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SW Idaho | For years farmers have been running fluid in tires for traction. It seems like, at least for me, I have been getting away with out it. I Even let the water out of a cultivator tractor this spring and didn't have any problems but I was not pulling a heavy load. Then i read a post on here about the newer tires not holding up as well especially when running fluid. maybe a radial tire thing? I have a Magnum that has a full set of weights on front and the front tires are full. After pulling hard I noticed that even on wet ground the slip meter never ran over the "best" reading. I asked a salesman about it and if I should take the fluid out or drop the weights. He said the fluid as it is more stress on the front end then the weights. I kinda felt that the weights would be harder on the pivot point and king pins then the fluid would be. He said no that the motion of the fluid is harder on things. Any opinions as I don't need both so will get rid of one or the other? |
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Oregon | Get rid of the fluid |
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| the fluid keeps the radial tire from flexing as it is designed to do. |
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NW Washington | Fluid should be avoided if possible and if it is used they tires should not be filled to the maximum level. As mentioned fluid makes the tires too stiff. But it is cheaper than iron weights.....
This bulletin has some good info on ballasting tractors.
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/eng8151 |
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Edwardsburg, Michigan | They are using beet juice instead of chloride better on machines and the ground and a person if a leak were to happen.Plus it does not freeze. |
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Southeast North Dakota | In my opinion never put fluid in radials. In bias-ply's it won't hurt anything. We've had fluid in the Versatile 4wds for decades and it hasn't hurt a thing. |
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| If you have an FWA tractor with a top speed of 24-26 MPH and are constantly fighting front wheel bounce, fill the front FWA tires HALF full of fluid and the bounce will disappear. I've tried tire pressures, more and less front weights and the cure is half full of fluid. I then remove front weights to equal the weight of the fluid so as not to overload the front axle for traction. I agree with not filling "full" like we used to on the newer radial tires. Maybe the fronts wouldn't even need to be "half" full to eliminate the bounce, but that's what I have always done and it works. |
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Southeast North Dakota | Hey, that's a great tip. I had a NH 8970 Genesis and that would bounce down the road like you mentioned. I put on front duals and that cured the problem, but filling half-full of fluid would have been way cheaper! That's what I love about this site......lots of great ideas and tips can be learned here. Thanks! |
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| Ditch the fluid if for no other reason than to save majors bucks and downtime when you get a flat tire. Fluid seems to cause deeper ruts and a rougher, therefore slower, ride. It will keep your tractor planted better on the hills, though. It's dead weight below your axles so you're more likely to keep the rubber side down. We have a bunch of tractors here with fluid in them just to keep them stable on hills. I prefer to run without fluid, but it does have its place.
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SW Idaho | Thanks John, that bulletin was very informative and addressed many questions. |
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Wallis, TX | In my opinion water (we can use straight water here) is just as good as cast and a lot cheaper. I would like someone to tell me how water, unless it is frozen, will stiffen the sidewall of a radial tire, if I let the air out it will go flat with or without water. I realize there is less air to cushion a bump but unless in am disking boulders the load and flex on a tire will be relatively the same as long as I inflated the tire correctly and checked the pressure with the valve at the bottom. |
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| 23 years ago, when I first came to work on this farm, I dumped..................er, I mean, put into proper containment, more dang calcium chloride than one can imagine. Every tire on every tractor, front and rear, except the snap on duals, was full. Some over full. Even the 40hp Kubota we used to have, had fluid in all 4. Now I have I think a total of 100 gallons divided amounst 4 20.8x38s. IMO, fluid, though not calcium anymore, has a place and should not be overlooked when the need comes about. To address your concerns about below the axle pivot or above, check out these two links. If it is of interest further to you, simply google or bing unsprung vs. sprung mass, then find some of the many engineering forums that discucss the topic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsprung_mass http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprung_mass |
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N Central IA | Drop the fluid, it takes horse power to roll that fluid through the tires all day long. I would almost guess you could afford to buy cast weights for the cost of fuel you will save. If you don't beliveve that talk to a mechanic who's had to split a tractor with the rear tires filled with fluid or stacked with wieghts, I'd much rather roll the one with weights. You do need a little bit of slip for best efficiency, and you want a little give when the pulling gets tough, too much weight will be harder on your joints and pivot pins. One of the biggest surprises I got when working at a Deere dealership was when I pulled the front wheel off of a 4450 mfd that had fluid in it when doing axle seals, still have the dent in my Snap On tool box from it, never knew anyone put fluid in the fronts, kinda made me pay attention when pulling wheels after that. |
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Wallis, TX | Tileplow,
I will agree that there is more inherent friction of the water in a tire than air in a tire but to be able to feel it when rolling it by hand is BS. Weight is weight no matter if it is cast iron or water. |
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| Weight is weight, that's true. There are two other factors at play though. One is the friction of the water against the tube, which probably has some wrinkles in it as well, making it a little like a paddle wheel. Also, the drag and friction of the water is well away from the center of the rim, which makes it even more effective. Think of holding a bowling ball next to your chest and then spinning yourself. Now drop the ball and pick up an aluminum ladder and try to spin. Similar weight, but the ladder is much harder to get started and to make it stop because the weight is farther from the center. Any force exerted on the end of the ladder is going to slow you down much faster than a force rubbing on the bowling ball. All in all, fluid in your tires isn't going to break you at the end of a day, but will pay for your beer on New Year's Eve. I still hate paying the money for cast weights though.
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Leeds, North Dakota | can't say for sure, bias ply tires filled 75% full of fluid, got weight on axles, will pull, 946 versy power hopped, 75% fluid end of story, would pull, weight is fine, don't get me wrong, need weight where your pulling, shift weights rear to back, called a arm and moment, need weight on axles, theres where your pulling from, scott. |
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Fluid filled tractor tires
