Tire Ballast--again. Sorry.

[N80]

First, that would involve renting or borrowing a trailer and then paying the dealer for something I can do myself and second, I'm not familiar with RimGaurd. But, I'll look it up. Thanks for the tip. It may be just the ticket.

 

[N80]

First, that would involve renting or borrowing a trailer and then paying the dealer for something I can do myself and second, I'm not familiar with RimGaurd. But, I'll look it up. Thanks for the tip. It may be just the ticket.

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="blue">Biggest problem is what to do with alll the 1-gallon plastic bottles!
*** </font>
<font color="brown">*****
Boy I sure could use them !!! </font>

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="blue">Biggest problem is what to do with alll the 1-gallon plastic bottles!
*** </font>
<font color="brown">*****
Boy I sure could use them !!! </font>

 

[Henro]

You can fill your tires really easy using a simple $5 pump that you hook to you electric had drill...

Here's one thread about doing so...

Another thread that points out potential problems...

I thought I had one more thread bookmarked but apparently not (can't find it). In any case, if you want to fill them yourself it is not a big deal, unless you have the kind of tire that pops off the rim when you deflate it...

 

[Henro]

You can fill your tires really easy using a simple $5 pump that you hook to you electric had drill...

Here's one thread about doing so...

Another thread that points out potential problems...

I thought I had one more thread bookmarked but apparently not (can't find it). In any case, if you want to fill them yourself it is not a big deal, unless you have the kind of tire that pops off the rim when you deflate it...

 

[N80]

I researched Rim Guard. It looks like its a dealer only thing. It also mentions that its live stock edible. I think it must be beet juice or something.

I think I may try the VCI powder. The manufacturer says to mix 2-4 pounds per 50 gallons of water. The downside is that it costs $145 for 5 pounds. My tires hold 47 gallons so I'd put 2.5 pounds in each tire plus some antifreeze. So total cost would be $145 plus a couple of bottles of antifreeze. And I can do it myself.

Here is how I see my other options:

Methanol/washer fluid: Expensive; I'm guessing around $300+ _if_ I can get it in bulk (I'd need 2 55 gallon drums). And without some sort of pump it would be very tedious. The drill pump might help. Probably still number 2 on my list. (If there is a known ratio of methanol to water that will still prevent rust this option would look better).

Tubes plus whatever. I'd have to buy the tubes, breakdown and reinstall the tires plus tubes. And I don't want tubes.

Rim Guard. Cost of dealer install. Anyone know how much? Add transportation to that. Otherwise, seems like a good product but not DIY.

Water plus antifreeze. By far the easiest and most affordable. However, I'm not confident that the antifreeze alone is sufficient to prevent rust. So far there doesn't seem to be a ready answer to this. I'd go this route in a heartbeat if knew that the antifreeze would prevent rust.

Sigh.

 

[N80]

I researched Rim Guard. It looks like its a dealer only thing. It also mentions that its live stock edible. I think it must be beet juice or something.

I think I may try the VCI powder. The manufacturer says to mix 2-4 pounds per 50 gallons of water. The downside is that it costs $145 for 5 pounds. My tires hold 47 gallons so I'd put 2.5 pounds in each tire plus some antifreeze. So total cost would be $145 plus a couple of bottles of antifreeze. And I can do it myself.

Here is how I see my other options:

Methanol/washer fluid: Expensive; I'm guessing around $300+ _if_ I can get it in bulk (I'd need 2 55 gallon drums). And without some sort of pump it would be very tedious. The drill pump might help. Probably still number 2 on my list. (If there is a known ratio of methanol to water that will still prevent rust this option would look better).

Tubes plus whatever. I'd have to buy the tubes, breakdown and reinstall the tires plus tubes. And I don't want tubes.

Rim Guard. Cost of dealer install. Anyone know how much? Add transportation to that. Otherwise, seems like a good product but not DIY.

Water plus antifreeze. By far the easiest and most affordable. However, I'm not confident that the antifreeze alone is sufficient to prevent rust. So far there doesn't seem to be a ready answer to this. I'd go this route in a heartbeat if knew that the antifreeze would prevent rust.

Sigh.

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Water plus antifreeze. By far the easiest and most affordable. However, I'm not confident that the antifreeze alone is sufficient to prevent rust )</font>

So.. um.. how often does your cast iron engine block rust out from that antifreeze soloution. I've never seen rusty antifreeze.. only rusty plain water..

AF bottles say that they preven corrosion.. that includes rust...

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Water plus antifreeze. By far the easiest and most affordable. However, I'm not confident that the antifreeze alone is sufficient to prevent rust )</font>

So.. um.. how often does your cast iron engine block rust out from that antifreeze soloution. I've never seen rusty antifreeze.. only rusty plain water..

AF bottles say that they preven corrosion.. that includes rust...

Soundguy

 

[JerryG]

Methonal doesn't cause problems with the wheels that salts do. It only functions as an antifreeze.

 

[JerryG]

Methonal doesn't cause problems with the wheels that salts do. It only functions as an antifreeze.

 

[ADin]

Unless I'm missing something (wouldn't be the first time), I would think you could get 110 gallons of washer fluid for $100 - 125, not ~$300. I come across washer fluid all the time for ~$1/gal (e.g. TSC/Walmart). You may have to go to a number of stores, but fortunately there are Walmarts on almost every street corner now...

 

[ADin]

Unless I'm missing something (wouldn't be the first time), I would think you could get 110 gallons of washer fluid for $100 - 125, not ~$300. I come across washer fluid all the time for ~$1/gal (e.g. TSC/Walmart). You may have to go to a number of stores, but fortunately there are Walmarts on almost every street corner now...

 

[MarkV]

N80, For what it is worth I have had the non toxic anti freeze in my tires without tubes for the past 6 years without any obvious problems. If I remember correctly I put in 3 gallons of anti freeze per rear tire with a cheap drill operated pump and filled the remainder with water.

MarkV

 

[MarkV]

N80, For what it is worth I have had the non toxic anti freeze in my tires without tubes for the past 6 years without any obvious problems. If I remember correctly I put in 3 gallons of anti freeze per rear tire with a cheap drill operated pump and filled the remainder with water.

MarkV

 

[daTeacha]

The "green" antifreeze is a whole lot safer than regular AF or windshield washer fluid if you spill or have a puncture. RimGuard is made from beet juice, but I don't know what else is in it.

An alternative that may be totally unworkable is sugar dissolved in the water. I've never heard of it, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work in your situation. It's not corrosive like the various salts, is environmentally safe, is a DIY, and lowers the freezing point somewhat, which you indicate is all you need. Dissolve it in the water first like your powder. It will freeze if it gets really cold, but since you don't use your tractor when it's below freezing out anyways, that shouldn't be a problem. I can't comment on any corrosion resistance, but that shouldn't be a serious problem since your rims were painted before the tires were mounted. Even just plain water would take many many years to rust through a steel wheel rim. The rotted rims you've seen are from the CaCl2 people historically used in tires.

 

[daTeacha]

The "green" antifreeze is a whole lot safer than regular AF or windshield washer fluid if you spill or have a puncture. RimGuard is made from beet juice, but I don't know what else is in it.

An alternative that may be totally unworkable is sugar dissolved in the water. I've never heard of it, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work in your situation. It's not corrosive like the various salts, is environmentally safe, is a DIY, and lowers the freezing point somewhat, which you indicate is all you need. Dissolve it in the water first like your powder. It will freeze if it gets really cold, but since you don't use your tractor when it's below freezing out anyways, that shouldn't be a problem. I can't comment on any corrosion resistance, but that shouldn't be a serious problem since your rims were painted before the tires were mounted. Even just plain water would take many many years to rust through a steel wheel rim. The rotted rims you've seen are from the CaCl2 people historically used in tires.

 

[N80]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So.. um.. how often does your cast iron engine block rust out from that antifreeze soloution. I've never seen rusty antifreeze.. only rusty plain water..

AF bottles say that they preven corrosion.. that includes rust...

Soundguy)</font>

That's correct, but that's at a concentration of about 50/50 with water. My tires hold about 50 gallons each. That means I'd need a total of 50 gallons of antifreeze. Even if I could find it at $5 a gallon (unlikely) that's $250. I suspect the low tox kind is even more. If I can get by with a few gallons per tire that is probably what I'll do.

I did estimate the price of washer fluid too high. A lot of online sites list it at around $3 per gallon but I think those have bug removal additives etc. If I can find methanol at $.75 a gallon that might be okay.

I leaning both ways now. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[N80]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So.. um.. how often does your cast iron engine block rust out from that antifreeze soloution. I've never seen rusty antifreeze.. only rusty plain water..

AF bottles say that they preven corrosion.. that includes rust...

Soundguy)</font>

That's correct, but that's at a concentration of about 50/50 with water. My tires hold about 50 gallons each. That means I'd need a total of 50 gallons of antifreeze. Even if I could find it at $5 a gallon (unlikely) that's $250. I suspect the low tox kind is even more. If I can get by with a few gallons per tire that is probably what I'll do.

I did estimate the price of washer fluid too high. A lot of online sites list it at around $3 per gallon but I think those have bug removal additives etc. If I can find methanol at $.75 a gallon that might be okay.

I leaning both ways now. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif