Liquid Filling Tractor Tires

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brendonv

brendonv

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Anyone know how to cheaply fill tractor tires with washer fluid for weight? I was going to fab up a bracket for weight on my tractor, but am kinda against it as I heard long term can crack axle tubes and such.

One method I heard was just opening up a hole in the bead, and pour it in.

Any thoughts, recommendations?
 
I would imagine you would remove the core inside the valve stem, attach a hose and then use gravity to fill it up?
 
You can siphon it in, but you need a vent to let the air out. A straw that comes with carb cleaner, pb etc. works. Just stick it through the siphon hose at an angle, going in through the valve stem on the tire. My son came up with that idea.
 
When we used to do it years ago, we'd turn the wheel so the valve is at the top, jack the tractor and pull the valve core out.

Then simply attach a hose pipe and let it fill for a few minutes then pull it off to allow the pressure to drop, then repeat. Takes about 4 goes to fill with water to the valve height, then refit valve and blow up to pressure with compressor.
 
There is a suitable additive but cant remember the name of it now.

Problem with antifreeze is it can deteriorate the rubber. Not advisable to leave in there permanently but may be ok over winter.
 
How is tire rubber different from radiator hose rubber? Both hold pressure under extreme temperature swings. Hoses can get soft after many years but that's probably from the heat more so than the antifreeze. I do not believe that antifreeze would degrade the tires.
 
Not sure Brian, but I recall a tyre going flat after it had been filled with anti freeze solution. The fitter who had to deal with it said it was perished as result of the antifreeze, however it was a tube that went not the outer case. Back then a tubeless tractor tyre was a rare thing.

Following that we always used the correct additive.
 
http://www.tractorsupply.com/vehicl...vehicle-tire-repair/adapter-air-water-1170832

Windshield washer is the easiest to find. Look for the minus 50 or have some ordered in. I know of many tractors running it and no one has had any issues with the rubber.
Beet juice is also good. Known as Rim Guard around here.

:edit you can make your own fluid by adding Denatured or methanol alcohol to water, but you will need to do some digging on the proper mix.
 
I rue the day when whisky bottle labels read: " matured in rubber for 7 years"!
 
I bought a fitting from a tire store when I replaced a tire on my smaller tractor that allowed you to fill the tire straight from the water hose. A friend of mine simply rigged a tire chuck onto his water hose and deflated his tires then reinflated them with the hose attached. You need the valve stem at the top for maximum fluid capacity. Some sort of anti-freeze is needed as my tires have frozen solid before and driving that way would quickly ruin the tire. Also, care must be taken if using the tractor off-road, as the water will not allow the tires to "give" as much to obstacles that might poke a hole in them. I use mine off-road regularly, so I don't have water in the tires on my larger tractor.
 
Yeah, water doesn't give much and the extra weight can suck trying to get unstuck, but otherwise it's sure nice.

We've never punctured the rear tire on our tractor, but the fronts have had trouble here and there. We beat on it pretty hard deepening our lake in 07-08 filling the loader then pan.


There is a hose attachment that lets the air out, but deflate/ inflate should work fine. Be mindful of the tires pressure before burping the air, the water pressure can be considerably higher than the safe pressure of the tire.
 
Yeah, water doesn't give much and the extra weight can suck trying to get unstuck, but otherwise it's sure nice.

We've never punctured the rear tire on our tractor, but the fronts have had trouble here and there. We beat on it pretty hard deepening our lake in 07-08 filling the loader then pan.


There is a hose attachment that lets the air out, but deflate/ inflate should work fine. Be mindful of the tires pressure before burping the air, the water pressure can be considerably higher than the safe pressure of the tire.
 
When I bought my Case in '05, they didn't even offer to fill the front tires, (which is actually negligible, considering the weight of the loader), only the rears. When I traded it in on the Kubota, I didn't even inquire about it as I didn't want the exra weight to haul around. When loading big wood with the loader, I add ballast on the back by chaining a log to the box blade. Now that I have a mini, I don't have to haul the Kubota around anymore. :D

........of course nowadays, the biggest problem I have of late is the guy that goes to the dump brings half the load back with him.........or pursues insurance settlements on the way to the dump.....:/:
 
:lol: It's hard to find good help! We didn't load the fronts, but they are the ones we have had trouble with. We would scoop a bucket of dirt to weight the front axle before dropping the pan.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
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I looked up that rim guard, seems like a good idea, 30% heavier than the washer fluid, doesn't rust, and I can feed it to the cows when I'm done.

$8/gallon installed, as I guess you need the pump deal. $50/ tire I'd presume.

Just called another place...$3.50 per gallon, yet $75/hr as the garden tractor tires take a long time to fill.

Freaking A.

OR I can buy that valve thing for $15 and fill them with washer fluid.
 
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