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LOAD TRACTOR TIRES

Started by CAMP LOGGER, March 16, 2006, 07:10:07 PM

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CAMP LOGGER

HI
I am new with this forum. (as you know).
My question is. Has anyone used windshield washer fulid to load tractor tires? I just put 40 gal. of it in my rear tires to try. I read about it on another forum so I thought I would give it a try. I have a Kubota L2600 with a Fransgard v3500 logging winch that I just bought used. Just cut fire wood on 30 acers for my own use.

simonmeridew

Hi Camp:
Many use windshield washer fluid to load the rears. It has some advantages over the old standby Ca(Cl)2 and water. And some disadvantages. I'd caution on  a real cold morning watch out it doesn't freeze; I've seen some ww fluid freeze solid below about -20, even though it says on the bottle good to -25. They'll say what do you want for a dollar.
My Kubota dealer, just down the road from you, in Piermont NH puts in some "Bio" stuff that's more environ. friendly than the Calcium Chloride.The important thing is they're loaded and much safer.
simonmeridew
Kubota L4400, Farmi 351

CAMP LOGGER

Thanks for your reply.
If it gets to more than -20 I won't be running the tractor anyway. ( I might freeze).  If the ww does freeze would it hurt the tires if it the tractor
wasn't run?
I have a camp in Wentworth NH where I use the tractor mostly, but bring it home  for the winter, and store it in a garage.
I just thought it might be safer for logging with loaded tires.

sprucebunny

Welcome to the Forestry forum , Camp Logger. You are just over the Kanc' from me ;D
MS193, MS192 and an 026  Weeding and Thinning. Gilbert Champion sawmill

macpower

The "Bio" stuff is most likely Rim Guard. Made from beet juice, (or something funky like that). It is non corosive so you don't need tubes, or new rims every few years. It weighs in at someting like 11 lbs. per gallon. Depending on which tires you have on the L2600 Kubota you can load up 250 lbs or so in each one. Do yourself a favour and forget the salt water stuff and the window washer stuff. If you over fill or freeze you can ruin a rim and tire. Don't fill over 75%, 11.2x24s will handle about 28 gals. each.
Purveyor of Stihl chain saws.
Thomas 6013 Band Mill, Kubota L3400DT, Fransgard V3004, 2 lazy horses and a red heeler

CAMP LOGGER

Thanks for the info.
I only put in 20 gal. in each tire.
Hopefully it will be ok.
Not much weight but better than nothing

beenthere

Camp Logger
I have had WW fluid in both my 'tractors' (Deere 4300 and Deere X485) and like it. If I wanted more weight for more money, I'd go with the Rim Gard (from beet pulp I understand). But WW fluid is close to water for #'s per gal, and dirt cheap.
I figure the WW fluid might turn to slush before it freezes solid, and slush would just 'slush' around at low temps. Like you, I don't do much at -20°F.  Don't think it will ruin a tire regardless, but that I really do not know and hope not to find out.  :)  I think one would feel the thump from a tire that had solid ice in it, and would be forewarned of that before any damage could be done. I would fill each tire to the valve stem when at 12 o'clock high rather than have them partially filled.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Kirk_Allen

Well I dont know much about WW fluid in the tires but I saw a trick today that was rather impressive to get a tractor tire on the beeds.  This guy took a can of starter fluid and sprayed a bunch all around the inside of the tire and then took a charcoal grill lighter and lit off the fumes.

Whooom 8) 8) 8) 8)  Tire seeted on boths sides.  Connected the air hose and pumped her right up.  As long as your carefull it appears to be a pretty neat trick.

Anyone ever done that before?

Corley5

I've seen the ether trick from a distance as I've also seen the scars on guy's face from it :( 
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

slowzuki

Its done all the time offroading when you loose a bead using ether.  You have to work your way up as you can ruin the rim, tire and your life if it blows the tire sidewall out.

beenthere

 ;D ;D ;D ;D
:o :o :o :o

Yep, and have seen the results of when it doesn't work right.    ::) ::) ::)

Stick to climbing up in hung-up trees to get them to come the rest of the way down. It works great, if you are careful -----and lucky.  :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

wiam

I under stand that a frozen tire will not hurt it if it is not run until it is completely thawed out.

Will

etat

I've done it a BUNCH of times.  It's tricky knowing how much Starting Fluid  to use,  Less and fogging it in is better.  Roll the tire around a bit before you light it is better.  Tooooo much and it will just catch on fire and you'll have to beat out the flames.  That gets pretty exciting.  Fog a bit in just right and it'll seat the tire with no problem.   :)
Old Age and Treachery will outperform Youth and Inexperence. The thing is, getting older is starting to be painful.

isawlogs

 Done that a few times , loader tires in the winter , not many ways to get a frozen tire seated .
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

etat

I guess I should add I've never done it on a tractor tire.  However often I used to use used car tires on my trailer and would go through a bunch of them   Lots of flats in the roofing business you know.  Not so many now since I've redone the fenders on my trailer and use magnets to pick up the nails.   But lots of them old car tires was flattened out and wouldn't seat otherwise.  Also some four wheeler tires are hard to seat.  And.........

I never had the nerve to use a charcoal grill lighter.  That's way too close for me.  I'd always take a long stick about the length of a broom handle and tie a piece of newspaper to it, and light the newspaper and reach wayyyyyyy out to light the either inside the tire.   

Never had a problem blowing out a sidewall, the biggest problem would be when the either wasn't fogged in right or too much was used and it wouldn't explode, it'd just catch on fire and burn.  I'd usually have a old towel or something handy to beat out the flames just in case. 
Old Age and Treachery will outperform Youth and Inexperence. The thing is, getting older is starting to be painful.

thecfarm

Saw it once on TV on a Monster truck show.Went on really slick.I wouldn't try it.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Dana

I used that trick on a inner tire on a dually. It worked great.
Grass-fed beef farmer, part time sawyer

jackpine

I have heard that loaded tires are more prone to puncture when used in the woods because of less "give" in the sidewall.

I have been reluctant to load mine for this reason. Does anyone have any first hand experience with loaded vs. unloaded tractor tires in the woods?

Thanks

Ed

Jackpine,
I do not run loaded tires on my NH 2120. I wanted to keep the tractor as light as I could to minimize ground damage & keep flotation up. So far the four wheel drive has made up for the lack of weight, I usually run out of 3 point lift capacity before I run out of traction.
Our old Ford 850 tractor has loaded tires, with it being 2 wheel drive I think it helps out considerably with the ammount of weight you can pull. If I were working ground with the tractor I would load the tires.

Ed

beenthere

With my Deere I either need loaded tires (and have them) or would add wheel weights (I don't run out of lift capacity and want to keep the rear end on the ground :)).  I also have a ballast box that is used for just loader work, and when not lifting and pulling out logs. The Industrial R-4's are higher ply rating than Ag tires but have less grip. I am more comfortable with the R-4's in the woods. Only have poked the valve stem off once with a stick (and the stem was on the inside).
Try it without loaded tires to see how it goes, then load them with fluid or hang wheel weights on. With 4wd, you may not have any problems.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

chet

I switched ta WW fluid quite a while ago. I buy da winter stuff by case lots from Wally World. Cheap, normally on sale around 75¢ a gallon.
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

Reddog

I quit loading tractor tires I use in the woods. To much of a mess if you cut a side wall. And if you run in the woods sooner or later you will cut a tire down. Other than that I would use rim guard. Do not know what the long term affects of WW on the rim will be?  :-\

isawlogs

 My thinking is that the Windshield Washer cant be any worse on the rim then the calcium would be , We have two at home with calcium and one with windshield washer , I got the -40 ww in it , if it gets that cold out I dont want to be on the tractor .
  As far as having less give on the side walls , its only liquid and it aint filled completly , so I dont see how it would have any effect , if you drive over a sharp peice , no matter what you have it will cut the tire . Only way around that is to get a set of forestry tires for the tractor .
  You will though, have a lot more traction with loaded tires , center of gravity will be lowered too . This in its self is a big plus when working a machine in the bush , if you keep your trails clean and small stumps cut back low , there should be little chance of cutting the tires .
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

beenthere

To me, if WW fluid was corrosive, we wouldn't be using it in our cars to 'wash' the windows.
I've had it in tires for several years now, and see no sign of corrosion when last checked. And I used to have a tractor with CC which showed rust-stains always around the rim where some would trickle out (mostly when checking or adding air). If I get a puncture in the woods, I'd rather have the WW fluid running out than CC or RimGuard, just from the cost side if nothing else. Not worried about any animals 'drinking' it as it will disapppear into the landscape fast enough. When I busted the stem off, I was surprised how little I lost while racing to get the tractor loaded onto the trailer before it was completely flat.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

thecfarm

I would get the tires loaded with something.Mine NAA Ford and my 2120 New Holland are.I use the 2120 in the woods. I am running 8 ply tires and have not cut a tire,YET.Now a 4 ply I have.I keep my twitch trails clear of brush and the few stumps I do run over are low.I plan and cut trees where my trails are going and rarely run over any brush. I have welded metal around each one of my valve stems to be on the safe side.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

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