What is MAG in regards to tire ballast?

[HowardTractor]

My Kubota dealer says that they fill tires with MAG and its included with the price of the tractor. I have been searching for MAG and have not found a reference to it in regards to ballast or tires. I am guessing it is an acronym for a chemical of some kind? Is this a good thing?

 

[GeoHorn]

MAGnesium chloride. I don’t want MY tires filled with anything but air. YMMV

I had a Ford tractor that I bought used...it already had liquid-filled tires.... but I just don’t need the weight as I don’t use ground-engaging implements and only occasionally lift heavy items with the FEL, at which times I usually have something on the 3-pt that takes care of any problem. Liquid in the tires is a problem if it’s corrosive or if you have any need for tire repair or need to remove a wheel (the added weight can seriously hurt or kill you if that wheel falls on you.). Again...YMMV

 

[85Hokie]

My Kubota dealer says that they fill tires with MAG and its included with the price of the tractor. I have been searching for MAG and have not found a reference to it in regards to ballast or tires. I am guessing it is an acronym for a chemical of some kind? Is this a good thing?

In the old days - salt water was added as ballast - worked great, did not freeze until super cold too.
Only down fall ..... It will eat up a rim !!! It will take years, many years, but will eat a rim up!!! SO tubes are typically used and then the salt is placed in there..... problem solved!

Now magnesium chloride is a little different animal....... still corrosive = but not as bad at the calcium chloride......... same weight too.

The advantage of both is that it weighs a lot more than just water!!!!
BUT the rust factor is something to worry about for the future.

People love RIM GUARD - heavy and does NOT hurt inside tire nor outside when it is spilled out. It is beet juice - sugar ..... it too is heavy. BUT the down side is expense - very costly.

Many use windshield washer fluid .... cheaper - not has heavy however.

I would get those tires ballasted for sure - it helps in several areas of safety. IF all you do is cut grass - then perhaps not.

DO the research on the Magnesium chloride - if you decide to fill, make sure it is only 70-75% full!!!!
Valve at 12 oclock - and only air should come out!!!!

little more info on ballast types

 

[i7win7]

calcium chloride has been used for years
no pix =no proof

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Magnesium chloride is much better all the way around than calcium chloride.
And if for some reason you get a leak it's a fertilizer so it won't kill everything in it's path.

 

[thirdroc17]

I've found anything inside a tire but air is problematic. You either need a special gauge, or you can only check air pressure when the valve is at the top. If it ever springs a leak, air won't pollute anything, won't kill the grass, etc. Much easier to remove and replace the wheel if needed. It's actually a very long list of cons.

 

[ctfjr]

I filled mine myself with a non-toxic antifreeze that is pretty harmess to the environment, Cryotek. Where I work its sold for boiler systems.
It added 250lbs per tire in the rear and has made a significant difference when plowing - I have no chains and R4 tires.
It wasn't cheap but I don't worry about dumping 30 gallons of it above my well if I do something stupid.

 

[Nicfin36]

Mine came with ballast, and I keep forgetting to ask the salesman what they used.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: SO tubes are typically used and then the salt is placed in there..... problem solved!
umm NO.. check the two pictures...and those are GREAT rims compared to 3 I've had to repair over the years.
ANY salt in ANY tire/tube WILL destroy the rim.only a matter of time. Somehow valvestems weep out just a bit of saltwater and that's if you're really,realy careful. Get a big nail or thorn in and it's 'game over'. Maybe not in your lifetime, but the grankids will have to replace the rims....

 

[cmorningstar01]

Rim Guard makes the claim that it is non corrosive but it contains sugar which is in fact corrosive to steel and anyone doing a bit of research can find this information, Yes sugar is not as corrosive as salt but it is corrosive, In fact air is corrosive to steel because it contains oxygen which causes oxidation.

I filled the tires on my machines with non toxic antifreeze but even that over time will result in some oxidation,corrosion and rust., We all must choose what we think will work best for our purposes

 

[GreensvilleJay]

cast iron wheel weights ! Rims will last forever, well, providing you don't scrape the paint off when installing the weights....

 

[BigG]

For those that are so worried about the loaded rims I have an idea. Buy spares now. In 20 or 30 years you will have the replacement rims.

Just like keeping a spare fuel filter or air filter. A second thought, do not use the tractor and you will not need the spare parts.

Many times the loaded tires are important to keep the operator and tractor safe. The increase in traction becomes more important than the inconvenience of the rare rear tire flat.

For those that think the environmental impact is to great I have a question. What are you doing using a diesel tractor? Oh my, the air pollution you are causing. Used oil to depose of at every oil change. The pollution caused by the manufacturing of your tractor is not a problem?

Let us break out the bees wax candles for lighting and hitch up the plow horse. Fence in the yard and turn the sheep and goats out to mow the lawn.

 

[Nicfin36]

For those that are so worried about the loaded rims I have an idea. Buy spares now. In 20 or 30 years you will have the replacement rims.

BigG,

I have actually thought about doing that. Someone had started a thread a while back about their rims being rusted out from ballast and the rims were no longer made for his tractor. I thought to myself it would be good to have a spare set when that happened. But, then again, I might not even be alive by the time it becomes a problem. Or, I might not even have the tractor. I'm not overly worried about it, but it did cross my mind.

 

[thirdroc17]

For those that are so worried about the loaded rims I have an idea. Buy spares now. In 20 or 30 years you will have the replacement rims.

Just like keeping a spare fuel filter or air filter. A second thought, do not use the tractor and you will not need the spare parts.

Many times the loaded tires are important to keep the operator and tractor safe. The increase in traction becomes more important than the inconvenience of the rare rear tire flat.

For those that think the environmental impact is to great I have a question. What are you doing using a diesel tractor? Oh my, the air pollution you are causing. Used oil to depose of at every oil change. The pollution caused by the manufacturing of your tractor is not a problem?

Let us break out the bees wax candles for lighting and hitch up the plow horse. Fence in the yard and turn the sheep and goats out to mow the lawn.

Good advice, I think I'll do all those things.

 

[D2Cat]

BigG,

I have actually thought about doing that. Someone had started a thread a while back about their rims being rusted out from ballast and the rims were no longer made for his tractor. I thought to myself it would be good to have a spare set when that happened. But, then again, I might not even be alive by the time it becomes a problem. Or, I might not even have the tractor. I'm not overly worried about it, but it did cross my mind.

There are places that fabricate wheel of all kinds/sizes. No matter what the cost is it would make more sense to have a wheel made when needed then to store them for 20-30-40 years!

Here's an example of where to purchase. https://heywheel.com/

 

[BigG]

Sorry some times my sarcasm leaks out.

Do not use your tractor to run a PTO generator because it will put hours on your tractor. Yes it will but the last time I checked a tractor was made to use.

You can not use your tractor for anything else if you are running a generator. .........In the middle of a disaster I am not setting in my home eating Bonbons. As long as the fridge and the freezer stay cold I am good. You can take the tractor and use it and then run the generator while you eat or rest. Fill some buckets or the tub with water and use the tractor again. You can live without the TV and the computer. I live in Florida and the disasters are mostly storm or wind damage with no need to worry about freezing to death. But many of you have alternative heat in your homes that you can get along without electric for a few hours at a time.

Do not fill your tire because they might go flat. I would rather have a safe and efficient tractor to work with then worry about a flat tire.

Spent 10 or 12 or 14 thousand dollars to buy a zero turn because I can save a few minutes of time vs using my tractor to mow with, that is plain crazy. If you are that busy hire the neighbor kid to mow it for you. The damn government needs to let a kid make a few bucks if he wants to and you will have more free time all summer long.

There are a few on this forum that need a big tractor. Flip runs his hay. Magic runs his sawmilling business. Geo mows his runways. These are a few examples. Now many on here will equate large acreage to a need for a large high dollar high powered tractor. Why do you coach others to do things that you think they need when you have no experience? Telling people to buy a MX or M sized tractor to work in the woods. Unless you take the time and expense to build roads thru the woods the big tractor becomes a burden not an asset. To tall to wide and to heavy. Bmyers has been sharing his work with us for years. I am surprised someone has not told him to buy a D9 dozer and an excavator and be done in a few days or weeks. Instead he and his father and his family have shown us what a little patience and perseverance can accomplish.

I have said to much. If I offended some one, so what.