Antifreeze in tires

Ultradog MN

Well-known Member
Location
Twin Cities
I know this has been discussed here before but 45 mins of searching in the archives hasn't given me a definitive answer.
(Lot of arguing though)
My question is:

What is the MINIMUM % of ethelyne glycol antifreeze to keep water ballast from freezing hard?

I need protection to about -20° (below that I'll stay in the house)
I don't mind if the fluid turns to slush. I just don't want it to freeze solid.
I'm not worried about toxicity, legality, the environment, other types of ballast or any of that so please don't go there.
I need about 120 gallons of fluid to fill both tires.
Am looking at used AF from the junk yard.
I would dilute that as needed.
Thanks
 
If you are dealing with used you are guessing in the dark anyway but I'd think cutting it half with water would make a solution that would slush and not freeze solid. The recommendations on the jug are for slush free as any slush in your radiator will cause overheating boilover problems. I would not cut the used any more than half.
 
Wouldn't used antifreeze already be diluted to what is needed for our climate, you would need 120 gallons?

Paul
 
What are they getting for it? I bought new full strength "store brand" yesterday. The darned stuff was more than $11 a gallon.
 
Thanks.
That's about what I had figured.
I thought any used stuff around here would likely be 50/50 but could check it with a tester to make sure.
 
Though I cannot give you a definitive answer to your question, it does not take much anti freeze to prevent a hard freeze.

You should be able to get by with 25% antifreeze, probably less.

You might want to do a bit of expermenting with antifreeze, water and your freezer.

Dean
 
I got around 15 gal here in Ohio you can have for FREE !!!! I'll donate to your cause.
I bet I'd have to pay to get rid of it just like that junk yard would too.
 
you should be able to get an antifreeze tester from any auto parts store for a few dollars, it would give you a good idea of the freezing point of your antifreeze/water mixture.
 
well a 50/50 mixture is good for -34f.
so i am sure a 25-30 percent mixture is still safe for your use. just check it, and -10f is good and will only be a slush at -40.
 

The only issue with used is to make sure you skim off any oil that's in it... I keep a 55 gal drum around just for tractor tires only good clean coolant goes in it... Stop by with a good plastic drum and you can have mine for FREE...
 
My Uncle ran an auto salvage yard for years, in the winter he'd pour the used antifreeze into shallow pans and let the water evaporate, once he got the proof up he'd strain it and sell it to customers, usually folks buying radiators,heater cores and water pumps. It really torqued him off when they pass environmental laws that would cause stuff he used to sell to magically become hazardous waste.
 

With the danger associated with poisoned animals, I would still prefer Calcium...
In 50 years you may (or may not) see some corrosion..
If that leaks, all it may do is kill some grass (temporarily)...
Don't make it any more complicated than it is..

Ron.
 
What ever you get from a junk yard I would test as you don't know what strength you are getting. Then dilute down to -20 deg.
 
Might I ask why.. What is the antifreeze going to do to the guy fixing the tire? Surly to hell he has sense enough not to drink the stuff. Is a little alcohol on his hands going to cause him harm?
 
Down here in N. TX. the local farm tire store puts in 6 gal per 50 gal of water. We run down to + 10 on hard winters.

HTH,
Mark
 
i just did that to my tractor tires--used an antifreeze tester to check the old used antifreeze--doesn't cost that much.
 
When the repair man shows up, he might have a big tank in the back of his truck that has the real stuff that is supposed to be in the tires. He will put the anti-freeze in that tank and if he gets mad about it, you could be billed for what was in the tank.
SDE
 

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