Anti Freeze in tires.

Grabatire · Mar 3, 2013

Does anyone have any knowledge regarding the long term effect that antifreeze may have on tractor tire tubes? Radiator and heater hoses are OK with it but may made out of different material than tubes. I'm told there are basically two types of tubes. Synthetic rubber or natural rubber, and the synthetic tubes cost much less, but I don't want to be replacing tubes in a few years, no matter what they are made of.

I put some antifreeze in a set of tires many years ago, but sold the tractor shortly after. The buyer has since put new tires and tubes on it. He said there didn't appear to be anything wrong with the old tubes, but he put new ones in and tossed the old ones.

I'm will soon be putting a new set of tires on another tractor and like the idea of antifreeze rather than calcium chloride. Antifreeze is a bit lighter than calcium but it doesn't attack the rims, and I can get a lot of used antifreeze for just taking it away.

I'm hoping someone may be able to shed a little light on the subject.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 3, 2013

DON'T use straight anti-freeze! If it leaks could kill an animal. Maybe your own pet or your neighbors. It's sweet tasting and animals will drink it. Calcium only affects rims if it leaks and you don't fix it. With new tubes you shouldn't have any problems but don't put anti-freeze in them!!! Use windshield washer fluid or RV anti-freeze if you don't like calcium.

RalphWD45 · Mar 3, 2013

It sounds like a workable idea to me, and is a lot kinder on the steel wheels. A man could always test his solution, before putting it in, for freezing point, and add a little anti freeze if needed. Most of us know how cold it gets in our area, from memory.

AScheele · Mar 3, 2013

look up a product called rim guard. Its made of sugar beets, is completely non toxic and non corrosive. We sell it at work and have more calcium than we know what to do with from replacing it with rim guard.

Tx Jim · Mar 3, 2013

Rim-guard is fairly expensive.

There's non toxic antifreeze. One doesn't nee to add enough antifreeze in tires to stop them from freezing just enough so the liquid only gets slushy. At the dealer I worked at I was instructed to put 5 gallons for an 18.4X38. I don't ever remember a tire freezing but this was TX
Green Antifreeze - Extended Life, Glycerin Based
www.orisonmarketing.com/
Non-Toxic, Biodegradable

Traditional Farmer · Mar 3, 2013

RV antifreeze is cheap and non toxic

JD Farmer · Mar 3, 2013

Yes!!
Bought a new garden tractor in 1981 and put used anti-freeze in them at the time....still own that tractor and the same Goodyear tires are on it with the same anti-freeze in them....and you do NOT need a 50-50 mixture in them....a little slush will not hurt anything and there is no airflow from going 60 mph down the road!
Have never lost any in the yard from a flat either in all those years. Same thing applies to farm tractors.

43 m · Mar 3, 2013

Heard of some using windshield washer solvent . I think the RV anti freeze would work great.

M-MAN · Mar 3, 2013

It works fine. I put 5 gallons in each of mine 13.8 x 28 years ago. I woulden't use used antifreeze though. The rust inhibiters are shot & there's too much contaminants.

David G · Mar 3, 2013

I use windshield washer fluid, local coop has it in 55 gallon barrels.

Ultradog MN · Mar 3, 2013

Old wives tale.
Animals are not attracted to antifreeze and normally will not drink it. My little rat terrier has had hundreds of opportunities to drink the stuff while I was working on a tractor and she never has.

Spook · Mar 3, 2013

I put the rimguard in. Not the cheapest, but the best.

Fordfarmer · Mar 3, 2013

Depends on the animal. Cats tend to avoid sweet things, so they usually avoid a/f. I'm surprised your dog hasn't at least sampled it when she had the chance. I know a guy who lost 5-6 cows from drinking a/f after one of them started a radiator leaking by rubbing on it. Of course cows aren't exactly smart...

Texasmark1 · Mar 3, 2013

The question obviously has to to with rubber. Rubber is what the hoses are made of on vehicles with radiators. I can remember removing lower radiator hoses on vehicles that were well over 10 years old and the belt wearout mechanism came from the outside. The inside was still pristeen.

Agree on the minimal amount of AF required for a farm tire, at least down here. I think the local farm tire dealer recommended the same rate TX. Jim mentioned. It's ok for it to get mushy as the inside of the tire/tube is smooth and it just rolls around. Plus the tire has give to it.

Mark

Ultradog MN · Mar 3, 2013

nt
read this

MSD · Mar 3, 2013

Kids had a cat that licked some up. Wasn't pretty watching her suffer from it. Finally put her down.

MSD · Mar 3, 2013

Some are suggesting windshield washer fluid. What is the main ingredient to keep it from freezing? Methanol. Why not buy 5 gals of it and put it in with water. Would be a lot cheaper than the windshield washer fluid. A 20% mix is good for -12, at least that is how cold it has been to test my mix for a geo heat system..

Grabatire · Mar 3, 2013

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all the replies very much.

Bret4207 · Mar 4, 2013

(quoted from post at 06:52:49 03/03/13) Old wives tale.
Animals are not attracted to antifreeze and normally will not drink it. My little rat terrier has had hundreds of opportunities to drink the stuff while I was working on a tractor and she never has.

I've seen them drink it and seen them die and it works on rats too. Why they drink it I don't know, but they will.

Anti Freeze in tires.

Grabatire

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AScheele

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43 m

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