Calcium Chloride in tires or not

Bookman

Member
I have a Farmall 340 with a loader on it. I noticed it has a slow lead in the right rear tire. It has calcium chloride in it but no liquid leaking that I see. A few years ago I had a leak in a Super H rear tire and I did not notice it until too late and the calcium chloride ruined the rim. So, I had the liquid taken out of the rear tires of that tractor. What is the down and up side of taking the calcium chloride out of Farmall 340 loader tractor. It is just a light duty tractor now, and I do have a set of wheel weights on it. I probably have to get the calcium chloride drained to fix the air leak anyway. Thanks in advance
 
I got a 340, with a loader, the wheels were starting to rust a little also, so i took my fluid out, got the rims back in shape,it's got three sets of wheel weights, but also made a weight that goes on the two point, if i need additional weight! But for some real lifting i got a M with a Farmhand F-10.
 
With a LOADER YOU NEED to have some sort of weight or you loose traction pretty fast. Now days I use wiper fluid winter grade for fluid instead of CACL I also on all my loader tractor have something on the 3 point if they have 3 point that is and a lot of weight on what ever I have on the 3 point. One example is my 841S Ford and I keep a back blade on it with 6 85lbs suit case weights and a 150 wheel weight on the center link area of the blade plus have the tires full of fluid but I use it to move my 6X6 round bales which are very heavy
 
gonna be like an oil topic here be yes and no's.
a loader tractor is useless with out fluid in rear tires, so depends what u are doing with it. myself would not be with out fluid , weights alone are not enough. most leaks come from neglecting the valve stem. for $5.00 you can put in new stems. just have the valve at top of tire and go to it. did lots like that. you say its leaking air ,but should be showing moisture also. but till you know where leak is, hard to give info. i know i have a tractor with leaking stems and i park with the stems to the top till i get to it. and yes if tire needs a repair, fluid has to come out. job for tire shop as you can spend a day fooling around and they can do it in an hr.
 
i still run calcium in most of my tractors. i clean and sandblast the inside of the rims, put 2 to 3 coats of por-15 rust conversion primer on the insides, a new tube and pump em full of calcium. if you do get a leak, the chloride will not affect the por -15. the stuff is tough as nails. i run 5 lb per gallon calcium.
 
Thanks to all. Yep, looks like I need to keep the calcium chloride....and get the leak fixed asap.
 
Calcium chloride has several advantages, it is cheap, it adds a lot weight probably 500 to 600 lbs in your case per tire, it puts the weight directly thru the tire to the ground rather than the axle and it lowers the center of gravity as most of weight is below the axle. One thing I read is that it's not recommended for radial tires. Anyone have any experience with radials and fluid in tires?
 
I'd get rid of the fluid. You don't say what size tires you have, probably an 11.2x36, maybe 12.4x36. A 12.4x38 has 500# of CaCl, so your 340 has less than that probably 400 to 450 lb. I'd drain the fluid, have to replace the inner tubes to do it right. And put 2-3 pair of wheel weights on. I did that on the 12.4x38's on my Super H 5-6 years ago. I already had 2 pair of weights on, removing the fluid was a noticable loss of traction but when I put my tire chains on I get it ALL back and then some.

I had a slow leak on the original factory installed inner tubes from a patch installed before we bought the tractor in May 1968. It did a lot of rusting of the rim you could not see. I was lucky to save them.

My other loader tractor, a '51 M Dad bought brand new in December '51, never had fluid, always was the loader tractor, normally had 2 pair of wheel weights. Rims on it look brand new after over 67 years. So YES, you really do NOT need CaCl fluid on a loader tractor.
 
I don't agree with making general statements like that. Whether you need the weight or not depends on the tractor, the loader, and what you do with it.

An M with a lightweight loader that doesn't do any heavy lifting for example, probably doesn't need any fluid in the tires. A 340 Utility with a heavy 2000 loader and swept back front axle that's used to move round bales definitely needs the weight.
 
In snow or frozen ground you do need all the weight you can get to the ground on the rear if you plan on moving a bale with an M, or any other small tractor. it just dont work.
 
First thing I do if I get a tractor is get rid of the calcium if the tires are loaded with it. By the time you see a leak it has already started eating the rim, and around here the tire dealers will not mount any tires on rims which show pitting from calcium.
 
You don't have to drain the liquid. Park tractor with valve on top: put jack under axle: screw old core out and screw new one in. They are about $2.50 now at say tractor supply. Add air, remove jack. Good for about 18 years.
 
The calcium chloride in those tires is gold if it is a loader tractor or if you farm steep ground. You have to let an old core leak a long time to have any rim damage.
 
I checked with a local tire store here in Kearney, Nebraska (Garretts). They gave me the same advice, plus they gave me two new valves. Nice guys!! They did add, stay out of the way of the valve when you loosen it at the top in case there is any liquid still in it, otherwise you will get sprayed, and keep it offer you leather boots. Thanks
 
Yes , we run cal in the 1066 and in the 806 . Only way to get enough weight to the ground . To get that amount of qweight with iron would be to have wheel weights sticking out way past the tires plus weights on the inside of the wheel as well. Both tractors have the Firestone radials
 
(quoted from post at 07:45:00 03/09/18) Yes , we run cal in the 1066 and in the 806 . Only way to get enough weight to the ground . To get that amount of qweight with iron would be to have wheel weights sticking out way past the tires plus weights on the inside of the wheel as well. Both tractors have the Firestone radials
hanks Tractor Vet for the data on running fluid in radial tires. In the real world people put fluid in radial tires. The reason given for not filling radial tires with fluid sounded like some pointy head's idea. If you want traction you have to put the weight to the bottom tread.
 
Replaced the valve stem as you suggested. Three days later the tire is still doing fine. Of course, it could be a very slow leak, but sometimes the easiest and cheapest solution does work. Thanks
 
Did you replace the outer stem or just the core?? I have found the cores tend to go bad after a year or so, so I keep extras on hand
 
It is also a good idea if you have not done this already wash the area off really good with water and even better soap and water. That CACL every time it get a little damp will make it rust the rims in that area if not cleaned off
 

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