Tires Calcium Loaded Tires

[murphy1244]

I understand the CaCl days. Grew up in them. Things change. Today there's no reason to risk rust. Too many options available. There's also no need to pay someone to fill tires unless you insist on material such as Rimguard.

I choose to fill my own with the most cost effective and least corrosive material available.

What is the best way to unload a calcium tire?

 

[ovrszd]

Most of it can be captured with a simple hose on the valve stem using the tire pressure to push it out. How you dispose of it would be a personal choice. Not sure what I'd do with it?

 

[murphy1244]

Most of it can be captured with a simple hose on the valve stem using the tire pressure to push it out. How you dispose of it would be a personal choice. Not sure what I'd do with it?

Weed killer?

 

[buickanddeere]

Just curious. what is your expeience?

I posted in another" adding weight", that I don't give tire advice because there or to many "experts"...not picking on you in particular....but crap, if your tire has a leak fix it, if it has a bead leak fix it.....Calcium chloride was used for MANY years, most of the rot stories you hear of are from neglect..let a leaking tire leak...yep its going rot if you don't fix it.

Not everyone has access too or can afford to pay someone to do a half assed job filling their tires with rimguard, truth is in the 30 years I worked field doing calcium filled tires on construction equipment ,Lull, Skytrack, Gradall, Gehl, etc,,5k to 12k lift capacity, 36 to 50' reach these machines all REQUIRED ballast in the tires, and back then it was calcium, and they were all tubeless as new, until some ****** would come out to fix flat and put a tube in it to make his .25c commision... I also did tire replacements and flat repairs for tractor dealers, most of the tires were 1/4 to half full.....unless your standing over one of these retards shoulder your not going to get what you paid for....


FYI My Dad bought a new JD 970 back in 96 I filled the tires for him with calcium back then, he has AG rears that are tubed.. .His wheels are fine, he gets his tires fixed when he has a leak!

The best way to handle a problem is to get rid of it. Instead of spending years on guard and battling the problem.
There are some people here rather proud of thier combat against calcium chloride .

 

[ovrszd]

Weed killer?

Yeah. Maybe sprinkle the parking area in front of my machine shed to control unwanted growth?

 

[k0ua]

Yeah. Maybe sprinkle the parking area in front of my machine shed to control unwanted growth?

save it for winter to put on your icy hill? But that is another thread isn't it?

 

[Apsterbobed]

Most of it can be captured with a simple hose on the valve stem using the tire pressure to push it out. How you dispose of it would be a personal choice. Not sure what I'd do with it?

Use it to melt ice and kill weeds on your driveway!

Pump it into 55 gallon drums (usually free to cheep on CL) then try and sell it on CL. If you have the pump and adapter to put it back in a tire you could probably get a quick sale if you offer to put it in for them. You know there is someone out there that is frugal like me and would run it if you price it below the dealers. Some people can't afford the preferred ballast but still need the weight to get work done.

In our last tractor we had calcium in the rears for 10+ years, no tubes. We didn't have any service on the rear tires for over 8 years, the fronts probably had more rubber in the form of plugs than the original tire. The back tires had basic snow chains on them from the first winter once they were installed they they were not removed. When we finally had to service a back tire it was because it was weeping through the sidewall where the chains had worn the rubber thin. It was about a year later and we had to do the other tire for the same reason. When they replaced the tire they tubed the new one and told us thats how they do it now. When the tire was weeping it did leave rust on the rim surface. loaded tires form condensation on the outside when there are temperature changes, it took me a while to notice that the rubber was weeping and not condensation. A few years later we sold the tractor and someone got a good deal so we could upgrade to a larger tractor that I put rimgard in.

I think calcium has its place, personally unless you are in conditions where flats are likely and common I would leave the calcium untill you need to change the tire.

 

[Deere Dude]

I had crystal cc and sand dumped into the bed of my older pickup truck to be used for dumping in a pile and used for ice on a driveway. I couldn't unload it for a week or so but after I did I noticed over the next few months I had a swiss cheese looking floor in my truck bed. That no doubt was thinner and older that a tractor wheel but still metal.

I have used CC in garden tractor tires for 30 years and never had much problem with rust other than around the stem, but I usually only kept the tractors for a few years and traded them in. If I was going to keep the tractor I did and would again but Rimgard in.

When I traded a CC filled tractor to a dealer for a new one I didn't mention it was filled with CC. I noticed in subsequent visits the JD dealer was rather stand offish with me, which was not normal for him. That is the only thing, I suspect, is the reason.

 

[Deezl Smoke]

Calcium chloride is a fertilizer. Yes, if you put a very high concentration on soil, it can be an issue for a year or so depending upon rainfall. It can also burn weed foliage, but will only kill the easiest of weeds to kill. The rest will just curl up for a bit, then come back. Be careful about getting it on concrete as it can stain.

Calcium is not a bad product. It's fine that many wont use it when they have options. Ok, voice your "opinion", but do so in a way that does not belittle or disrespect those that still wish to use it, especially when they know how to use it.

There's also a good weight adding option called "iron". It requires no special tools and dont freeze or cause any issues when a tire gets a hole in it.

 

[lilranch2001]

I am sorry, I failed to realize people worshipped calcium chloride as a god.....

In todays world I should not be surprised.........

 

[oldpilgrim]

I am sorry, I failed to realize people worshipped calcium chloride as a god.....

In todays world I should not be surprised.........

It's not a 'god'.

It's just not the 'devil' people are making it out to be.

 

[lilranch2001]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion

 

[Deezl Smoke]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion

Yes, even when they are wrong.

lol

 

[lilranch2001]

See, you got yours

 

[SPYDERLK]

That was my line of thinking. My tractor is a 2008. I am 15-20 years from retirement, so I can't play with my tractor full time yet! I am on the original tires, so my thought is when I need new tires, I will decide what to fill the new ones with. From what I am reading here, I won't be choosing Calcium. But is it worth draining the Calcium and replacing it now. That's what I am wondering. Has anyone had it removed? What did it cost? I'm not going to drain it onto the ground, at least not my ground!

Not worth removing if you are not getting a bloom of rust around your valves. Thats where the effects of seepage will show up first. If you taste bitter saltiness thats it.

,,,, Shame youre not more south where you could use plain water as ballast. Totally convenient and almost $0 ; fill/adjust using garden hose, drain on the ground anywhere. As it is youll have to make arrangement to deal with the CaCl and any fill you choose when any change/repair is needed.

 

[Deezl Smoke]

See, you got yours

Yep. I'm full uv'm.......................that and full of other stuff too..............:laughing:

 

[arrow]

My tractor has tires loaded with Calcium Chloride. A friend who is a mechanic at the local John Deere dealer was helping me replace a blown hydraulic hose and commented that I should consider replacing the calcium with beet juice. He said my rims will rot out with the calcium, and they use beet juice now as weight in tires. Is calcium corrosive enough that I should get it removed and replaced with something else?

I wouldn't go to special pains to remove it. As stated, it's the leaks that rot the rim and most cc finds it's way out of the stem area. Mine took 28 years to rot the rim and only in a couple spots. I brazed over the holes, painted the bejesus out of them with bridge paint and applied Chassis Guard then painted them again, put in new tubes and refilled with the calcium I took out. Should be good until death.

 

[John_Mc]

I've had Calcium Chloride in the rear tires of my TC33D since it was new. I've never replaced a valve, and have seen no signs of rust on the rims in the 15 years I've owned this tractor. I wanted to get RimGuard put in, but it was not available in my area at the time (in fact, it was due to my inquiries and pushing that the dealer looked into it and now carries it).

I do not have tubes, and in fact, tubes can be part of the problem. Calcium Chloride solution can only corrode your rims if they are also exposed to air. If you fill the tire properly, so the top of the rim is covered, you generally don't have an issue. If it leaks out, you need to wash it off whatever it may have leaked on to. You also need to fill your tire back up to cover the rim again. One problem using tube can cause is if you get a little bit between the tube and the rim - either while installing or from a small leak that CaCl gets trapped in an area where the metal is also exposed to air and corrosion starts.

Even though I'd prefer to have RimGuard in the tires, I'm not going to drain them to replace the CaCl. However, the first time I have a problem, I'll replace with RimGuard (or whatever else is out there, if there is a better choice by then). I won't use antifreeze or windshield washer fluid, since both are toxic, and I don't want to risk any of our animals getting in to it if there is a leak. We used to have at least one tire service place that wouldn't work on tires that are filled with WWF. It's been years since I spoke to them, so I don't remember why they won't work on them, or if that is still the case. I gather there was some hazard involved - or at least their insurance company felt there was.

 

[arrow]

I've had Calcium Chloride in the rear tires of my TC33D since it was new. I've never replaced a valve, and have seen no signs of rust on the rims in the 15 years I've owned this tractor. I wanted to get RimGuard put in, but it was not available in my area at the time (in fact, it was due to my inquiries and pushing that the dealer looked into it and now carries it).

I do not have tubes, and in fact, tubes can be part of the problem. Calcium Chloride solution can only corrode your rims if they are also exposed to air. If you fill the tire properly, so the top of the rim is covered, you generally don't have an issue. If it leaks out, you need to wash it off whatever it may have leaked on to. You also need to fill your tire back up to cover the rim again. One problem using tube can cause is if you get a little bit between the tube and the rim - either while installing or from a small leak that CaCl gets trapped in an area where the metal is also exposed to air and corrosion starts.

Even though I'd prefer to have RimGuard in the tires, I'm not going to drain them to replace the CaCl. However, the first time I have a problem, I'll replace with RimGuard (or whatever else is out there, if there is a better choice by then). I won't use antifreeze or windshield washer fluid, since both are toxic, and I don't want to risk any of our animals getting in to it if there is a leak. We used to have at least one tire service place that wouldn't work on tires that are filled with WWF. It's been years since I spoke to them, so I don't remember why they won't work on them, or if that is still the case. I gather there was some hazard involved - or at least their insurance company felt there was.

You're exactly right about the tubes. That is why mine rotted through. Because I used that tractor for logging in rock infested , ground obstructed forests, I dinged many a rim. It was the tube holding the calcium that prevented leaks. It was the tube that helped rot the rim as well. It is one of those "damned if you do/don't aspects."

 

[Professor Marvel]

I have used calcium chloride in my tractors for 30 years now and had no trouble. The most recent time I had my tires worked on I considered using rimguard but my tire people did not have it and I needed my tires ready right away and didn't want to wait. I can certainly understand the potential rust issues and if my tire guy had it I would probably have used it. I just hope I do not have problems.
By the way How do you know it doesn't smell inside the tires?