera beats an evening doing other chores.

A thermal imager is a really cool tool but tractor tire fluid level really isn’t that important.

 

[RickB]

Cheater....

Every time I get the chance. I can gauge the fill level and be on to something else while the other guy is taking the imager out of its nice carrying case. For my purposes it is simply a waste of time. Are the tires on that tractor loaded properly? Yes or no and move on.
But to each his own.

 

[s219]

Sometimes in humid weather the tires will condensate at the level and below even when it痴 above freezing.

Yep, if we have cold weather then it gets warm/humid, I can see that line quite clearly.

 

[Threepoint]

WinterDeere, that's a clever idea. :thumbsup: For those of us without a thermal imager, an inexpensive infrared laser thermometer should work for this also. :scratchchin: I may try it the next time I have a chance, although just watching the condensation line works well too.

 

[WinterDeere]

Every time I get the chance. I can gauge the fill level and be on to something else while the other guy is taking the imager out of its nice carrying case. For my purposes it is simply a waste of time.

Maybe, if you’re technology challenged. But I’ll bet you wasted more time on that last post, than I spent snapping those two photos with this small handheld thermal camera.