Ballast Two valve stems per tire

davrow · Jun 23, 2015

I'm going to fill my tires, just bought the adapter tool (don't have it yet... Amazon)

Most of the posts I've read over time and just now doing a search mention having to bleed air. The tool wants you to stop pumping to bleed... seems like a waste of time.

How bad to the rim/tire would it be to install a second valve (tubeless, of course) so you could fill (or drain) through one while the other acts as the air bleed? They would have to be close together so always having one at a more convenient position for normal airing up wouldn't be possible.

I realize this would double your chances of knocking a valve stem off by hitting a branch or something, also of getting a valve stem air leak. What other pros or cons might there be?

What are your thoughts?

SandburRanch · Jun 23, 2015

With 2 stems gravity has always worked well.

sleepybozo · Jun 23, 2015

I've considered doing this. The valve stems could be directly across from each other, you'd just need a piece of tubing long enough to raise a funnel above the upper one, then just pour the fluid in. The tractor would have to be jacked up enough to take the weight off the tire, just high enough so the tire still touches the ground to take the weight of the fluid off the bead. I haven't come up with a downside, other than having to break the bead to put the new valve stem in. You'd want short valve stems, of course. I'm considering swapping the tires to the opposite sides to widen the stance, so I could even install the new valve stem on the other side of the rim so there would always be one on the outside. Two valve stems would also make it easier to drain most of the fluid, if necessary.

I haven't come up with any cons, except the task of doing it, which isn't that big a deal, and you only have to do it once per rim, as opposed to getting a pump, gathering the required hose and container for the fluid. And by making the filling and draining easier, you could, for instance, fill the tires in the fall for traction in snow, then easily drain it for summertime mowing, if desired. I haven't actually done it yet because I figure there must be a downside that I haven't thought of, or somebody would already be doing it.

whis · Jun 23, 2015

might be hard to get valve stem to seal, if you notice the wheel has a flat spot were the stem is

davrow · Jun 24, 2015

It was pointed out to me that the effort of installing a second stem would, most likely, far exceed the benefit of having one. Unless, as mentioned by sleepybozo you have a need to fill/empty seasonally.

Mostly I was disregarding the installation and considering this a thought exercise. I anticipate only filling once for a decade or two, so I personally am not going to the trouble of installing a second stem. But I think it might be nice if that were an option when buying tractor rims.

CJONE · Jun 24, 2015

Why would you use a valve stem? Just drill and tap a 1/8" hole across from the valve stem, fill to the hole in the top of the rim and put the pipe plug in it. CJ

davrow · Jun 24, 2015

CJONE said:
Why would you use a valve stem? Just drill and tap a 1/8" hole across from the valve stem, fill to the hole in the top of the rim and put the pipe plug in it. CJ

Actually that sounds like a really good idea. I hadn't thought far enough to consider alternatives to the valve stem. Well done.

prs · Jun 25, 2015

My most recent tractor has a Schrader valve on both sides of each wheel. The intent was to allow duals to be mounted rear and or front without blocking access. Sure made ballast filling easy-peasy.

prs

CJONE · Jun 26, 2015

davrow said:
Actually that sounds like a really good idea. I hadn't thought far enough to consider alternatives to the valve stem. Well done.

If I remember right almost all tap sets come with a 1/8" NPT tap so they are very common. Anyway with a little air in the rim/tire it will keep all the shavings out of it also. CJ