Rim Guard

[MHarryE]

Dropped by my nephew's this morning and saw this tractor tire being repaired. I recognized the Rim Guard right away but was surprised by the rim rust (thought Rim Guard was supposed to prevent that) and the sticky mess. Rust is just superficial, but they said this has been the most miserable tire repair ever (and they repair many every year). When I left they were pressure washing everything in preparation for installing a tube. The tractor is 6 years old I believe - he bought it used 3 years ago. Tires are Titan radials, made in Des Moines, have good tread remaining but are cracking. Leak was not from a puncture - it was just oozing through the inner carcass and an exterior crack. I believe he has 14 tractors ranging in age from ancient to 2 years but this is the first time he ran across anything like this - it is his first experience with Rim Guard. He said the dealer told him it was the original buyer's request. Is this typical?

 

[bubbacuse77]

Looks like the rim guard may have attacked the paint but not the metal. Not sure how typical but if it was calcium chloride I'm sure the rust would be much worse

 

[MHarryE]

Prior to retiring, I was responsible for product Support of several thousand machines produced in the construction equipment industry. Tires were factory filled with calcium chloride. During all my years I had zero complaints of rim damage. No tubes - Titan was our wheel supplier and they said at most we would see a rust scale develop until the free oxygen was depleted. There was little free oxygen because we inflated with nitrogen. Tubes, however, cause problems. Salt water escapes, possibly during pressure check, and starts rusting around the valve stem. This rust progresses until the rim is shot. Due to manufacturing in several countries, I inspected dozens of rims after test tires were dismounted and never saw any significant rust let alone this severe stripping of paint from the rim. I will be visiting my dealer next week, will show him these pictures, and ask if this is atypical of Rim Guard.

 

[300UGUY]

I had a tractor with chloride in the rear tires. It developed a small leak around the stem, and I sold it to a guy, telling him of the leak, showing it to him, and stressing that it needed repair. He ignored me, and a year later, the rim collapsed when he was towing another tractor. I've had Rimguard in my Kubota for several years, never any problems. Why the rim looks like that is strange. I've never heard of Rimguard causing paint loss or corrosion. I had a leak in one tire, a little fluid escaped. but it washed off easily.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Around here the tire shops put Rim Guard in tubes to cut down on tire slipping on the rim.

David

 

[Catman8]

MHARRYE, do you have any update, what did your dealer say. I think there are so many products out their that companies market that never hold up to their claims. That rim does have rust on it. Most products fail after many many years and we just don't know about it because they are hidden from our sight and once they are discovered most people don't bother to warn others. The best thing you could do is send pictures to the company who manufactures rim guard and post what their response is. Most these companies will dispute a claim because you can't prove what the rim looked like before you inserted the rim guard, and that's how they get to protect their claims how well their product worked, I had another thought, if the tires was not filled over the entire rim the top portion of the rim would be exposed to air and moisture and maybe that's how the rim started rusting,

 

[MHarryE]

No discussion with dealer. Removed the Rim Guard (did ask the dealer what they were filled with) com the other tire to maintain balance, tuned both, and put back in the field. After all the hype that Rim Guard is the ultimate, I had to post this picture. Note there is no significant damage to the rim, only surface rust. I don't know if the problem was poor paint quality at the rim supplier or something else.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

No discussion with dealer. Removed the Rim Guard (did ask the dealer what they were filled with) com the other tire to maintain balance, tuned both, and put back in the field. After all the hype that Rim Guard is the ultimate, I had to post this picture. Note there is no significant damage to the rim, only surface rust. I don't know if the problem was poor paint quality at the rim supplier or something else.

I think you forgot to post the picture.
Then all the reasons why this wasn't related to Rim Guard can begin. Lol.

 

[oosik]

I had CaCl in my first tractor. What a PITA - it attacked the valve stem and I would have to replace the stems every year. IMHO - dissimilar metals( valve was steel, valve stem was brass) and corrosive fluid. I've had Rimguard in my current Kubota for seven years now with no problems.

However - I've never stripped down the tires and inspected the inner portion of the rims. My rear tires, with the Rimguard, are tubeless.

Hard to believe the Rimguard( HIGH sugar content beet juice ) would attack the rim or the paint. Supposedly its not corrosive.

I wonder - was there something in the tires prior to Rimguard.

 

[fried1765]

I had a tractor with chloride in the rear tires. It developed a small leak around the stem, and I sold it to a guy, telling him of the leak, showing it to him, and stressing that it needed repair. He ignored me, and a year later, the rim collapsed when he was towing another tractor. I've had Rimguard in my Kubota for several years, never any problems. Why the rim looks like that is strange. I've never heard of Rimguard causing paint loss or corrosion. I had a leak in one tire, a little fluid escaped. but it washed off easily.

Over a period of 45 years I have bought 3 used Fords; two of them had CACL for their entire lives.
The 1951 8N had the tubes replaced, but the CACL destroyed the rims
The 1988 Ford 1920 4x4 (at 28 years old) had original tubes, and the rims looked like Swiss cheese.
The 1970 Ford 3400TLB has never had any tire ballast (backhoe attachment is plenty heavy).
Rimguard in my area is $3.45 per gallon, plus $75 labor to fill each tire.
Rimguard is WAY TO RICH for my wallet!
I am using -20F windshield washer fluid (at $1.50 per gallon), installed by me, with a $10 TSC tire fill attachment.
The Rimguard is about 2# heavier per gallon than the WW fluid, but Oh, ... what a price difference.
My comparison for 80 gallons total (2 tires) was $443 for Rimguard (400# per tire) v/s $138 for WW fluid (320# per tire), and I did not have to haul my tractor 180 miles round trip (probably another $75+ cost) to get the tires filled. I filled them in my own yard! I can always hang my 700# tiller on the 3pt. if I should need still more weight.
Got my 1988 Ford 1920 4x4, and my 1970 TLB painted this past year. Took them down to the bare bones.
The 1920 has 1056 hours, and the 3400TLB has 1850 hours. They both look like new!
The then 66 year old 8N ( now with new epoxy coated rims) will get paint in 2017.
I would post pictures, but I am an old guy, and picture posting on the TBN website is beyond my comprehension.