Loaded tires filled with....antifreeze?

[northcreek2624]

Put windshield fluid in mine, it's been in there about twenty years without a problem. Hope I didn't jinx myself...

 

[SmallChange]

My tires are now filled with Flat Proof Foam Filled Tires | Polyurethane Tire Fill

That sounds great!

Do they drive the same? Are they more prone to flat spots if they're parked a long time? If you wear the tread out, how do you change the tire (or do you have to replace the whole wheel)? I suppose the foam is made of bubbles that are actually pressurized a bit as the chemicals react during installation, so, do they gradually get softer as the years go by? Does the foam settle during installation such that the low spot is permanently heavier, or do they perhaps have to jack the wheel up and rotate it to mix things uniformly?

Inquiring minds, etc etc...

 

[John0829]

I have heard, don't know first hand, that the foamed tires are very rough riding since there is no give to the sidewall anymore and that the tires have to be cut off the rims. Also heard sometimes the rims are not salvageable.

As I said no direct experience...

I use windshield washer fluid, have for years with no issues or problems so far.

 

[just_Dave]

could always use wheel weights.... bolt on bolt off never goes bad

 

[jonmkowal]

The place I am buying my tractor from says that they load the rear tires with antifreeze. Is this okay or should I be telling them no? My last tractor I had tubes installed and had them filled with calcium chloride.

last couple of times I had my JD changed or fixed it was with beet juice. Also the comment about rusting with calcium is true as well. I'm in NJ so not super cold, but why not use it anyway.

 

[dieselscout80]

could always use wheel weights.... bolt on bolt off never goes bad

I know that most larger farms are using iron weights rather than filling tires (my Father in-law did).

 

[beenthere]

The place I am buying my tractor from says that they load the rear tires with antifreeze. Is this okay or should I be telling them no? My last tractor I had tubes installed and had them filled with calcium chloride.

I have my rear tires loaded with windshield washer fluid. Works great, not quite as heavy as water per gallon, but adds weight and doesn't freeze. Also cheaper to buy 50 gal than other fluids.

 

[Flogger]

Foam installed correctly is fantastic. It is two part and cures inside the tire. I had approximately 80 machines using it in my district at one time and had very few problems and never had a rim unusable. It is expensive and we eventually moved to airsoft style tires. I have a personal tractor with the rear tires foam filled. They weigh approximately 800# apiece and don't ride much different than my steel weighted pneumatics. The one problem with fluid weight is it's power robbing characteristics. I switched a 4430 JD from calcium to steel weights one time and the power difference was startling.

 

[4570Man]

That sounds great!

Do they drive the same? Are they more prone to flat spots if they're parked a long time? If you wear the tread out, how do you change the tire (or do you have to replace the whole wheel)? I suppose the foam is made of bubbles that are actually pressurized a bit as the chemicals react during installation, so, do they gradually get softer as the years go by? Does the foam settle during installation such that the low spot is permanently heavier, or do they perhaps have to jack the wheel up and rotate it to mix things uniformly?

Inquiring minds, etc etc...

Foam is misleading. It’s more like solid rubber. It’s a 2 part process that’s mixed and once it is it reacts and hardens. They typically don’t get flat spots but I have seen it start to dissolve when the tires get severe cuts to let water in. When the tires are worn out you have to cut them off with a sawzall. It’s also quite expensive to get done. A local shop said $250 each to do my skid steer tires. I imagine the rear tire on a tractor would be over 1k. The skid steer tires run 80 psi of air and don’t do much cushioning anyway but filling a low pressure tire makes it ride quite a bit worse.

 

[bigtiller]

I have heard, don't know first hand, that the foamed tires are very rough riding since there is no give to the sidewall anymore and that the tires have to be cut off the rims. Also heard sometimes the rims are not salvageable.

As I said no direct experience...

I use windshield washer fluid, have for years with no issues or problems so far.

At work, a new Deere 644 wheel loader had it's tires foamed. They took all 4 wheels off and laid them on level ground to be foamed. The foam had to cure so they were left alone over night and put back on the loader the next day.

I also operated 4000 & 6000 pound rated rough terrain forklifts. Occasionally I would operate one with foamed tires. It did ride harsher and it was quite noticeable when moving a light load that had loose banding. The load kept moving around on the pallet when going over small bumps. With aired up tires I didn't have to be so gingerly with the load.

 

[ctgoldwing]

Thanks guys. I am familiar with the two types of glycol because of my 30 years working in HVAC. I am also hoping it is P glycol and not E glycol. My worry is that they are using this as a way to dispose of old antifreeze (E type) that they have drained out of tractors during service work.

Being in hvac you may recognize Cryotek - a non-toxic antifreeze used in potable water systems. I diluted some and loaded my rears with it.
I just wasn't comfortable with a toxic fill.

 

[skipmarcy]

22 years ago when I bought my tractor new I had my local Co-op fill mine with 50/50 methanol - I had to buy a 55 gal drum to do my rear tires - 55 gal mix in each comes up to just over the top of the rim and the 50/50 mix gives me -10 F protection. I can't see paying for windshield washer fluid (1/2 water already) unless it equates to the same price as buying the methanol. Since the current price of ww fluid at Walmart is $3.66 a gal, I would think methanol would be cheaper.

After 5 years I ended up having to replace the rear tires with the CORRECT size that Mahindra failed to install and the interior of the tires & rims looked brand new still. Put the same mix back in and is still in it now 16 years later.

So, in 22 years (over 3000 hrs) of HEAVY work in all kinds of conditions - rocks, woods, various debris I have never lost a drop of the poisonous methanol. And, if for some reason I did, the methanol will evaporate VERY quickly and leave no residue at all.

 

[90cummins]

I use antifreeze in my tires because I had over 55 gallons of used 50/50 on hand.
Previously they had calcium chloride in them and it damage both my ag & turf tire rims.
I felt if was a good way to use old antifreeze.
90cummins

 

[sheamus]

I am wondering how much fluid I will need. This is my tire: Rear Industrial Tire, 15 x 19.5, 7385101. By my math that is roughly 215L (about 55 us gal) per tire. Does that sound right?

• The cheapest I can find water system antifreeze is $35 for 19L (Canadian Tire) which means about $800 CAD, which seems high compared to what everyone else is doing. A 205L drums are about $450CAD, so actually cost more per L.
• I can mix up the CaCl for about $200CAD.
• A drum of windshield washer fluid is $271/drum.
• It seems like the most economical would be to phone a shop and see if I can take their used antifreeze off their hands if they don't mix it with oil.

 

[RjCorazza]

I am wondering how much fluid I will need. This is my tire: Rear Industrial Tire, 15 x 19.5, 7385101. By my math that is roughly 215L (about 55 us gal) per tire. Does that sound right?

• The cheapest I can find water system antifreeze is $35 for 19L (Canadian Tire) which means about $800 CAD, which seems high compared to what everyone else is doing. A 205L drums are about $450CAD, so actually cost more per L.
• I can mix up the CaCl for about $200CAD.
• A drum of windshield washer fluid is $271/drum.
• It seems like the most economical would be to phone a shop and see if I can take their used antifreeze off their hands if they don't mix it with oil.

According to several charts, a 75% fill would require 29 US gallons. I would not use calcium, although my previous tractor had calcium without issue for 15 years. There are companies that will come out and fill tires, and you may want to consider just paying to get it done. RimGuard is a popular solution, is environmentally friendly and heavier than most other options.

 

[sheamus]

According to several charts, a 75% fill would require 29 US gallons. I would not use calcium, although my previous tractor had calcium without issue for 15 years. There are companies that will come out and fill tires, and you may want to consider just paying to get it done. RimGuard is a popular solution, is environmentally friendly and heavier than most other options.

Well the fact that my math is off that much makes it a lot more affordable. I am just having a heck of a time sourcing anything other than CaCl. So far the only shop that I have found that carries anything but CaCl uses agrilime, but they won't sell it or fill anything but a new tractor off their lot.

 

[RayCo]

Is there any such thing as non-liquid ballast being used, such as sand?