Do you fill your tires?
- Thread starter Doc
- Start date
In another forum someone would point out that most people fill their tires with air, but since my initials aren't GB, I won't.
Too funny cause it's true!!!!!!!!I have a lot of hills. I requested that the dealer fill my tires when I purchased the tractor, but he missed that request. So, at my 50 hour service I had them fill the tires then. What a difference. The tractor was more stable, ...and it moved a little slower. But with all the hills it was definitely the right move for me.
I did notice impressions in the yard after mowing ... but now we have a ZTR to mow with, so that is a none issue. I'll always have them loaded (with AIR and LIQUID). Just hope I don't get a flat anytime soon.
My R4 rears are filled with wiper fluid, 54 gallon in each tire. I too have hills and it's very stable. The Kioti has never been without weight in the rears. I had to maintain the "heavy tractor" theory...........
My Kubota wasn't weighted but it was primarily a mowing machine.
I've heard many times that you should NOT fill the fronts due to the possibility of damaging the FWD on a 4WD tractor.
My Kubota wasn't weighted but it was primarily a mowing machine.I've heard many times that you should NOT fill the fronts due to the possibility of damaging the FWD on a 4WD tractor.
I have never heard that BD. But, I see little to no benefit in filling the front tires. Unlike the rear they do not hold that many gallons of liquid. A better way would be to add real weights to the front.
The front tyres on a 4wd are designed to slip slightly, they turn slightly faster than the rears. Loading them might cause them not to slip and causes damage. Same reason why you shouldn't use 4WD on concrete.
I loaded a pair on an old garden tractor. The tyres were quite small, but even that made a noticeable difference in stability.
I'll be loading the tyres on the loader for sure.
I ran the same pressures as I would without fluid in them.
So how much did you guys fill them, 1/2, 3/4 or all the way?
I loaded a pair on an old garden tractor. The tyres were quite small, but even that made a noticeable difference in stability.
I'll be loading the tyres on the loader for sure.
I ran the same pressures as I would without fluid in them.
So how much did you guys fill them, 1/2, 3/4 or all the way?
I filled my rear tires with windshield washer fluid. I think I put 22 or 23 gallons in each tire. Once that was done, I thiink I air it to about 20 PSI - same as it was before the liquid, just less air now.
I did it myself in an hour or so - well once I finally got all of the ww fluid bought. The greeters at Wally World kept looking at me funny when I was toting out 5 - 10 gallons at a time. I used a pump Dad has that connects to a water hose. I poured 2 or 3 gallons in 5 gallon bucket and let it siphon it out and kept pouring more in as needed. I used a little adapter that NAPA and TSC both carry that will adapt a garden hose to the Shrader valve. It even has a button on so that you can "blead" off the air pressure as it builds - shut the pump off first. Found that one out.
I did it myself in an hour or so - well once I finally got all of the ww fluid bought. The greeters at Wally World kept looking at me funny when I was toting out 5 - 10 gallons at a time. I used a pump Dad has that connects to a water hose. I poured 2 or 3 gallons in 5 gallon bucket and let it siphon it out and kept pouring more in as needed. I used a little adapter that NAPA and TSC both carry that will adapt a garden hose to the Shrader valve. It even has a button on so that you can "blead" off the air pressure as it builds - shut the pump off first. Found that one out.
What pressure do you normally run Mith?
Good question. Since I had the dealer fill mine, I do not know how far he filled them. I do not hear sloshing around of liquid when I drive, So I'll assume I'm at 3/4 ... but I'm not sure of that.
Doc, I usually run about 4psi.
If you drive your tractor trough some dry dust, if your tyres are at the correct pressure you should see that there is dust across the whole width of the tread of your tyres. If there is only dust in the middle, its too high pressure, dust only on the outside, then too low pressure.
Clearly, if you add weight, you will need to change the pressures to maintain the contact patch.
As you found out with your ZTR, running a higher pressure can mean you don't scuff when turning as much, and running a lower pressure can result in better off road traction.
If you drive your tractor trough some dry dust, if your tyres are at the correct pressure you should see that there is dust across the whole width of the tread of your tyres. If there is only dust in the middle, its too high pressure, dust only on the outside, then too low pressure.
Clearly, if you add weight, you will need to change the pressures to maintain the contact patch.
As you found out with your ZTR, running a higher pressure can mean you don't scuff when turning as much, and running a lower pressure can result in better off road traction.
As much as possible ............ I put the tire valve at 12 0'clock and filled to that level. I'm guessing 3/4 full.
BTW jwstewar .......... My buddy has a auto parts franchise and he loaded a pallet of fluid on the trailer so I didn't get the Walmart stares.........
B
bczoom
Guest
The maximum you should fill them is the top of the rim (valve stem at 12 o-clock) so it's about 3/4 full. Any more and you may blow the tire on an impact. On the days where you can see your propane tank sweating, go over and look at your tires. When the conditions are right, you can see them sweating up to the top of the fill mark. If you don't feel like waiting for such a day, hit the tire with a hammer or mallet. Like a barrel that's partially full, you can hear where the sound changes which will reflect your level.
As Jim noted, it's not a good idea to fill the front tires although I'd like to get mine foam filled so they don't flatten when doing heavy loader work...
Mine are calcium filled. I'll switch to something less toxic when I replace the tires.
Some other notes about filling tires:
I don't have the details on it but I've heard a saline solution (salt water) can be used and it's about 1/2 as corrosive as calcium chloride.
If you have radial tires, it's generally NOT recommended to use liquid. You're supposed to use weights instead.
Most tires are to run between 6-14 PSI.
Something else to consider when loading your tires is "weight split". This is the weight difference between the front tires and back axles. It should be about 25% front and 75% rear on two-wheel drive tractors, 40% front and 60% rear on mechanically assisted front-wheel drive tractors, and 55% front and 45% rear on four-wheel-drive tractors.
Here's the chart showing how much fill adds how much weight:
Goodyear Farm Handbook. (pdf)
Scroll down to pdf page 57 (printed page 127) for the discussion of fill. The rear tire chart is on the next page.
They recommend 75% fill (valve at 12:00).
Or for softer ride and less power hop, use 40% fill (4:00 valve position) which gives 50% the weight of the 12:00 fill.
For the 12.4-24 rear tires on my Yanmar, the chart shows that 75% fill takes 30 gallons of water which gives 250 lbs per tire. Using CaCl in place of some of the water gives 308 or 333 lbs in this size tire depending on the concentration.
The old time orchard operators around here recommended maximum water fill to reduce the risk of rollover on these slopes. (we don't need freeze protection). I did that until I added the ROPS, but then I reduced the fill to 50% to get under the ROPS rated capacity.
Goodyear Farm Handbook. (pdf)
Scroll down to pdf page 57 (printed page 127) for the discussion of fill. The rear tire chart is on the next page.
They recommend 75% fill (valve at 12:00).
Or for softer ride and less power hop, use 40% fill (4:00 valve position) which gives 50% the weight of the 12:00 fill.
For the 12.4-24 rear tires on my Yanmar, the chart shows that 75% fill takes 30 gallons of water which gives 250 lbs per tire. Using CaCl in place of some of the water gives 308 or 333 lbs in this size tire depending on the concentration.
The old time orchard operators around here recommended maximum water fill to reduce the risk of rollover on these slopes. (we don't need freeze protection). I did that until I added the ROPS, but then I reduced the fill to 50% to get under the ROPS rated capacity.
Big D,
Mith was right on about the windshield washer fluid. Some people also use car antifreeze or for something not so lethal they will use RV antifreeze. With the RV Antifreeze being $4+ per gallon and the WW being $.98 that made my decision. Won't be as painful if I ever ruin a tire - and I came close a few weeks ago.
Mith was right on about the windshield washer fluid. Some people also use car antifreeze or for something not so lethal they will use RV antifreeze. With the RV Antifreeze being $4+ per gallon and the WW being $.98 that made my decision. Won't be as painful if I ever ruin a tire - and I came close a few weeks ago.