Ballast How do I find out what liquid ballast my tires are filled with?

[hhsco]

Calc will freeze at -23F

Ha, that is extremely unhelpful! I must not have been clear.

What I meant was is there a possibility (as the OP queried) that MIXING two different anti-freeze-type ballast fluids would cause a kind of extra-corrosive reaction? I doubt it, just curious.

It gets down near -40 here so I don't want to dilute my CaCL in the slightest with straight water, and it seems relatively simply to simply top off the top few gallons of my tires with rv antifreeze or windshield washer fluid.

 

[Tacosteelersman1]

I am wondering about a salt wiperfluid mix just for topping off my tires. Comments?

 

[Mace Canute]

Calc will freeze at -23F

Not true. The freezing point of a CaCl solution varies with the strength of the concentration.

Calcium Chloride - Water

 

[Tacosteelersman1]

Is there a standard mixture, or possibly a way to tell what the strength of the mix is?

 

[dragoneggs]

Is there a standard mixture, or possibly a way to tell what the strength of the mix is?

Specific gravity... do you have a hydrometer?

 

[Tacosteelersman1]

No I do not. But I am checking out some YouTube videos about them and it looks like a fairly easy process with a hydrometer. Thanks for the posts.

 

[dragoneggs]

No I do not. But I am checking out some YouTube videos about them and it looks like a fairly easy process with a hydrometer. Thanks for the posts.

They are actually pretty cheap and will quickly tell you the % salt content. They are handy for beer, wine, and saltwater aquarium use too if you are looking for a sales pitch to the better half. :laughing:

 

[PILOON]

No big deal if too diluted as the mix would actually go to slush B4 going solid. Besides even if frozen solid, other than putting the wheel out of balance, I don't believe any damage could occur as the remaining air would take up any expansion caused by freezing.

All that being said, if you can, switch over to beet juice as the change over cost from calcium will be much less than the cost of new rims.
I came close to needing new $$ rims! In fact I had one front simply rot out completely but fortunately that was easy to replace.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Not only does the concentration lower the freezing point but increases the weight. If you add enough calcium it will be thick like syrup. My old industrial refrigeration days we had applications that went down to -60 degrees F. That was over 50% calcium for a freezing point of -70; it was real thick and heavy. CaCl has to have a corrosion inhibitor added or it will rust. In a tire it would last a long time as their is no dilution over time. With the inhibitor the inside of pipe stays clean as a whistle. If it leaks then it starts to corrode stuff pretty fast outside the enclosure (tire in our case). Nothing will be heavier than CaCl per gallon. The 75% + fill is a most or your tractor will become unstable as it rolls around. The 25% space is for expansion in hot weather.

Ron

 

[Tacosteelersman1]

This type of experience and information is exactally why tractor by net is my favorite site. Thanks for the feedback guys.