Filling Tractor Tires

[Plumcrazzy]

Wanting to know what you guys think would be the best liquid ballast fill for my tractor tires. Tractor is always parked inside so I am not overly concerned about freezing. Water/antifreeze mix? Windshield washer fluid? Water/isopropy/alcohol mix? Should there be a corrosion inhibitor as well? Any other thoughts? I do know to stay away from Calcium.

[Racer57]

Wanting to know what you guys think would be the best liquid ballast fill for my tractor tires. Tractor is always parked inside so I am not overly concerned about freezing. Water/antifreeze mix? Windshield washer fluid? Water/isopropy/alcohol mix? Should there be a corrosion inhibitor as well? Any other thoughts? I do know to stay away from Calcium.

I farm so I know exactly what your talking about. I suggest contacting the local tire shop. John Deere, Case, etc and ask them. They would tell you the best place to get it and do it. Through the years we have finally got rid of every tractor with bias tires except for one 1976 JD that still has calcium in it. The rest are now radials.

[jimynick]

What's the problem with calcium chloride? 

[blown motor]

It's acidic. Eventually you'll have rim problems.

[Plumcrazzy]

Actually, I am wanting to do this myself in my shop. Anybody else?

[Racer57]

Actually, I am wanting to do this myself in my shop. Anybody else?

I think the tire needs to be at somewhere from 1/4 - 1/3 full. You'll need a pump that will pull out all air, then allow fluid to go in.

[cuda hunter]

What are you trying to accomplish?

The farmers I know use calcium chloride for weight. 

[WhiskeyRebel]

My tractor tires are filled with beet juice.  My local tractor place does this.  Suppposedly not corrosive, doesnt freeze,  and you dont have to call an OSHA SWAT team if you spring a leak.  Just remember its in there when you go to check the tire pressure    I know first hand it will gum up your tire guage.   

Not sure if this is the brand they use but I found this link:
https://www.rimguardsolutions.com/beet-juice-is-better/why-its-better/

[blown motor]

Actually, I am wanting to do this myself in my shop. Anybody else?

I think the tire needs to be at somewhere from 1/4 - 1/3 full. You'll need a pump that will pull out all air, then allow fluid to go in.

I think we always filled to just over the top of the rim.

[captcolour]

Yep, beet juice.  And then make sure the valve stem is at the top if you need to check air pressure.

[Plumcrazzy]

Finished the job today. 25% automotive anti-freeze 75% water. Jacked up the rear. Removed valve cap. Removed core. Bled all pressure. Rolled valve stem to 12 o"clock. Filled a five gallon bucket with the mixture. Used a fountain pump I had laying around (110v). Submerged the pump in the mixture. Used a piece of tygon tubing from the pump to the valve stem. Plugged in the pump. Started filling. Did service on my chain saw, log splitter, 4-wheeler, etc. Went to the pump about every 20 minutes--shut off the pump..pulled the tubing off the stem to bleed the air--back to pumping. Rolled the tire until fluid ran out around 2 o'clock. Done.

[jimynick]

It's acidic. Eventually you'll have rim problems.

I don't think it's acidic Murray. If anything, it should be a base and caustic? I remember helping out in my friend's dad's farm equipment shop and we'd pump that stuff for hours. Never drank any though! 

[blown motor]

Ya it could be a base. Either way it's not neutral.

[meoschmaslam]

I am not a big specialist who can tell you a lot of information about tractors, especially about tires. But I know that my grandfather has two D-15 tractors that are still working very good for it's years. So I think, if you keep it parked inside, you shouldn't have problems like you enumerated about the tires. Mostly, it happens when you keep them outside and it's all about the weather. Grandpa said he doesn't need to change anything in his tractors, besides attachments, because the older ones are non functional. I think we should buy one of those models https://www.growgardener.com/top-5-best-tractor-snow-blower-combination-reviews/.

[Fishzhil]

Hello, it will be better to use recommended liquid, I suggest you open the car owner manual, and find an answer to your question there. Yeah, you can use water, or a special liquid that doesn't free, it doesn't matter, but I don't work at John Deer and I can't give you a proper answer, that is why I recommend you to contact some guys from the official dealership. Also, you can find someone to help you on https://www.equipmentradar.com. They also have a lot of good specialists working at their dealership.