Why not sugar for ballast instead of salt?

[jda196162]

Beet juice is all the rage but it's expensive. Salt is cheap but corrosive. Why not sugar? I doubt there's anything unique about beets that makes their juice "special", more likely it's just the high sugar content. You can dissolve more sugar per gallon than salt so you'd get more weight per tire. Sugar is a little more money than salt but still cheap. Freezing point may not be as good as salt water but it doesn't cold enough in PA to worry about that.

Thanks
Dave

not cold in pa? really? just put windshield washer fluid in tires, easy to get, cheap, easy to put in tire.

 

[Oaktree]

I just finished loading mine Saturday morning; CK2610; R14s; 1 gal of -20 de-icer per tire ($2.79/gal) and rest water; funnel and hose method for windshield de-icer and garden hose, and 'burping' for water. Total cost; just over $20, with water fill adapter and de-icer. No pumps, nothing else; 1h15m start to finish on both tires.

No idea on freeze protection of 1 gal of -20F to 12 gal H20; but my assumption is, it's got to be atleast a few degrees lower than H20.

Tried one of those gadgets you referenced to fill the rear tires on a rider mower maybe 10 years ago. Took forever, not sure how you were able to do 2 tractor tires in just over an hour. Then again, I was putting 100% washer fluid in mine (pouring from jugs) since we get below-zero temperatures here and the mower is stored in an unheated shelter.

Decided it wasn't worth the hassle on the next mower.

 

[paulsharvey]

Tried one of those gadgets you referenced to fill the rear tires on a rider mower maybe 10 years ago. Took forever, not sure how you were able to do 2 tractor tires in just over an hour. Then again, I was putting 100% washer fluid in mine (pouring from jugs) since we get below-zero temperatures here and the mower is stored in an unheated shelter.

Decided it wasn't worth the hassle on the next mower.

It didn't take long after I was done pouring/funneling the de-icer; because after than, it's just a garden hose on a hose bibs, with several stops to bleed air off.