Ballast Tire Ballast

[Montana Green]

Hi Guys
Recently purchased a 4940 , I find the back end lite when doing loader work such as moving a bucket full of dirt. Have any of you guys added calcium or other products to the tires for back end weight ? and to what capacity 50% full 75% full etc.Yes I do know that I could use a ballast box , but normally I only have one item to move so having to disconnect what is ever on the 3ph and then put on the box and then take it off is a little time consuming so I thought about adding weight inside the tires .
Let me know your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks Lyle

 

[blueriver]

Lyle,
Good question and I too am considering this. My neighbor has done it to his Kubota, it is like maybe 30 hp. He says it makes the world of difference, HOWEVER he says he only added water! I don't like that idea. I look forward to some info on this topic.

I try to keep my boxblade on most times, that does help.

Todd

 

[Reg]

There are MANY threads on tire ballast.
Water is OK if you live where it doesn't freeze, some folk use windshield washer fluid because it has an antifreeze in it (methyl alcohol by some accounts).
Calcium chloride is traditional, but rusts out the rims - eventually.
Rim guard is around $3 a gallon and supposedly weighs 10.7 lbs per gallon.

I filled mine with RimGuard (also known as "beet juice) each rear tire (17.5Lx24) took just about 50 gallons and it DOES make a HUGE difference. The traction is just THERE !
I was able to buy it by the gallon. I brought my own drums, hauled them home, put the two drums in the loader bucket, took the weight off each rear wheel in turn, got the valve to the top, started the siphon, raised the bucket to max height to maximize flow, did other things and came back later. Siphoning is SLOW, but it avoids the problem of hauling the tractor to/from the dealer.

 

[NetworkMD]

I agree 100% Rimguard or similier product that will not rust the rim if there is a leak.

 

[citytransplant]

I keep box scraper attached full time. If I were to load tires, I would insert tubes and use windshield washer fluid. Gets well below freezing where I live.

 

[Montana Green]

I emailed the guys at Rim Guard and unfortunately they have no distributors in western Canada , I think due to fact that their is no supply of raw material ( beet juice). Will have to go with washer fluid or calcium.
Thanks Lyle

 

[hadrosaur]

My 4540 rear tires are filled with methanol. That seems to be the (expensive) standard around here, middle Tennessee.

 

[dry_creek_farm]

I've got the tires on my Montana filled with a 50/50 mixture of standard anti-freeze. I got my buddy who owns an auto repair shop to order me 2 barrels of prestone. Can't recall the exact price but I think it came to a couple of dollars per gallon.

I filled the tires by jacking the tire off the ground and then turning it so the valve is at the top. I then let all the air out and started to pump the water/prestone mix back in. After stopping a few times to let the built up pressure out of the tire and then pump a few more gallons in I just filled them up to pressure with air and let it down.

Supposedly the anti-freeze will not attack the rubber or steel rim (cooling systems have rubber hoses and cast iron engine blocks) as long as you change out the mixture every 3-5 years.

 

[Montana Green]

Can you guys tell me if their is a special valve required to put liquid in tires?
Thanks.

 

[2manyrocks]

There is an adaptor that may make this easier. It screws on the tire valve and has a female garden hose coupler on the other end. So if you have a pump available, you can pump the fluid in the tire. I think I got mine at Tractor Supply Company.

I asked my local coop about filling tires. They said they use methanol instead of antifreeze because it's not as bad for the environment when it finally leaks out.

 

[Big_Charlie]

The big problem I would have with methanol is that is is highly flammable and the flames are invisible. I really don't like the idea of having such a thing sloshing around in my tires.

I don't do a lot of heavy-duty loader work, but when I do I just always have an implement hanging off the back - either my finish mower (which stays on most of the summer) or my box blade. The 500-800lbs hanging off of the 3-point, which is a good couple feet further behind the center of gravity of the tractor than the rear wheels, seems to offer a pretty good ballast to the weight at the front.

 

[AndyMA]

As far as I know from experience and the recommendations several tractor manufactures is that the equilavent loading you need between tire loading, wheel weights and 3 pt hitch weight needs to be equal to the max amount you want to lift with the loader. The wheel weights and loading fluid are multipled by 1 and the 3 pt hitch weight is multiplied by 1.5 to account for the leverage effect. For example if you have 1000 lb wheel loading and 800 lbs of 3 pt hitch weight you can safely carry 1000 lb plus 1.5 x 800 or 2200 lbs with your loader. Many people on this board run and talk about improperly balasted tractors.

Andy

 

[MikeD74T]

Supposedly the anti-freeze will not attack the rubber or steel rim (cooling systems have rubber hoses and cast iron engine blocks) as long as you change out the mixture every 3-5 years.

Rather than change out the antifreeze you can additives to restore the corrosion resistance at any automotive store. Here's Antifreeze Recycling some interesting antifreeze info. MikeD74T

 

[Racer71]

I just bought a L3400. I lifted a load of dirt at the dealer along with the rear tires. I added calcium. The dealer had tubes installed to protect the rims from the calcium. This made a big difference. I don't like having anything on the 3 point when I do bucket work. It is a clearance thing. Both tires filled with tubes was around $220.

 

[dry_creek_farm]

I asked my local coop about filling tires. They said they use methanol instead of antifreeze because it's not as bad for the environment when it finally leaks out.

Your comment got me thinking. Here is the skinny from the MSDS sheet:
Not as bad for the environment as I thought.

12. Ecological Information
Environmental Fate:
When released into the soil, this material is expected to readily biodegrade. When released into the soil, this material is expected to leach into groundwater. When released into water, this material is expected to readily biodegrade. When released into the air, this material is expected to be readily degraded by reaction with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals. When released into the air, this material is expected to have a half-life between 1 and 10 days.
Environmental Toxicity:
No information found.

 

[citytransplant]

I've got the tires on my Montana filled with a 50/50 mixture of standard anti-freeze.

Supposedly the anti-freeze will not attack the rubber or steel rim (cooling systems have rubber hoses and cast iron engine blocks) as long as you change out the mixture every 3-5 years.

My dealer recommends inserting tubes prior to filling tires. His logic is that it is possible that a tire can be punctured without the tube being damaged (thereby retaining all fluid) and it is worth the $30 investment for the additional protection. Me thinks he may be right. Me knows he is a good salesman, however.

My understanding is that ethylene glycol (antifreeze) is risky should there be a spill, if small animals are around, as it is lethal in small amounts and they are attracted by the sweet taste. Windshield washer fluid (ethanol mix) appears to be a safer option.

 

[Redbug]

I have unloaded tires on my Kubota L3830. I figured sooner or later I would puncture a tire or two and have a mess if they were loaded. I plug my own tires, (on my atv, cars, truck), and a plug would probably work on filled tires, providing you don't have inner tubes installed, though.

However...I always keep my box blade with extra weight on the 3 point, (800 lbs) or another implement attached and have wheel weights installed, (300 lbs). The combination of the two weight types works well for me and I can lift a full load all the way up in the 4in1. I keep about 40 psi in the front tires, and 8 psi in the R4 rears, (so the tire is not rounded and the whole tread lays fairly flat for max traction and wear).

Andy...That's a good tip...(The wheel weights and loading fluid are multipled by 1 and the 3 pt hitch weight is multiplied by 1.5 to account for the leverage effect). I did not know that...and thinking about it...seems absolutely correct. I know the bucket weight and cu/ft capacity and also a good estimate of the soil weight. It adds up pretty close in real life.

 

[rcowan]

Hey RedBug where did you get the wheel weights?

RC

However...I always keep my box blade with extra weight on the 3 point, (800 lbs) or another implement attached and have wheel weights installed, (300 lbs).