Filling tires for ballast

[Mike_B]

I have a B2320 & would like to know if there is a source to find out how many gallons it should take to fill them. I've googled it & i guess my google-fu isn't so good. Any help will be appreciated.

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[Eric McCarthy]

Do a search oh the threads on here, I know there is a chart thats been posted before to give you an idea how many gallons of fluid you need based on tire size.

 

[pmhowe]

Here is one link:

http://www.rimguard.biz/hydro-flation-table-for-ag-tires/

Hope this helps.

PMH

 

[Mike_B]

Thanx for the link. I searched & reworded the search & again; to no avail. I will be able to look it over tomorrow at work.

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[Bulldog]

Looks like 12 gallons at 128 lbs each.

 

[skeets]

I would guess that by THE DUST SOUTH you are well below the frost line I guess your going to use water,, I know thats a lot cheaper than wheel weights but maybe that might be a better option,,Just MHO

 

[Mike_B]

South Carolina to be exact. I'm probably going to mix some windshield washing fluid with water. I just need to get the power to the ground. I want to fill the tires first & then see if I want or need more. We do reach temps below freezing, but they don't last.

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[Bulldog]

Even though it's a little more expense using anti-freeze/water mix will help to prevent rust. Just a thought.

 

[fuzzydawg]

Messick's has a good tire ballast chart here:
https://www.messicks.com/blog/post/Liquid-Tire-Ballast-Chart.aspx

I've got 11.2-24 ag tires on the rear of my L3400, and I put 16 gallons of water/antifreeze mix in each one. That's a little more than 250 lbs total, mostly below the axle, so it's helped lower the center of gravity pretty well. Tractor feels a lot more stable.

I used the antifreeze mix because it gets cold here in Missouri sometimes. There are a lot of debates on various forums about calcium chloride, beet juice, antifreeze, windshield washer fluid, etc. I went with antifreeze because I got a good price on it, and it has good rust prevention.

Don't plan on filling the whole tire - you need some air space in there for compression over bumps. Water doesn't compress. Most recommend filling no more than 75% of the tire with liquid ballast.

 

[Mike_B]

I had planned on filling with the stem at the 9 or 9:30 position. I'm as interested in keeping the center of gravity low as I am in planting this thing to the ground where the power is needed.

I spent a winter in Weston, MO working in 2008/2009. It got a bit chilly, but I love cold weather.

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[ovrszd]

The cheapest thing to use and get freeze protection is windshield washer fluid. I bought 165 gallons for $200.

All things you will read about fluid ballast says to fill with the valve stem at 12 oclock and fill until the fluid reaches that level, which covers the wheel and minimizes corrosion. If you use something that has non-corrosive additives such as anti-freeze or windshiel washer fluid it's not as important.

My personal opinion here,,,, I'd NEVER use corrosive ballast such as calcium chloride in a tubeless application. Well,,,, again my personal opinion,,, I'd NEVER use corrosive material in any application.

 

[RDR]

Down here all we have to use is water. I still won't load a tire without a tube. Fill them to 12 o'clock. That leaves enough air space. Just remember they don't have to be as hard to hold up weight since there is less air. If you don't have a liquid tire gauge put on your heaviest load for the 3pt and have them so they barely squat.

I have been loading tires for almost 30 years with no problems. Some tires I've filled are 24.5x32, 23.1x34, 23.1x30 down to 7x16.

 

[lsmurphy]

I use about 8oz of Dawn dish soap per tire, tires have not frozen below 20 degrees.

 

[bosshogg]

I use about 8oz of Dawn dish soap per tire, tires have not frozen below 20 degrees.

Interesting...why?

 

[lsmurphy]

Interesting...why?

I tested it for myself a couple of years ago with two other tractors I had and it worked.
Also I drained some of the water/soap before I sold them to see how clear the water/ballast was, was clear, no sign of rust.

The soap won't let the water freeze and I'm guessing it changes the ph level and prohibits rust.

I did the same when I got the Kubota and this winter in temps just below freezing overnight......no frozen ballast.

Now you guys in the great white north.......-10...........I'm doubtful.

 

[Bulldog]

I use about 8oz of Dawn dish soap per tire, tires have not frozen below 20 degrees.

Never heard of that before but it sure would be cheaper than anti-freeze.

 

[Mike_B]

A liquid tire gauge, would that just be a glycerin filled gauge?

Sent from an undisclosed location!

 

[bosshogg]

I tested it for myself a couple of years ago with two other tractors I had and it worked.
Also I drained some of the water/soap before I sold them to see how clear the water/ballast was, was clear, no sign of rust.

The soap won't let the water freeze and I'm guessing it changes the ph level and prohibits rust.

I did the same when I got the Kubota and this winter in temps just below freezing overnight......no frozen ballast.

Now you guys in the great white north.......-10...........I'm doubtful.

Thanks for the reply...interesting. Around here the air gets so cold it almost turns to a liquid.

 

[Stumpy]

I got interested and did some reading.

Pretty much any thing dissolved in water (or any other solvent for that matter) will decrease it's freezing point. Impurities in the solution impede the formation of the solid crystalline structure requiring a greater temperature difference to crystallize. What the impurity is doesn't matter, it's concentration does. Sodium Chloride and other salts are used because they have a fairly high solubility in water and are cheap. Calcuim Chloride has a higher solubility in water than Soduim Chloride, hence it lowers the freezing point more. The primary ingredient in many dish soap besides water is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate which is much less soluble than Sodium Chloride. However they put all kinds of stuff in dish soap. Experimentation like you did is probably the only reliable way to see how far it's pushes the freezing point down.

Interestingly a highly alkaline aqueous solution slows corrosion so your soap is helping to slow rusting though anything is better than salt water in constant contact with bare steel.

 

[Mike_B]

I have to say using the dawn dish soap with water paid off. My tires haven't froze with having several days below freezing in a row. I have to admit the first time we had more than one day of below freezing temps, I was starting to worry.

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