Filling Rear Tires

[Anonymous Poster]

I have 55 lb. weights on the rear wheels of my Craftsman 18 HP tractor. I am planning to add a set of chains. Has anyone filled the tires on their garden tractor with windshield fluid? Would this be overkill?

 

[gobbler]

Usually it's a one or the other proposition. Either fill the tires or get rear weights but not both.

Jim

 

[s1120]

My Ingersoll tires were filled. Now they are not becouse I just got a set of AG tires, and a set of wheel weights. I will play it by ear, and if I need more weight, I will fill them. Do you have the need fore more weight? Its only overkill if you don't need it.

 

[Argee]

Whatever you fill them with, be it CC or an antifreeze solution, install tubes so it doesn't affect your wheels. An ounce of prevention...................

 

[s1120]

Yes. Always use tubes if you fill. Tubes are cheaper then rims./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[JerryG]

We had a tractor like your with the 55 lbs. weights and chains. If you put the chains on, you won't need the fluid. It is amazing how much difference the chains make.

 

[Corm]

I filled the rear tires, and I use chains on my garden tractor. The filled rear tires really make the unit feel safer and more stable on side hills, while also aiding in traction. I still need the chains to mow some of the grades on my lawn. Without the chains, even with the differential locked, I couldn't make it up some of the grades. I ran a Toro 312H like this for 14 years, and just retired it when I bought a new Cub Cadet 3208 recently. For me, filling the tires and using tire chains is the only way to go.

Corm

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Since I have the wheel weights I will not fill the rear tires, but will probably buy a set of chains for additional traction. Appreciate all of the feadback.

 

[Steelfan]

Hey Oldud,

I think I've got the same 18hp Craftsman that you do. I have the 55 lb weights, and I got them mainly for mowing hills. My Craftsman is about 16 years old, and it does a great job of holding the turf. I recently bought a 16 hp Wheelhorse from the early 80's, and my new (used) NH TC21D , and my Craftsman is still around. I love the way it cuts, and it didn't ever cost me a dime other than belts. I don't have a front blade, but I'd imagine that the tractor would push a bunch of snow with the chain, weights, and blade. Good Luck, I think you should have a great time pushing snow.

Kent

 

[Anonymous Poster]

SteelFan - The Craftsman has been a good tractor. I bought a new Snapper riding lawnmower to replace the Craftsman. I have removed the mowing deck and have removed all of the parts to be used for future projects. I will use the Craftsman as a tractor with various sleeve hitch attachments. I just ordered a sleeve hitch from Sears. Once I get it and get it installed I am then going to buy a rear blade and probably a box scraper. Sears doesn't sell a snow blade to fit this tractor so I will have to try and locate one somewhere else. There may be other attachments that I will also purchase later after I see how the Craftsman does with the blade and box scraper. I have several ideas for modification to the tractor and may try and made some attachments. Will keep you posted.

 

[John_Mc]

I have a Craftsman 22 HP. When I moved from the flatlands of Ohio to the hills of Vermont, even my 55# wheel weights were not enough to get up some hills, especially when there was even a light dew on the grass. I switched the tires to an Ag tread, and have had very good luck with it.

I've not yet tried it in snow. Unfortunately, I don't think I can still fit chains on these tires. They are a bit bigger than my old ones, and there's not much clearance left.

John Mc

 

[Anonymous Poster]

John Mc - My tractor is a garden tractor. I am not sure what Ag tires look like, but mine have pretty large cleats on them.

 

[Steelfan]

Hey Oldud,

Ag tires look more like farm tractor tires. They are a pretty harsh tire for mowing grass. I would imagine that they grip well. Still remember you need weight to keep a tractor moving. My Wheelhorse, and Craftsman have more power then the tractor can handle. Weight on the rear tires is a very big issue. 110 lbs of weight on the Craftsman plus your weight is enough, and remember what this tractor was built for. Most are for mowing , light plowing, and some garden work. This was my main reason for buying a compact. I couldn't live with the garden tractor limitations. And believe me, I love my garden tractors. I hope you get my drift. Good Luck.

Kent

 

[MarkStewart]

Anyone know how to fill tires and if it would be something I could do myself at home? Thank you

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

To fill the tires do the following:

1. By a pump that connects to a drill, about $6.00 at HomeDepot
2. Go to the autostore or tractor store and get a valve for the filling tire with liquid. It screws onto the valve stem, and has a garden hose connection on it, about $6.
3. Connect the gareden hose to the pump, and from the pump into a 5 gallon bucket.
4. Pour the windshield washer fluid or what ever your choice of fluid is into the 5 gallon bucket.
5. Turn on the pump via the drill and fill the tire.
6. Keep the valve steam at the 12 o clock postion when filling.
7. Stop after the first 5 gallon and let the air out of the tire, the pump put in.
8. Repeat until the tire is filled about 75%, remove the valve steam keeping the tire at 12 o’clock. When you do not get fluid out, the tire has enough.
9. Put in about 10-15 psi of air into the tire.

I filled about 10 gallons into a tire in about 15 minutes using this method, also you need to remove the valve assembly, and then repalce when done and put air in the tire. You may also want to jack the tractor up to take the weight off the tire if you do not remove the tire from the tractor.


Good luck

Tom

 

[John_Mc]

Oldud -

Sorry for the long delay. My Craftsman is also a garden tractor. The standard tires that come with most Garden tractors are "Turf" tires. "Ag" tires (short for "Agriculture", also known as "R1" tread) are what you see on most farm tractors. Rather than the lugs you see on turf tires, they have ribs or bars set at an angle. The tracks they leave look like a herringbone pattern (or a sort of broken "V" shape).

Since my earlier post, I've had a chance to use them in the snow. They work better than turf tires, but turf tires with chains work better than Ag tires without chains... especially when backing up. I have problems backing up even a moderate grade with bare Ag tires in snow or ice. I used the 55# wheel weights on both the turfs and the Ag tires.

I've since added my old ladder-style chains on to the Ag tires. They were a bit too small, so I had to use some wire to hold the ends together temporarily (I keep telling myself I'll add some links, but haven't gotten around to it yet). The chains have helped a good bit. The Craftsman does most of my plowing with this set-up, though I have to get out my Compact Tractor or bug my neighbor (with the F-350 pickup) to plow after the heavy stuff.

In summary, if it were just for the snow plowing that I needed the extra traction, I would have left the turf tires on and used chains and wheel weights in the winter. However, I can't use the chains with my mower deck, so I needed something besides turf tires (even with the weights) on my hills in the spring/summer/fall. The bare Ag tires fit my needs well when I'm not plowing snow.

John Mc