Question regarding calcium chloride in tires

[SylvainG]

Hi, so I learned after buying this 2010 Kioti LK30 tractor that the rear wheels are filled with Calcium chloride (first tractor, didn't know about this before). Don't know (yet, I've asked the dealer) when they were filled. This is what the valve on one rear wheel looks like (the other one is the same). I doubt this represent that a tube is inside. Should I be concerned about the wheel's integrity? Should I get the wheels emptied? Like I said, I'm new to owning a tractor so I have way more questions than answers

(sorry about the size of the image, don't know how to adjust it here)

Thanks

 

[fishheadbob]

Ideally they would have been filled with something other than calcium chloride, but that's the way it was done, and apparently still is. I cannot tell if there is a tube present, someone else will likely know. If you have a loader on this tractor you need rear ballast for best operation/counter balance. I wouldn't go off the deep end about CC's presence. I have tractors with it in the rear with no adverse effects after decades. On one I do wire brush it every few years and put a layer of matching paint on; I've had that one maybe 25 years.

 

[RickB]

That is a tubeless valve stem. If the wheels are filled full enough that the rims are fully covered by the calcium chloride solution I wouldn't be terribly concerned. Others will disagree.

 

[SylvainG]

So as long as no air hits the inside of the rim, oxidation should be minimal? How long does such a rim last though? When the wheels are turning, air bubbles will mix with the fluid and won't those air bubbles adhere to the rims when at rest, accelerating oxidation?

To check the level of fluid, do I put the valve at its highest position and see if fluid comes out? If it's air, how do you get more fluid higher than the valve stem? I'm assuming there is some kind of pumps for that, or do you take the wheel of, lay it on its side and fill it? Those are quite heavy tires!

 

[George2615]

Your tires should have fluid above the rim level. If you can jack up one rear wheel start with the valve stem at 12 O'clock and remove the core. Air should come out. Then rotate the tire left or right, fluid should start coming out about 10 or 2 O'clock position. At those positions the rim should be covered in fluid thus keeping air from contacting the rim. Adding fluid can be done on the tractor with the stem at 12 O'clock using a pump. When filled properly replace the core and re-inflate the tire.

 

[SylvainG]

Thanks, I'll take a look in the spring when the temperature is milder.

 

[fishheadbob]

Thanks, I'll take a look in the spring when the temperature is milder.

Sometimes when it is tres cold you can see a frost line towards the top of the tire. I suppose it is caused by the temperature difference between the fluid and the air in the tire. Air above the line, fluid below.

 

[SylvainG]

Thanks, I'll keep note of it and see if I can spot that line.

 

[fried1765]

Hi, so I learned after buying this 2010 Kioti LK30 tractor that the rear wheels are filled with Calcium chloride (first tractor, didn't know about this before). Don't know (yet, I've asked the dealer) when they were filled. This is what the valve on one rear wheel looks like (the other one is the same). I doubt this represent that a tube is inside. Should I be concerned about the wheel's integrity? Should I get the wheels emptied? Like I said, I'm new to owning a tractor so I have way more questions than answers

(sorry about the size of the image, don't know how to adjust it here)

Thanks

I had to buy new rims ....twice!
Both tractors were 25 years old.
If you are OK with that......no worries.

 

[RickB]

Sometimes when it is tres cold you can see a frost line towards the top of the tire. I suppose it is caused by the temperature difference between the fluid and the air in the tire. Air above the line, fluid below.

Actually that's a more common occurrence in spring and fall when wide temperature swings are accompanied by wide humidity variations. Water vapor from warm air condenses on the cooler liquid filled portion of the tire.