Matthew, et al, We just got back from the Kubota dealer where we discovered the parts that came in are the wrong thing. Seems two Kubota guys didn't really understand what I wanted but ordered what Kubota had, so it was the tractor side of the quick disconnect coupler for the FEL rather than the bucket/fork lift blade side (which is apparently not sold by Kubota).
Anyway, we discussed the most experienced guys knowledge of brush hogging, tire punctures, liquid in tires, tire weights, 3pt weights, etc. Seems that Kevin of Chaprell Dodge/Kubota in Ada, OK financed a good part of his college education by contract brush hogging ( with a 21 ft brush hog with 3 blades) He got paid by the acre + client paid for tire repair. He's been there done that.
He says that with good paint intact inside the wheels that corrosion is not a problem. Putting liquid in tubes is not a problem. If you want to be super careful you can coat the inside of the wheels with the DIY Rhino Lining stuff. You can get into trouble with anti-freeze (enviro hazzard), local tire shop has been forbidden to handle tires with liquid fill inside the city limits, and it is expensive and a hassle if you get a puncture. He says wheel weights do the same thing with no enviro hazzard and a 3ph counter weight is a fine thing as well, maybe a couple, one near your 3ph weight limit and one 1/2 to 2/3 of that if you want something lighter for less demanding jobs. He cautions that you should not extend the 3ph points of the weight to the rear but have the CG of the weight as close to the back of the tractor as is practical.
He mentioned the reason tires began to be filled in the first place was 2 wd farm tractors pulling plows. They needed more traction not a counter weight. Wheel weights are more for traction than a counter weight but give fair counter weight action. 3ph weight is a counter weight with a bit better leverage than wheel weights or liquid fill and can be a DIY project much cheaper than buying wheel weights. He sells wheel weights but just told me the info that indicated that they were not a good choice for my application. I like it when I find good honest folk.
He said that in agricultural applications he has seen tires in use down to 2 ply and that if he himself were upgrading from 6 ply it wouldn't be to 8 ply but 10 or 12. He concurs that the inserts with tubes (no problem adding tubes to tubeless tires) will stop tread punctures but that in brush hogging ahout 10% or so of punctures are in the side wall and not prevented by inserts. Foam fill doesn't care where the tire is punctured. In discussing the economics he pointed out that his dad's 100+ hp PTO tractor has over 3000 hours on the original tires which have about 25% of tread left but that it rarely sees pavement mostly just dirt, sand, and gravel.
Given the likely life of my tires, perhaps I need to readdress this issue with my budget analyst. Even $1500 over 3000 hours is only $0.50 per hour for essentially complete flat protection. AAA roadside service were it available for tractors would still entail delays, inconvenience, and being stranded a good walk from civilization in the heat and bugs. Gotta give this some thought.
About traction on ice. You can put ice studs, not the passenger car tungsten studs but the ice pick looking studs used in ice racing on your tires and get better traction than you would get on dry pavement. Probably would require tubes and the inserts to protect tubes from back side of studs.
And finally, whew... Encouraging recycling versus litering. I get a lot of no deposit no return beer bottles
A N D a lot of paper and styrofoam containers, thanks to the convenience stores about a mile to a mile and a quarter away. I wish I could positively ID the source, I'd give them back. Considering roadside video surveillance coupled with phone calls from a cooperative sherrifs deputy. One of my least favorite things in these parts is litter and it isn't just beverage containers but includes couches, refrigerators, and on and on. So far not along my hwy frontage but nearby in several locations. Still think a bounty on literrers is a viable approach.
Patrick
