Fill tires with fluid or buy wheel weights?? What's best?

Eman85

Member
I installed new rims and tubes on my 2600 so now my tires are only filled with air. Previously had calcium chloride and rims were rusted. Is it better to try and find wheel weights? Are they too pricey and I'd be better off having tires filled? local tractor shops only have methanol to fill with.
 
I work in the woods, weight are probably best, but I use weights and fill the tires with waste antifreeze. Works for me.
 
with new tubes and rims you should be leak free for lotsa years barring a misadventure. I have used both but once I got into my 50's BOTH were a PITA to deal with.
 
I have been using a product often called 'beet juice' because it is made from sugar beets, and sold under the brand name of "RIM GUARD". It will not corrode metal. I have been using it since it came out in the 90's. Great stuff. Used anti-freeze may contain water, and new windshield washer fluid, to me anyway, though will work, contains water which is NOT good for metal. Calcium Chloride is a good ballast solution, but is not good for metal. In my working tires on my '48 8N, I have the rear Firestone Field & Road 11.2 x 28 tires loaded with 27 gallons each of Rim Guard and put 6.5 x 16 Firestone Guide Grip tires and 16" wheels on my front with the addition of the 2-piece wheel weights. This setup works great for me in all types of weather including plowing snow. I have never needed to put the chains on the rears but I do have set.

Tim *PloughNman* Daley(MI)
4THJUL01.jpg

Rim Guard
 

You need to figure out your needs based on what you are doing with the tractor. pie weights can be difficult to find locally and are of course prohibitively expensive to ship. Calcium Chloride by itself is not capable or doing significant damage to your rims. You have to help it by giving it air periodically so that the oxidation can continue. If you fix any leaks promptly CaCl can't hurt anything.
 
Use the calcium and be sure you keep the valve stems in good shap, not leaking and you will not have any problems.Just last year had to replace the second rim on my 44 2N that had calcium in since 46 and had seeping valve stems for years. Would not have tractor without fluid. And here only fluid a tire shop will work on with it in is calcium or rim guard, absouletely no anti freeze of any kind.
 
A tire man told me calcium if you ever have a flat the tire, rim, and tube must be completely was down and dry before remounting the tire. Any moisture left in the tire will be sealed in.
 
Use the wheel weights only when the fluid is not enough weight. They are always in the way. I have run with both for years to have enough weight for traction. I have homemade concrete weights Dad made back in 44 and we put them on and took them off every year to be able to cultivate. I needed all that weight in plowing snow. I cannot handle them by muself now to put them on but then now I also depend on the renter of the ground to do my snow plowing.
 
I prefer cast iron weights.
More expensive and harder to find but they're easily transferable from one tractor to another. I've had my inner weights on 3 or 4 different tractors since I bought them.
Also, cast iron weights are like $ in the bank. Sell them any time.
Try that with fluid.
We had 2 barrels of CaCl that we couldn't GIVE away. Finally just dumped them out.
 
Also consider what kind of work you typically use the tractor for. As is, with no ballast, they can be useless in some situations, snow or loader work if so equipped given the traction and balance offset by the loader. In some situations you may not need it, but as a general rule, these and most tractors will have traction issues without some kind of ballast. The difference is great, and I have compared this on the same tractor, no ballast, then rear weight on the 3 pt hitch, then with CACL ballast in each rear tire with the rear weight on, the latter gave the best performance.

CACL like was said, will work fine, and give the maximum weight per gallon of liquid. There are pros/cons of each, consider puncture risk in areas you will work. I regularly worked with my CACL loaded 4 ply firestone field/road tires in the woods and or brush, as well as regular tasks, but if you have vegetation with large thorns that is capable of puncture, (honey locust or similar) you may want to consider weights. They are around, the prices vary and you may have to travel or pay for shipping to obtain them.

I would agree with what was said about CACL ballast in regards to timely repairs or any maintenance. It seems you will need to change the valve cores every so many years, my 850 is due as when I pull the metal cap off the stem I have a drop of liquid, but that cap does not leak, yet. Spin them to 12 o'clock,(valve stems on tires), have a water hose ready to rinse off any CACL, change the core and wash it down with water thoroughly. I have another tractor that the previous owner allowed the valve stems to leak for a long time, so far the valve holes seem to be fine, but the surface rust on these rims in some places is substantial. I have not been able to deal with it just yet, but will before the summer, we will see what the results are. Sad, because there is plenty of time to change out a leaky valve core before the previous happens. We have a '00 NH fwa, 80 hp in size I believe, at the stable, it had new tires all the way around. It was a low hour tractor that came from a school with turf tires, it has rim guard. I may do the same if I get new rims, as it seems comparable in weight but if the old ones are repairable I'll go with CACL again. I loaded my 850 rear tires with CACL in '08 and its just now time to change the valve cores, there have been no other issues, and I did all the tire work from blasting the rim clean, painting, tube, tire and fluid. I have experienced a valve stem failure too, no different than a puncture, the fluid will rush out and you just hope that what is drained out does not kill vegetation or trees etc, that you don't want dead. Mine blew out while I was standing there in the yard, so I grabbed some pans and a garbage can to retrieve what I could. Faulty tube that leaked, and this was done by a tire service, it did ruin the valve hole in a new rim, but I was able to repair the rim. Seems you had best find the best quality tube available if possible. I worked out of town so it got past me, I should have known as the tire guy said that will stop, sometimes you get burned by hiring out, as this should never have happened, given there's been no problems with tires I've mounted and loaded myself. I get my tubes locally from GCR.
GCR
 
I disagree that the water in antifreeze is harmful to metal. What keeps it from harming millions of cars and trucks? It has inhibitors and protectants to prevent those issues. It is a few pounds lighter than saltwater, but the difference is negligible. Rim guard is probably the best, but it is very pricy. Some tire companies have changed their reccomendations on it too, I think because of the problems involved with repairing when it comes to pumping and handling.
 
if you need weight, water plus freeze treatment is the cheapest way. a little AF in the water will do it. don't have to be full strength like in an engine.

slushy is fine.. just don't want an ice cube.
 
Eman85, Do you think there is a connection between rust and an oxidizer like calcium chloride ?
 
WE use methanol 8 gal per 50 gal barrel , Oh and by the way Beet juice is mostly water too lol Antifreeze is good but cost more than the methanol
Boss
 
I have three sets of pie weights if you are looking for a set. Two small and one large. They are from the 8 bolt rear axle with the 4 1/2 inch hub.
 
NO. Good shop. The antifreeze if you get a leak is poision to everything. Menthal is fire hazard to.
 
I have a Jubilee, no fluid, no weights and see no reason why I need either. I do put chains on in winter to push snow. So why do you do that requires more weigh on rear tires?
 
I was told a few years ago to expect trouble with calcium based fluid because the manufacturers of tractor inner tubes have lowered their quality due to the prevalence of radial tires.Radials don't use fluid so the market for fluid compatable tubes is getting smaller.I know of several big operators that don't have a single loaded tire.One even put radials on a Massey 135.
 
I you dont drive the tractor when its below freezing,,, water will do just fine. You cant fully fill the tires so there is room for expansion... Or antifreeze, or beet juice.... Most folks use liquid ballast first as its faster...... And can be adjusted to the amount of weight needed... if you do snow removal........
 

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