Ballast Water in tires

[chiefcook]

Is it safe if water freezes in tires if tractor is not moved until it thaws?

 

[theg]

I am in Texas and tires have water with mix of slime in them, not intentional. I致e yet to have tires freez. Wish I could answer with experience.

 

[mddorange]

The dealer said that my tires were filled with a solution that would not freeze down to -30 degrees. It never gets that cold here.

 

[radios1]

Is it safe if water freezes in tires if tractor is not moved until it thaws?

water will rust out your rims!. as far as water freezing, it depends on how much water is in the tires, if there is enough room for expansion, then nothing will be damaged, except for the rusting out rims..

 

[CobyRupert]

I would guess it's safe.
The usual danger of freezing water is that it expands and this expansion can exert a tremendous force. When in a closed pipe, this expansion force is enough to split the pipe or whatever weak spot is in the system. (Why you should let a faucet drip if its in danger of freezing. Well, that and the water is moving )
I would think that in a tire, that has enough air above the liquid/ice (assume <3/4 of the tire is filled), that just before freezing the water gets more dense and the tire pressure goes down, then when it turns to ice it expands (up to 9%) and the tire pressure goes up.
Because the pressure decreases before it goes back up I don't know if the pressure would be any higher than (say) an 80 degree day. Others may know.

 

[oosik]

Just a passing thought........ If there was not the possibility of the "water in tires" causing damage - - then why do all of us in the northern climes use some type of anti-freeze if we fill our tires.

 

[the old grind]

I'd expect freezing water to stress a tire 'locally' and damage the carcass, but not by imagined 'overpressure'.

That said, we in the North may prefer 'Rim Guard', but at a cost only of some density/weight no one had ever made a good case against windshield washer fluid as insurance in climates where freezing conditions are rare.

 

[radios1]

Just a passing thought........ If there was not the possibility of the "water in tires" causing damage - - then why do all of us in the northern climes use some type of anti-freeze if we fill our tires.

2 reasons, it's not water, which rusts your rims, and you can use your tractor in freezing cold weather without cracking your tires..

 

[oosik]

I would guess that if I had to - I could use something other than Rim Guard. However - the added weight over some other type of antifreeze is cheap ballast.

 

[radios1]

I would guess that if I had to - I could use something other than Rim Guard. However - the added weight over some other type of antifreeze is cheap ballast.

just don't use oil, it can soften and dissolve rubber and plastic..

 

[Gary Fowler]

water will rust out your rims!. as far as water freezing, it depends on how much water is in the tires, if there is enough room for expansion, then nothing will be damaged, except for the rusting out rims..

My Dad put straight water in all his tractor tires from the 1940s 8N to the 1970's Ford 9000. None ever had any rust at all on the rims. The tires are all filled (including my LS P7010) with water above the rim so the only oxygen available to rust is what is in the water. Tire rims are painted with good enamel paint inside and out so there is little to no possibility of rusting on the inside.

I think you likely confused the filling of tire with calcium chloride vs water with regard to rust.

As to the OP question, as long as you don't move the tractor when the tires are frozen, there is no chance of damage. Mine have been frozen every winter since I bought the tractor in 2010 and there is no damage. As long as you don't need the tractor during the winter when the water is frozen, water is cheap ballast and doesn't harm anything.

 

[SPYDERLK]

My Dad put straight water in all his tractor tires from the 1940s 8N to the 1970's Ford 9000. None ever had any rust at all on the rims. The tires are all filled (including my LS P7010) with water above the rim so the only oxygen available to rust is what is in the water. Tire rims are painted with good enamel paint inside and out so there is little to no possibility of rusting on the inside.

I think you likely confused the filling of tire with calcium chloride vs water with regard to rust.

As to the OP question, as long as you don't move the tractor when the tires are frozen, there is no chance of damage. Mine have been frozen every winter since I bought the tractor in 2010 and there is no damage. As long as you don't need the tractor during the winter when the water is frozen, water is cheap ballast and doesn't harm anything.

. . . And it is safe and easy to change the amt of ballast you carry.

I typically carry about a ton of water in the AGs of my 7520.​

 

[Texasmark]

I know this, fluid in tires running very low air pressure to obtain a soft ride doesn't work. I had to go with cast iron wheel weights and forgo the solution.

 

[chiefcook]

Thanks for all the answers. The tractor won't be moved if tires are frozen.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I know this, fluid in tires running very low air pressure to obtain a soft ride doesn't work. I had to go with cast iron wheel weights and forgo the solution.

I have all 4 AGs on the 7520 about 90% full and it rides pretty well except when I pump the fronts up to 30psi for heavy loader work.

 

[orezok]

I run water in my tires, but to be on the safe side I added a couple cans of water pump lube with anti corrosion. Safe for both steel and rubber.

 

[Deere Dude]

Is it safe if water freezes in tires if tractor is not moved until it thaws?

In Ark I wouldn't worry about water rusting the rims or hurting the tires, but I would be concerned about busting a valve stem from freezing.

 

[the old grind]

No prob with that here in MI, guys.

In cold weather we park our tractors with the valve stems up.

 

[Deere Dude]

No prob with that here in MI, guys.

In cold weather we park our tractors with the valve stems up.

I see a little BS coming my way.

 

[kthompson]

chiefcook, I live near Myrtle Beach SC. We normally don't get below say 25 degrees F, but will drop mid teens. Farming here few years ago was mostly totally not cold weather work and many tractors had water only in the tires. Never heard of it being any issue. Now tires were standard bias belted ag tires and they flex right easy.