Tire loading

JohnMiller3 · Dec 26, 2002

… Have you seen any rusted rims from windshield washer fluid?...

Hi Tom,

Just about every tractor I’ve had has been Calcium Chloride filled as being the most common, economical here in the Northeast… (vs. foam filled is 2nd ~ $1. lb.)

I didn’t know about windshield washer fluid being used until a buddy had his unit done in the mid ‘90’s and that was from a tire outfit about 100 miles south of here… locally the tire guys stick with the proven and time tested Calc. Chloride… in fact a couple of them looked at me as if I had three heads… when I asked if they could use windshield washer fluid instead… and the funny thing is these are very big tire outfits that do lots of ag stuff… in fact the rimguard/beet juice is relatively unknown in my area…

So… to answer your question on rusted rims from ww fluid… I really don’t believe it’s been “time tested” long enough to have any results one way or the other… I just recently filled all four of my tires on my JD with ww fluid without tubes… so ask your question in another 10 or 15 years… and maybe we’ll be able to give you a “real life” answer then… /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Mrwurm · Dec 26, 2002

I got my tires filled with RimGuard. I have a TC30 with turf tires 13.6x16 . Cost me $150. According to the dealer, RimGuard is non-corrosive, heavier than calciulm chloride, will not freeze, natural beet direvitive, and non-toxic. He said you could even drink it (I did'nt try).

markie61 · Dec 26, 2002

...natural beet direvitive, and non-toxic. He said you could even drink it (I did'nt try). 

Maybe with a shot of Stolychina or Smirnoff..../w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

Mark

TOMLESCOEQUIP · Dec 26, 2002

Talked to a local goodyear dealer about the windshield fluid fill...He said alot of people are using it in the smaller tractors without tubes and He's seen no problems so far.....He did say that if I brought the ww fluid and the tractor to his shop that he would fill the tires for me for $20.00 each......An FYI for those who may not want to do it themselves........Tom

MarkStewart · Jan 18, 2003

How are tires filled? Is it something I could do myself? I assume that I would need a special valve or something. If so, is it difficult? Thanks.

NY_Yankees_Fan · Jan 18, 2003

Mark,

To fill the tires do the following:

1. By a pump that connects to a drill, about $6.00 at HomeDepot
2. Go to the autostore or tractor store and get a valve for the filling tire with liquid. It screws onto the valve stem, and has a garden hose connection on it, about $6.
3. Connect the gareden hose to the pump, and from the pump into a 5 gallon bucket.
4. Pour the windshield washer fluid or what ever your choice of fluid is into the 5 gallon bucket.
5. Turn on the pump via the drill and fill the tire.
6. Keep the valve steam at the 12 o clock postion when filling.
7. Stop after the first 5 gallon and let the air out of the tire, the pump put in.
8. Repeat until the tire is filled about 75%, remove the valve steam keeping the tire at 12 o’clock. When you do not get fluid out, the tire has enough.
9. Put in about 10-15 psi of air into the tire.

I filled about 10 gallons into a tire in about 15 minutes using this method, also you need to remove the valve assembly, and then repalce when done and put air in the tire. You may also want to jack the tractor up to take the weight off the tire if you do not remove the tire from the tractor.

Good luck

Tom

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Anonymous Poster · Jan 19, 2003

I've never filled tires myself so can't comment on the ease of filling. I did notice that "Gemplers" 2003 Master Catalog has a section on tires, specifically, a page of information and supplies headed "everything you need to put liquid ballast in your tires". See also www.gemplers.com

Anonymous Poster · Mar 21, 2003

I am new to this tractor stuff and have a couple of questions about this subject. I recently bought a Mahindra 5500(54 eng. hp).
What are the benefits to using liquid in the rear tires?
Front tires?
What are the disadvantages? (Rear?, Front?)
Just how much benefit do you get for the risk of rim damage?
What about using regular antifreeze (Prestone, Zerex, etc) or the new environmentally safe antifreeze in place of CaCl or WW?
A farmer friend recommended the antifreeze idea but said they use tubes because the anti. will eventually attack the rubber - tubes cheaper than tires - BUT there are rubber hoses in vehicle cooling systems. COMMENTS please.
Thank You for your input
4570Forever

Casimir · Mar 21, 2003

4570:

Briefly, advantages to filling the rear tires:
More weight, hence better traction;
Counterbalances the weight in a FEL or front-mounted implement, such as a snow blower;
May provide better stability on slopes (I still don't like to exceed 15% side slopes, anyway).

Disadvantages:
More weight, which could leave deeper tracks in your lawn, or ?
If you get a leak, the liquid could kill vegetation or pets, if it is ethelyene glycol antifreeze (the environmentally safe antifreeze is better in this instance);
CaCl is corrosive, so wheels may rust out;
Also, leaks or punctures may be more difficult to repair.

Front tires:
May help to counterbalance rear implements, otherwise????

Foam filled tires virtually elimnate flats, but are much more expensive.

I have windshield washer fluid in my rear turfs, which allows me to use a FEL without additional rear weights, and I don't notice that much more problem with damaging the lawn. If I buy new, though, I will probably go for foam, because I hate repairing punctured tractor tires. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Anonymous Poster · Mar 21, 2003

I forgot to mention: no FEL could afford it - maybe later.
Operation is small farm (40 A) w/horses, tracks shouldn't be a major problem.
All implements are rear attach.
Same farmer friend warned that liquid in front tires could be a problem due to higher rotational speed causing "balance" problems.
Tractor included 6 front weights (?lbs), and 2 wheel weights on each rear wheel (?lbs).
How much weight would the liquid add to 14.9 X 28 tires? 7:50 X 16 tires?
I really appreciate all the info I am getting from TractorByNet form respondents.
Thanks
4570Forever

Casimir · Mar 21, 2003

4570Forever: (Is that your address or a black powder rifle caliber?)

I can't help you directly with how much weight the liquid would add, but if you do a search for "loading tires" or "filling tires," I am sure you will find a lot of information. I seem to remember at least one thread where someone posted the weights for various tire fillers - liquid and foam.

With horses and 40 acres, I don't know how you get by without a FEL. We have 19 acres and 2 to 4 horses, and the FEL is the most useful implement I have (other than the wife - they're her horses /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif).

NY_Yankees_Fan · Mar 22, 2003

Try this site for info on weight of tire

web page

then go to Techniacal Info then to Tractor Tire Liquid Ballasting

example

size 14.9-28 - 53 gallons = 442 pounds

Hope this helps /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Anonymous Poster · Mar 23, 2003

I used my 12volt pump off my atv sprayer. Worked great. I got used antifreeze for free from a local dealer. I dont think glycol will hurt your tubes or tires. It's in your engine.

5030 · Mar 23, 2003

99% of you guys don't farm. We do. We don't load tires on tillage tractors, we just put on duals. I could go into the pro's and con's of filling tires and the ratio of compaction verses filled and unfilled but you guys are not row cropping so it's not germane.

My opinion as a farmer, forage grower is this:
I don't like filled tires. I would put on external weights. Most of you will probably use your tractors to mow lawns and filled tires will leave a footprint. I have read pro's and con's of using calcium chloride and I will tell you that it is corrosive and tubes must be used. Most tractors today have tubeless tires. By the time you install a tube and the filling stem, you could have put on external weights. The external weights give you the option of reducing the wight of the tractor if conditions require it. Loading tires will not.
I also presume that 99% of you people have small tractors. Let me state this: A larger tractor tire that is loaded will be so heavy, that if you dismount it and it is not kept in a vertical position, you will probably need a hoist to pick it back up, or risk getting a hernia.

Daryl
Forage Services, L.P.

Phred · Mar 23, 2003

Daryl,

I agree.
Mine are not filled for two reasons. 1) a 16x32 filled with liquid would be he&* to change to say the least.
2) Thorns. If I filled the tires I would end up with lots of flats. See reason number 1.

Guys be careful with the antifreeze. Ethylene glycol is posion. The very bad news is it's sweat tasting so animals love it. Get a flat and your dog as well as any wild life or stock is in trouble.

Fred

Anonymous Poster · Mar 23, 2003

HI,

If one were sure that he wanted to fill his tires, another option is to foam fill them.

They will still be heavy, but they will NEVER leak and punctures can be forgetten about. My fronts are foam filled and should I get punctures on the rear I might just replace the ww fluid that I have in them with foam.

Now my B2910 is not that big...so it would not be THAT expensive to foam fill the rears [about $500 for the pair].

I agree...I would hate to deal with a large filled tire if it fell on its side. ESPECIALLY if I happend to find part of me under it !

Bird · Mar 23, 2003

( A larger tractor tire that is loaded will be so heavy )

Now that's a fact. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Several years ago a neighbor had a punctured rear tire on his 85hp Oliver. The tractor was over 20 years old when he bought it and he didn't know it had calcium in the tires until he punctured one. We took it off together, and I loaded it into a trailer for him with the FEL on my B7100. No way the B7100 FEL was going to pick it completely up, but with a little careful maneuvering, I half lifted and half rolled and slid it onto the trailer for him to take to town and get it repaired. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Anonymous Poster · Mar 23, 2003

If you want to fill tires for weight, use the cal cloride or the beet juice. They are heavier than water. Antifreeze, washer fluid, or the like are very bad for the enviornment & living beings, and are lighter than water. Also there is heck to pay if you contaminate good CC with some of that other stuff. My tire changer would _not be happy about it.

As a farmer, most 85 hp utility tractors need the fluid all the way around. The big tillage tractors don't, but they need to be properly balanced front to rear.

You do not need tubes for CC. My '77 tractor doesn't have tubes, and has had CC in all 4 from the dealer. You need oxygen to make the rust.

I realize there are many opinions on this, just offering mine. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

--->Paul

Anonymous Poster · Mar 23, 2003

I've read several discussions in this and other sites about tire fill. No advocates been heard from on this exotic fluid: pure water.
At 8.33 lbs/gal, it supplies a lot of weight. Do you really need to add CaCl2, various alcohols, or sugar to bump the weight up even more? No more discussion of rust, environmental, poisoning, etc. At 75% fill of a large R1 or R4 rear tire, you're looking at several hundred lbs. More than most users need (take 3050's advise on the down-side of fixing a filled tire).
Did try CaCl2 on a JD345, and hated the oozing of rusty water out of one of the tires. Today, I use 2x110 wheel weights on both sides, plus a heavy 3ph implement, when I want to load up the FEL.
jim

markie61 · Mar 24, 2003

( No advocates been heard from on this exotic fluid: pure water. )

I think the reason most of us from north Georgia on up use an additive to water is the freezing point of water is 32 degrees. If it freezes, the liquid wont stay below the axle and will throw the tractor off balance.

Mark