Putting water in the rear tires for weight

Old Ag
41 9N

In my old "tire busting" days, I learned the best way to move a wet tire, was to pump out the fluid first. If you have a pump fixed up and a place to go with the liquid, it is very fast and easy. And you do not have the mess of trying to drain the liquid into a pan.

There is a water filler adapter kit sold at most large tire handling places that is for filling tires on tractors. Get one!
Turn the wheel till the valve stem is at the top of the rim.
Attach the garden hose to the valve stem using one of the adapters in the kit that will fit the valve stem and turn on the water. When the tire begins to look like it is about inflated and you can still hear the water hitting the inside of the tire you should turn off the water at the spigot and let out the air again. You will have to do this about 3 times to let enough air out to allow the water to go in. When it sounds like the valve stem is under water and you can no longer hear it going in you can stop and take the adaper off the valve stem and replace the valve stem part. Be ready to take a bath while you are trying to get the valve stem back in. If you loose too much pressure you can inflate it with air but if you are good enough you can actually inflate it with the water pressure.

I know that this doesn't seem like enough antifreeze but it is enough to keep it from freezing at close to O deg.

I live in Alabama and it might be a good idea to use at least two gallons in each tire up North where it stays below freezing for days on end.

I too would never never never use calcium chloride or salt in a tire. They both will ruin the rim. The calcium in the tire does not significantly add to the weitht of the water either.

I use a plastic 50 gallon barrel from a car wash to mix the anit-freeze in. (they love to give them away) There is no need to mix the solution 50/50. That would be too expensive. I live in Amarillo, Texas. It never gets below -10 degrees, so I mix the solution for -10 degrees. If you live up north, you should mix it stronger.

To pump the solution into the tires, I use the oil pump from a 350 chevy engine. I cut a small 1/8" plate to size, seal it with silcone, and bolt it to the open end of the pump. I braze 1/2" NPT female swivel hydraulic connections to the suction and pressure ports of the pump. I use a 1/4" pipe, with a pin through the end to extend the drive shaft of the pump. I use my electric drill to power the pump.

To convey the fluid from the barrel to the tire, I use 1/2" hydraulic hose. To attach the 1/2" pressure hose to the tire valve stems, I use the hose end off a bicyle hand pump. You have to reduce from 1/2" NPT to 1/8" NPT to attach the fitting. I am sure there are other ways to devise homemade pumps. You just need a strong enough pump pressure to overcome the tire pressure as you pump the solution into the tire.

Before removing the air from the tire, you should jack up the wheels, and block them up for safety. Don't *EVER* use cinder blocks or bricks to block up heavy equipment. They will break with out warning. Only use large wood blocks or jack stands.

To remove the air from the tire, I use a device that can be obtained at any tire store or farm store, You attach it to the valve stem and use your air compressor to suck the air out of the tire. If the seal is too great on your tractor tire, your tire will start to cave in. It is best to break the seal by seperating the tire bead from the rim. That way, only air from the tube is removed.

To prime the pump, I attach a garden hose to the suction end to pressure water into the pump and pressure hose. I turn on the drill to make sure the pump is turning the right direction. Then, I remove the garden hose and place the suction hose into the barrel of solution. I attach the pressure hose to the tire's valve stem. At that point, I am ready to start the drill and fill the tire.

My NAA holds 25 gallon of fluid in each tire. Be sure not to fill the tire completely up. You want it to flex as you go over bumps. If you put the tire's valve stem at the 12:00 position, and fill the tire until fluid is just coming out the valve stem, that will be just right. You want each tire to have the identical weight, otherwise, the lighter tire will always lose traction under load and it will wear out quicker. Having the valve stem at the 12:00 positon is the perfect way to measure the fluid and to get the exact amount of weight in each tire. The water/anti-freeze solution weighs 7.3 pounds per gallon. So if each tire takes 25 gallons of fluid, your total weight will be 365 pounds.

You will be amazed at how the extra weight will make your tractor pull more. A side benefit is that your tractor's tires will last longer because they are not constantly spinning under a load. Hope this is helpful.

Roland Jackson

Usually, tires are filled about 1/2 to 2/3 full (about rim high on the tractor). This will be about 300# per tire additional weight, depending upon any "anti-freeze" that you must put in (unless you are in Fla) Its really not too critical except in certain exacting situations where you will get the light tire to spin before the other.

Some use "re-cycled" automobile anti-freeze, some use new anti-freeze. Automobile anti-freeze will not "rot" your rubber innertube nor if it leaks, will it "eat" your metal rims like the 1940's recommended calcium chloride. Myself, I would NOT EVER use calcium chloride. ..... ..Dell

Someday I will replace the tires, but that may be a couple years out and I need something to give me the traction that fluid gives me on snow and dirt. And I don't have chains.

Just curious how bad this really is. Brent

Thanks
Steve

Also, you can have the ride of your life if you put your tractor in road gear with frozen liquid in the tires. I speak from experience. I haul my tractor to Kansas a lot and it gets colder there than in Texas. That is why I make sure there is plenty of anti-freeze in my tires. For $10 extra dollars, I can rest easy knowing that I will not have to fix a wet tire.