Ballast can antifreeze be used as ballast with or without tube?

[mahovy]

Getting ready to install tractor tread tires on my garden tractor. Wanting to know if I can use Prestone antifreeze as ballast in them with tubes or without tubes. 23x10.5-12 size. Any idea how much liquid per tire? Am I better off using straight antifreeze or mixing it half and half like for a radiator?

 

[k0ua]

Keep in mind regular ethylene glycol anti-freeze is very toxic for animals if ingested. And animals want to ingest it as it tastes good. So don't spill any.
My chart shows 6.8 gallons for a 75% fill. I would dilute it 50/50 to lower the freeze point. A safer alternative would be RV anti-freeze which is non toxic. Use it straight from the bottle. It is Propylene glycol. It is available at Wal Mart or any RV dealer. You can use either with or without tubes.

 

[George2615]

Use windshield washer antifreeze or RV antifreeze not auto (Prestone) antifreeze. Auto antifreeze is toxic and if you get a leak or nail in the tire it will leak out onto the ground. Auto antifreeze will kill animals that drink it, washer fluid won't. You can fill tube or tubeless tires.
The chart below shows is a fill chart for most tires.
RimGuard weighs more than Washer fluid.
23x10.50-12 6.8 gallons per tire = 72.8 lbs. if RimGuard is used at 10.7 lb. per gallon
6.8 gallons of washer fluid = approx. 56.4 lbs at 8.3 lb. per gallon

http://www.rimguard.biz/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Hydro-Flation-tables-2014-PDF.pdf

James beat me to it.

 

[crazyal]

Why would you want to use antifreeze over windshield washer fluid? WWF will cost about half the price. You should be able to find it for under $2 a gallon. If you go to a place like Home Depot you can talk tot he contractor desk and ask for a better price because you are buying in bulk. Auto parts stores sell it in 55 gallon drums. The last time I checked you could get it for about $1 a gallon when you bought it in a drum.

 

[Tractorrr]

I put in propylene glycol, RV antifreeze, which I heard is less toxic. Tractor Supply carries it and they had it on special at one point.

 

[yomax4]

Does the windshield washer fluid have any anti corrosion properties like antifreeze would? Or doesn't RV antifreeze have anticorrosion?

 

[prs]

Use WINTER blend window washer fluid if -20F is enough protection from freeze.

prs

 

[McREBEL]

I put in propylene glycol, RV antifreeze, which I heard is less toxic. Tractor Supply carries it and they had it on special at one point.

I just got back from a trip to TSC to get a filler valve and RV antifreeze. I checked the list of ingredients on the RV antifreeze from TSC just to see what else was in it. It read water, ethanol, and glycerine OR propylene glycol. I decided to go to Wal-Mart to see if it was the same. The WM RV antifreeze contains a mix of ethanol, propylene glycol and water. If you get your RV antifreeze from TSC you may not be putting any propylene glycol in your tires. Not that it matters.

Nice tractor you have Tractorrr. I can't wait to see what difference loading the tires makes with the B2920.

 

[George2615]

Use WINTER blend window washer fluid if -20F is enough protection from freeze.

prs

That's what I filled mine with. It's all they sell at TSC up here.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I don't know about livestock but pets drinking antifreeze is mostly a myth.
My little dog had hundreds of opportunities to drink it but never did.
Folks will tell you they like it because of the sweet taste but neither dogs nor cats have sweet receptors on their taste buds. Horses do though.
A lot of places will give you antifreeze for free so if you can get it then I would use it.
Here you pay $1.50/gallon for it so I went with -20° WWF as I got it on sale at Menards for $1.27/gal.
It's not as heavy as as antifreeze tho.
Calcium chloride gets a worse rap than it deserves IMO. It is about the heaviest fluid you can use.
Yes it rusts rims pretty bad and some guys complain they only got Seventy years out of a set of rims because of it.