Just wanna say I'm not a farmer or in any sort of agricultural work, and don't have any contact with tractors, but all your vids are mighty interesting, even the safety ones. I thought I'd let ya know your videos are getting out there to the greater population and some of us laymen out here are getting some good safety advice should we ever happen to find ourselves around tractors, and we won't end up being as ignorant about how powerful and dangerous they can be. Thanks much!
Thanks Reid! I didn't really think the videos would have much appeal to non-tractor owners when I started them, so that's good to hear. I'm trying to branch out soon and show some additional agricultural operations just so people get a grasp on what goes on in the food production system and hopefully those will be interesting. I appreciate you watching and commenting!
my buddy allways fills tires up tractorsand air wich he does it free and free delivery after customers buy kubota wich hes pretty good and free hats and tshirts and jackets and toys for little kids wich hes pretty good deal
Mike, several years ago I bought a NH TC30 tractor. It came with the fluid in the tires. I was spoiled. I thought all tractors came with the fluid in the rear tires. Then, when my tractor shed burned down my insurance (Allstate) bought me a new metal shed and replaced everything that was lost. Long story short, my new Kubota L3910 did not have fluid in the rear tires. I became well aware of that the first time I moved a front loader full of wood going sideways on an incline. It was a very slight incline at that. Talking about a scary moment when the uphill rear tire decided to come up off the ground. My first reaction (because of my years of experience) kicked in and I instantly lowered the bucket. BTW I built move around stands for several implements (finish blade, and aerator/plugger) I had already built one for my auger based on a design that I borrowed from the one your friend built. I actually sent you a picture of it. As soon as I can I will photograph them and send you a copy as well as but them on You Tube. Thanks for your site. It has been a huge help over thee years. Keep up the good work.
Great video, as usual, Mike. The benefits of the fluid-filled tires doesn't end with front end loader operation, either. With the lighter weight of the compact utility tractors these days, the weight added by the fluid to the rear ends of these tractors greatly improves their ability to pull ground engaging implements as well.
Another great video and something I never knew how they did it. I happen to use Beet Juice in Northern Michigan. This was a good lesson for anyone. Thanks Mike,keep up the great work
Thank you, i wish I had known this before I did my Kubota BX2230 tires. they have the salt water solution and the steel rims are rusting out. what a great idea
I really enjoyed this one Mike. Very informative. I only know of one other "adding fluid to the tires' video. It was by BILLSTMAXX. I regret not taking the video camera when I had my fluid added.
Just a word of advice, from an ag contractor. If you do a lot of heavy pulling work &/or driving over rocks, sticks etc., then dont put ballast in the tires. For one, its a major contributor to power hop, plus the tires wont flex as much, causing punctures, splits etc. Another factor is a hard ride. You are better off using wheel weights, & thats from expensive experience. It doesn't matter what size the tractor is, all the aforementioned things happen given the right conditions. In steep country, the wheel weights are also lower to the ground, enhancing stability, as nearly 1/3 of the fluid in tire ballast is above where wheel weights are, so not as stable, especially on cross slopes. I run a forest farm, so have the experience to know this. I won't use liquid ballast at all now.
I started researching fluid filling today, and when I saw a Tractor Mike video I knew that was the place to start! Thanks for another clear and informative video. Could you comment on the pros and cons of simply filling with water (for us guys in the deep south) or even washer fluid?
I've personally never lived where it doesn't get cold, but f it never freezes you should be fine with water. Sure doesn't work here. When I was in the dealership world we traded for a couple of tractors with water in the tires (customer failed to tell us). It didn't end well.
Fluid is a cheap way to add ballast, but it's more trouble than it's worth in the long run. Buy iron weights for ballast. You have to go through the whole adding process again if you get a flat tire or new tires and there goes any cost savings from buying actual iron for weight that you could have kept even after you sell the tractor.
What about adding a video on hauling the tractor, the type of trailer, specific things to enhance the safety on both these vehicles, modifications, etc?
Rex, I've done a few of those and would like to do more, here are some links: ua-cam.com/video/5ILUj9u_WKw/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/9j80zxQTpps/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/gSneY4H9cYI/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/iF-qdIR5xmM/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/DbWH2-bJoVE/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/OZbX8giqnJA/v-deo.html I'm trying to get a sponsor for a detailed trailer video, but I want it to be one who I know makes a good product. Stay tuned!
My dealer added the ballast to my tires the day after I bought the tractor, just before I loaded it on the trailer. There was no charge for the service or the fluid.
Where I live we have tons of Mesquite trees which means thorns. I had my tires filled with solid rubber. This adds as much or more weight than a water or beet juice solution but also makes the tires flat proof. I don't know how it would perform on the rear tires as far as ride but my fronts worked perfectly after having them filled. They bounced just liked a tire should but were stronger (could support more weight) and would never get a flat. I believe it cost me $80 per tire to have it done for 15" R1 tires. I know it added weight because it took everything I had to get them back on the tractor. If one fell on me I'd probably still be laying there.
That adds a gob of weight. I've seen that done, especially in construction applications where they're driving over nails and such. We have a company that does it locally. The only disadvantage is if they ever wear out I've heard it's kinda hard to get the foam away from the rims.
The company that did mine said they redo the rims all the time. I guess they know how to do it. I put new tires on before I had them filled so they should last a pretty long time, especially as much as it gets used.
Hello Mike, On videos where you lifting using a loader and are using a rotary cutter as ballast/counter weight, was there fluid in the tires also? Or would ballast and fluid in tires be redundant?
Hi MIke, great videos, been enjoying a lot of them lately. I have a L3300 Kubota around 1996 and had turf tires all these years and needed new tires and went to Commercial tread of coarse new rims to run them. What a difference in my little orange 4x tractor w/loader. I have been working by the creek and in the woods lately and needed a wider stance. Now I'm wanting wheel weight and been thinking of fluid or wheel weights. My dealer said, I can only get two weights per tire and I believe he said, around 100 lbs per weight. I imagine I can get more with fluid ? But then I have Honey Locust trees around. I'm kind of in a quandary of which to go with ? Either is a pain, if you get a flat.
There's a product that I use and highly recommend called Multi-Seal that can go in fluid-filled tires and prevent flats. It seals them up with a fibrous substance with Kevlar. We sold it at the dealership I worked at to hundreds of customers and anyone at the dealership who owned a tractor had it installed and never had any flats. And we have horrific thorn trees here. I wouldn't be without it. I'm approved to sell it on my website and have done a video on it, but I still have to get shipping figured out and some other things before offering it. In the meantime, I'd go to their website www.multiseal.us/ and see if there's a dealer in your area, and put a non-caustic fluid with Multi-Seal in. It'll make a huge difference. Then, if you need more weight you can add wheel weights. I like fluid first because it's low, down where you need it.
Do they have a dealer locator on the site? It might be worth a phone call to them to see if there' a local business that handles it. I'll have it on my website soon if you don't have success.
So how much air pressure should the tire have afterwards 20lbs? How do you know it’s at 75%? Do you just 12 o’clock the tire valve and let the water out until it stops? Then air up?
Hey Tractor Mike, I am a new tractor owner as of Jan 2017 (Kubota B2601) and I'm wondering if you prefer chains or straps with your tractor for jobs like lifting, towing, getting unstuck, etc. You've been a fantastic resource for me, thank you very much!
Thanks...I use both, I probably prefer a strap because I'm usually lifting logs or implements, you can carry them in the toolbox and they don't scratch paint. I use whatever's the easiest to get to :).
Yeah, you guys who live where it doesn't get that cold get a big break on this one. I always worry that the used tractor I'm looking at with fluid in the tires came from southern Texas and that fluid is water. You find out in early January :).
Hi Mike, if cost wasn’t a concern, is there a benefit to liquid ballast in the front tires? I do a lot of mowing on steep hills and am wondering if the front tires will benefit from liquid ballast for 4wd situations and navigating hills.
Yeah, every pound down low keeps you more stable. I saw a guy weld a wheel weight to the underside of his draw bar to add low weight. I'm not sure what he was mowing but it must have had a serious slope.
If you have a front end loader, probably not. How big a tractor is it and how heavy are the bales? If it's a 20 hp tractor and you're hauling 5 X 6 silage bales then I'll want to change my answer :).
Tractor Mike - there is no front end loader, the tractor is about a 40 horse. And the bales are around 1200 pounds. I need a larger tractor but this is what we have now. I was trying to figure a way to put more weight on the front end when I saw your video, but it didn't address the front tires. So I wasn't sure if that was a bad idea for some reason I'm unaware of. Thanks, look forward to your thoughts.
I wonder why they don't put 2 valve stems, 180 deg out from each other on the rim so they can fill without fighting the air pressure for most of the fill...
really like the videos Mike! Have you found out any more information on the beet juice for tires? my dealer uses this and they swear by it. I want to put fluid in my tires, but would like more information on the beet juice. thanks!
The "beet juice" has the name brand "Rim Guard". www.rimguard.biz I use this in my subcompact tractor. The primary reason I chose it over windshield washer fluid, rv antifreeze, etc was the weight. Rimguard is 11 lbs/gal. For my little tires, which hold only 8-10 gal per tire, the additional weight is desirable. It is a bit more expensive than other fluids, but still much cheaper than wheel weights.
I'm replacing the old cracking rear tires of my 1950 Massey Harris Pony. Took 1st tire off and rolled it to the truck on a dolly, then winched it in the bed of the truck with a come along. Garage that going to change the tire I said don't put fluid in the tire, I going to make wheel weights. You know the tire had no fluid in it? But it felt like weighed a ton. Takes 2 people to lift.
Wouldn't a ballast box have been the preferred solution to your rear tires coming off the ground? Typically a ballast box is recommended to counter the weight on the FEL/forks. Fluid filled tires is also important as it adds traction and stability to the tractor but in most cases is not a substitute for 3PH ballast. What does Kubota recommend for that tractor? It looked like the front tires were squished down pretty good lifting those blocks.
There are tractor companies that recommend that you use ballast boxes, but I've always thought that was because they sell ballast boxes :). There's nothing wrong with them, but sometimes you need weight and you have an implement on the back, but that would be weight as well. I use my tractor a lot in tight quarters and sometimes that ballast box would be in the way, but they work fine, and, when you don't need weight you can take them off. Wheel weights also work well but the weight is higher on the tractor. I've seen people use wheel weights, fluid and ballast boxes together if they're trying to max out their lift capacity. It can be a little hard on wheel bearings.
Hi, Mike. My understanding that the benefit of ballast behind the rear wheels is to help decrease front axle loading. Adding weight to the rear wheels will plant the tractor firmly but it won't unweight the front axle no matter how much weight you add after the wheels contact the ground. I know of a horse rancher that never used any rear ballast and ended up breaking their front axle last year. What do you think? Personally, I'd love some extra weight in my wheels but my pasture is on the soft side and I'm tracking it up now with my 2025R. So for me, a removable ballast is my only choice. As always thanks for your service to our community!
Well said Denise Wildfortune. This was an excellent video demonstrating an improperly ballasted tractor as you saw how quickly the tractor pivoted on the front axle and started to lean over as soon as the rear wheels came off the ground. Now imagine that same situation on uneven ground and it's easy to see how quickly a tractor can roll over. It is amazing how many long time tractor owners do not understand the difference between 3PH ballast and loaded tires/wheel weights and the importance of having the proper 3PH ballast when using a loader. A lot of folks think you can simple throw a blade or something on the back and your good to go when in fact a lot of implements don't weigh nearly enough. Most if not all loader owner's manuals will detail exactly how much weight should be added to safely operate the loader. Also, the use of pallet forks will increase the 3PH ballast requirement beyond that needed for the bucket.
My Kubota has the salt water in the tires. It has been in there for 20 years I'm guessing. Would it be a good idea to have the salt water replaced or do you think the inside rims are to for gone?
Gosh, if the rims have survived 20 years I don't know that I would do anything if it were me. Maybe someone else will have a different opinion, but I don't think I'd rock the boat. Maybe they'll last another twenty :).
We used calcium chloride in the tires in the 60's but tire or tube puncture and calcium choride was very corrosive a small leak could cause the tube to seize to the rim. If you moved the tractor with low tire pressure in the winter you would risk in the case of a seized tube to rim tearing the tube beyond repair..
Yes. The only problem is that weight tends to be higher than tire fluid so it's not helping pull the tractor down, but for offsetting a weight you're picking up, like in the video, it would work just fine.
There are lot's of opinions about that and I don't have first hand experience, my front tires don't have anything in them. Most people fill the back tires to offset weights picked up in the loader, but I've known people in extremely hilly conditions that have fluided the front tires as well. If you're working in conditions like that, I'd want every bit of ballast I could get to hold me down. If you're on flat ground, you probably don't need it because your loader puts a lot of weight on the front. It will add a little additional stress to the front axle and steering components, but failures in that area are fairly rare so I don't think I'd be worried about it. I think you'd be okay with fluid in the front, it'll be interesting to see if anyone reads this and has strongly different opinions.
Tractor Mike had my Kabota done at the dealership 24 x 17 1/2 he charged me like 450 so it's most likely cheaper to have this way .thank mike great videos really enjoy them!
I personally wouldn't own a tractor without fluid in the rear tires...any size. Using a front end loader can be a little scary without it. First time I found that out was when I worked for AGCO and borrowed a non-ballasted sub-compact to haul some dirt around my place. I had no experience at that point with running a tractor without fluid. I was headed down a hill in front of our house, with the full bucket in the air and my wife opened the front door and told me dinner was ready, I put on the brakes and the rear end of the tractor came up a foot or so and the bucket hit the ground. Scared the crap out of me!!! Even the small ones need fluid.
TY, I wasn't sure thank you for the video and the return . We may have just saved a life or two with this Q/A. That makes me fill good because I would not thought of this and I wonder if the dealer would have said something?
It looked like that tractor could also use some wheel weights if it's going to pick up loads like that. It looked little light in back in that last shot.
What do they get for that a gallon ? beet juice rim gard from my tire shop wont's 2.00 gallon and they put it in for free . great video take care . curt. 🚜 🚜
So, waters added too? Rust out the wheels from the inside out? Ever fix a flat with a liquid ballast? Wheel weights are much better. Anybody ever rtfm?
You want tubes. Tubeless means the rims are continuously bathed in water and will rust. With tubes the water or beet juice or Ca Cl stays inside the tube.
I've never heard of that being a problem. You have me curious, do you know something I don't know? Is there something different about radials that would cause an issue with fluid? Many bigger tractors have radials and we fluided them at the dealership I worked at and I never heard a complaint.
I only know what I've read on the internet. Various blog sites frequented by tractor owners seem to lean toward the opinion that fluid inside radials has no negative effect. Other sites that have input from tire distributors and tire manufacturers lean toward the opinion, or recommendation, that fluid should not be used in radials. I got the impression that in the past tire manufacturers thought it was ok to fill radials with fluid but as computer simulation technology improved they shifted their position to not using fluid. The reasoning being that the fluid "stiffens" the sidewalls and essentially makes it act like a bias tire. I've got a new tractor with radials being delivered shortly and have opted to not fill them with fluid. I'll go with wheel weights and 3-point ballast. I had hoped you might have contacts with some of the major tire manufactures and could get the facts on radial tire filling. Thanks for the videos you do. I've learned from them.
The problem is RimGuard corrodes your valve stem cores. I just had an issue where RimGuard caused a rock-hard brown deposit on the valve cores on both my front tires - after only 4 years. I was lucky to even get the rotted cores out without having to replace the entire valve stems. I ended up having to use a drill and an EZ-Out. No more RimGuard for me. My rear tires have Windshield Washer fluid in them and no problems whatsoever.
I have the stock Deere metal valve stems on my 2720. They are metallic but look sort of brass colored. It could even be a gold alloy as JD wants $30 for a new valve stem (LOL). It wasn't so much the valve stem that corroded but the core. I have photos of the corroded valve stem cores over on GTT. What happened was I went to check the air in my tires and once depressed the valve stem core would not reseal and the tire went flat. They were next to impossible to remove but once I got the core out I found it was all covered in hardened beet juice and everything was hard as a rock.
The 1025R came with rubber stems (not sure about cores). The (Kubota) dealer that added my RimGuard replaced both the stems and the cores saying that the stock ones might cause issues (he didn't say corrode, but that is how I interpreted it)
I've read a few posts where users reported issues with rubber valve stems. Something about deteriorating the bond between the rubber and the metal threads. I've never seen any reports of the cores corroding which is why I was so surprised when I encountered the problem. I was lucky to get the cores out. The first core actually broke off inside the stem due to the threads being all gummed up with hardened juice and I was lucky to get the remaining portion out with an EZ-Out. The second core turned out very hard but did come out without breaking. When I had both cores out I was able to clean up the threads inside the valve stem by running one of those valve stem tools down each stem. The new cores then threaded in easily and so far I have no leaks. Wheew. :-)
Can you add it to a compact tractor would it help I have a Massey Ferguson 1710 Thanks Mike this is my first tractor I’ve never had one before I hope it’s not a stupid question
No, not a stupid question, yes, you can add fluid to any tractor tire as long as it's not foam-filled. It'll help the tractor lift more and be safer doing it.
Yes, I have a compact tractor with the fluid weight (ballast) inside the rear tires and it definitely works for all the tractors you want to have the ballast advantage.
Hi Mike. I have a question as to adding fluid to a Boomer 20 sub compact tractor that has turf tires. After I watched your video Jason said that he added water to the solution. My first question is that will it eventually cause rust to develope inside the rim? And secondly will the added weight cause ruts in my yard as I use it to cut my grass with a finish mower? Thanks for your help and I enjoy the learning process of owning a tractor through your informative videos.
I would almost guarantee it will rut more with the added weight. It's no different than having anything heavy on the back. That is the big disadvantage to filling the tires versus getting a very heavy ballast box (or other implement) if you don't use the loader much but do more mowing. If you want to find out, just put something of approximately equivalent weight to what your tires filled would be on the back and drive around (be careful you may need ballast on the front if you don't have your loader on).
the only problem with this is that every used tractor i've ever owned had trouble with the wheels being rusted out from having fluid inside. the one i have now has part of the valve stem hole rusted away on both fronts from being filled with fluid by past owners. myself, i'd as soon buy the proper metal weights that bolt on instead of dealing with the flats and tubes having a hole rubbed in them that i've had to deal with. the guy on down the line is the one that has to deal with the trouble unless you're the guy on down the line like i am.
Liquid is incompressible. You need some air space in the tire to absorb shock or the tire could push off the bead. I'm not in agreement with this method though. I'd prefer the beet juice, or windshield washer fluid, or RV antifreeze, or possibly propylene glycol automotive antifreeze mix.
It's more fun when you're on it :) My tires are filled and I still don't lift a lot of weight without a proper ballast on the back (usually my cutter of box blade).
15 to 20lbs of air?! Holy, we put in no more then 13lbs on top of the fluid, for the main reason is if you have a load on the back like a power pack or a snowblower, and go over a large rock or culvert you could blow out the side of the tire. Seen it happen a few times on some bigger tractors, you really don’t need much air because it won’t compress like it should if the fluid isn’t in the tire.
Scott Baker it's not as bad as I thought it would be. Had beet juice added to my rears last week. 11 pounds a gallon I ended up gaining about 1000 pounds and cost around 200 bucks. Well worth it in my opinion.
Just wanna say I'm not a farmer or in any sort of agricultural work, and don't have any contact with tractors, but all your vids are mighty interesting, even the safety ones. I thought I'd let ya know your videos are getting out there to the greater population and some of us laymen out here are getting some good safety advice should we ever happen to find ourselves around tractors, and we won't end up being as ignorant about how powerful and dangerous they can be. Thanks much!
Thanks Reid! I didn't really think the videos would have much appeal to non-tractor owners when I started them, so that's good to hear. I'm trying to branch out soon and show some additional agricultural operations just so people get a grasp on what goes on in the food production system and hopefully those will be interesting. I appreciate you watching and commenting!
Tractor Mike from another grateful fan, those plans sound awesome! Thanks, as always, for another great video.
my buddy allways fills tires up tractorsand air wich he does it free and free delivery after customers buy kubota wich hes pretty good and free hats and tshirts and jackets and toys for little kids wich hes pretty good deal
Mike, several years ago I bought a NH TC30 tractor. It came with the fluid in the tires. I was spoiled. I thought all tractors came with the fluid in the rear tires. Then, when my tractor shed burned down my insurance (Allstate) bought me a new metal shed and replaced everything that was lost. Long story short, my new Kubota L3910 did not have fluid in the rear tires. I became well aware of that the first time I moved a front loader full of wood going sideways on an incline. It was a very slight incline at that. Talking about a scary moment when the uphill rear tire decided to come up off the ground. My first reaction (because of my years of experience) kicked in and I instantly lowered the bucket. BTW I built move around stands for several implements (finish blade, and aerator/plugger) I had already built one for my auger based on a design that I borrowed from the one your friend built. I actually sent you a picture of it. As soon as I can I will photograph them and send you a copy as well as but them on You Tube. Thanks for your site. It has been a huge help over thee years. Keep up the good work.
Thanks and thank you for sharing.I may reference your letter in a future video because it fits perfectly with something I want to discuss soon.
Excellent video. I didnt know there are mobile businesses that do this. As always, thanks Mike
Great video, as usual, Mike. The benefits of the fluid-filled tires doesn't end with front end loader operation, either. With the lighter weight of the compact utility tractors these days, the weight added by the fluid to the rear ends of these tractors greatly improves their ability to pull ground engaging implements as well.
Another great video and something I never knew how they did it. I happen to use Beet Juice in Northern Michigan. This was a good lesson for anyone. Thanks Mike,keep up the great work
Thank you, i wish I had known this before I did my Kubota BX2230 tires. they have the salt water solution and the steel rims are rusting out. what a great idea
I really enjoyed this one Mike. Very informative. I only know of one other "adding fluid to the tires' video. It was by BILLSTMAXX. I regret not taking the video camera when I had my fluid added.
Mike, Tim, and Bill all in the same comment, combination of my favourite tractor channels!
Just a word of advice, from an ag contractor. If you do a lot of heavy pulling work &/or driving over rocks, sticks etc., then dont put ballast in the tires. For one, its a major contributor to power hop, plus the tires wont flex as much, causing punctures, splits etc. Another factor is a hard ride. You are better off using wheel weights, & thats from expensive experience. It doesn't matter what size the tractor is, all the aforementioned things happen given the right conditions. In steep country, the wheel weights are also lower to the ground, enhancing stability, as nearly 1/3 of the fluid in tire ballast is above where wheel weights are, so not as stable, especially on cross slopes. I run a forest farm, so have the experience to know this. I won't use liquid ballast at all now.
Then OVER another 1/3 is BELOW where the wheel weights are (think about it). So overall, the center of mass is lower.
I started researching fluid filling today, and when I saw a Tractor Mike video I knew that was the place to start! Thanks for another clear and informative video. Could you comment on the pros and cons of simply filling with water (for us guys in the deep south) or even washer fluid?
I've personally never lived where it doesn't get cold, but f it never freezes you should be fine with water. Sure doesn't work here. When I was in the dealership world we traded for a couple of tractors with water in the tires (customer failed to tell us). It didn't end well.
Fluid is a cheap way to add ballast, but it's more trouble than it's worth in the long run. Buy iron weights for ballast. You have to go through the whole adding process again if you get a flat tire or new tires and there goes any cost savings from buying actual iron for weight that you could have kept even after you sell the tractor.
If you fill the alcohol/antifreeze in first, then use HOT water from a faucet... it's easy to tell how high the fluid is as the wheel heats up.
Mike, Great videos, John
What about adding a video on hauling the tractor, the type of trailer, specific things to enhance the safety on both these vehicles, modifications, etc?
Rex, I've done a few of those and would like to do more, here are some links:
ua-cam.com/video/5ILUj9u_WKw/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/9j80zxQTpps/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/gSneY4H9cYI/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/iF-qdIR5xmM/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/DbWH2-bJoVE/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/OZbX8giqnJA/v-deo.html
I'm trying to get a sponsor for a detailed trailer video, but I want it to be one who I know makes a good product. Stay tuned!
My dealer added the ballast to my tires the day after I bought the tractor, just before I loaded it on the trailer. There was no charge for the service or the fluid.
Where I live we have tons of Mesquite trees which means thorns. I had my tires filled with solid rubber. This adds as much or more weight than a water or beet juice solution but also makes the tires flat proof. I don't know how it would perform on the rear tires as far as ride but my fronts worked perfectly after having them filled. They bounced just liked a tire should but were stronger (could support more weight) and would never get a flat. I believe it cost me $80 per tire to have it done for 15" R1 tires. I know it added weight because it took everything I had to get them back on the tractor. If one fell on me I'd probably still be laying there.
I believe this is the product they used...
www.accellatirefill.com/
That adds a gob of weight. I've seen that done, especially in construction applications where they're driving over nails and such. We have a company that does it locally. The only disadvantage is if they ever wear out I've heard it's kinda hard to get the foam away from the rims.
The company that did mine said they redo the rims all the time. I guess they know how to do it. I put new tires on before I had them filled so they should last a pretty long time, especially as much as it gets used.
How about a video on your feelings using Wheel Spacers. I have a Kubota B2650 Cab
I would love to know what style of Jack you recommend for a tractor in case I need to take a rear wheel off?
I own one of these: asktractormike.com/product/6000-lb-unijack-bottle-jack-jackstand-in-one/.
Will this work with tubed and tubeless tires?
I had always wondered how that was done, now I know. Thanks. R
Hello Mike, On videos where you lifting using a loader and are using a rotary cutter as ballast/counter weight, was there fluid in the tires also? Or would ballast and fluid in tires be redundant?
Hi MIke, great videos, been enjoying a lot of them lately.
I have a L3300 Kubota around 1996 and had turf tires all these years and needed new tires and went to Commercial tread of coarse new rims to run them. What a difference in my little orange 4x tractor w/loader. I have been working by the creek and in the woods lately and needed a wider stance. Now I'm wanting wheel weight and been thinking of fluid or wheel weights.
My dealer said, I can only get two weights per tire and I believe he said, around 100 lbs per weight. I imagine I can get more with fluid ? But then I have Honey Locust trees around. I'm kind of in a quandary of which to go with ?
Either is a pain, if you get a flat.
There's a product that I use and highly recommend called Multi-Seal that can go in fluid-filled tires and prevent flats. It seals them up with a fibrous substance with Kevlar. We sold it at the dealership I worked at to hundreds of customers and anyone at the dealership who owned a tractor had it installed and never had any flats. And we have horrific thorn trees here. I wouldn't be without it. I'm approved to sell it on my website and have done a video on it, but I still have to get shipping figured out and some other things before offering it. In the meantime, I'd go to their website www.multiseal.us/ and see if there's a dealer in your area, and put a non-caustic fluid with Multi-Seal in. It'll make a huge difference. Then, if you need more weight you can add wheel weights. I like fluid first because it's low, down where you need it.
Thanks Mike for answering my comment.
I went to the site from you link, but I didn't find any info for tractor tire .
Do they have a dealer locator on the site? It might be worth a phone call to them to see if there' a local business that handles it. I'll have it on my website soon if you don't have success.
Is there a kit you can buy to do it yourself? My dealer wants 150.00 a tire. I think that is too much.
So how much air pressure should the tire have afterwards 20lbs? How do you know it’s at 75%? Do you just 12 o’clock the tire valve and let the water out until it stops? Then air up?
12-15 lbs...here's a video where I discuss: ua-cam.com/video/g7ashQU0RYU/v-deo.html.
Hey Tractor Mike, I am a new tractor owner as of Jan 2017 (Kubota B2601) and I'm wondering if you prefer chains or straps with your tractor for jobs like lifting, towing, getting unstuck, etc. You've been a fantastic resource for me, thank you very much!
Thanks...I use both, I probably prefer a strap because I'm usually lifting logs or implements, you can carry them in the toolbox and they don't scratch paint. I use whatever's the easiest to get to :).
I have used straight water in tires in central Florida, south of Tampa
Yeah, you guys who live where it doesn't get that cold get a big break on this one. I always worry that the used tractor I'm looking at with fluid in the tires came from southern Texas and that fluid is water. You find out in early January :).
Hi Mike, if cost wasn’t a concern, is there a benefit to liquid ballast in the front tires? I do a lot of mowing on steep hills and am wondering if the front tires will benefit from liquid ballast for 4wd situations and navigating hills.
Yeah, every pound down low keeps you more stable. I saw a guy weld a wheel weight to the underside of his draw bar to add low weight. I'm not sure what he was mowing but it must have had a serious slope.
@@TractorMike Thanks Mike, appreciate the wisdom.
Tractor Mike, if I'm using my 3 point to haul round bales should I put fluid in the front tires?
If you have a front end loader, probably not. How big a tractor is it and how heavy are the bales? If it's a 20 hp tractor and you're hauling 5 X 6 silage bales then I'll want to change my answer :).
Tractor Mike - there is no front end loader, the tractor is about a 40 horse. And the bales are around 1200 pounds.
I need a larger tractor but this is what we have now. I was trying to figure a way to put more weight on the front end when I saw your video, but it didn't address the front tires. So I wasn't sure if that was a bad idea for some reason I'm unaware of.
Thanks, look forward to your thoughts.
Tractor Mike - thanks partner, I appreciate it.
I know a local Kubota dealer in KY that uses the rim guard. they swear by it and their customers seem to like it.
I wonder why they don't put 2 valve stems, 180 deg out from each other on the rim so they can fill without fighting the air pressure for most of the fill...
really like the videos Mike! Have you found out any more information on the beet juice for tires? my dealer uses this and they swear by it. I want to put fluid in my tires, but would like more information on the beet juice. thanks!
I'll have to find it. I'll do a little digging to see if it's offered in our area. We don't have many beet farms around here :).
The "beet juice" has the name brand "Rim Guard". www.rimguard.biz
I use this in my subcompact tractor. The primary reason I chose it over windshield washer fluid, rv antifreeze, etc was the weight. Rimguard is 11 lbs/gal. For my little tires, which hold only 8-10 gal per tire, the additional weight is desirable.
It is a bit more expensive than other fluids, but still much cheaper than wheel weights.
I'm replacing the old cracking rear tires of my 1950 Massey Harris Pony. Took 1st tire off and rolled it to the truck on a dolly, then winched it in the bed of the truck with a come along. Garage that going to change the tire I said don't put fluid in the tire, I going to make wheel weights. You know the tire had no fluid in it? But it felt like weighed a ton. Takes 2 people to lift.
Wouldn't a ballast box have been the preferred solution to your rear tires coming off the ground? Typically a ballast box is recommended to counter the weight on the FEL/forks. Fluid filled tires is also important as it adds traction and stability to the tractor but in most cases is not a substitute for 3PH ballast. What does Kubota recommend for that tractor? It looked like the front tires were squished down pretty good lifting those blocks.
There are tractor companies that recommend that you use ballast boxes, but I've always thought that was because they sell ballast boxes :). There's nothing wrong with them, but sometimes you need weight and you have an implement on the back, but that would be weight as well. I use my tractor a lot in tight quarters and sometimes that ballast box would be in the way, but they work fine, and, when you don't need weight you can take them off. Wheel weights also work well but the weight is higher on the tractor. I've seen people use wheel weights, fluid and ballast boxes together if they're trying to max out their lift capacity. It can be a little hard on wheel bearings.
Hi, Mike. My understanding that the benefit of ballast behind the rear wheels is to help decrease front axle loading. Adding weight to the rear wheels will plant the tractor firmly but it won't unweight the front axle no matter how much weight you add after the wheels contact the ground. I know of a horse rancher that never used any rear ballast and ended up breaking their front axle last year. What do you think?
Personally, I'd love some extra weight in my wheels but my pasture is on the soft side and I'm tracking it up now with my 2025R. So for me, a removable ballast is my only choice.
As always thanks for your service to our community!
Well said Denise Wildfortune. This was an excellent video demonstrating an improperly ballasted tractor as you saw how quickly the tractor pivoted on the front axle and started to lean over as soon as the rear wheels came off the ground. Now imagine that same situation on uneven ground and it's easy to see how quickly a tractor can roll over. It is amazing how many long time tractor owners do not understand the difference between 3PH ballast and loaded tires/wheel weights and the importance of having the proper 3PH ballast when using a loader. A lot of folks think you can simple throw a blade or something on the back and your good to go when in fact a lot of implements don't weigh nearly enough. Most if not all loader owner's manuals will detail exactly how much weight should be added to safely operate the loader. Also, the use of pallet forks will increase the 3PH ballast requirement beyond that needed for the bucket.
My Kubota has the salt water in the tires. It has been in there for 20 years I'm guessing. Would it be a good idea to have the salt water replaced or do you think the inside rims are to for gone?
Gosh, if the rims have survived 20 years I don't know that I would do anything if it were me. Maybe someone else will have a different opinion, but I don't think I'd rock the boat. Maybe they'll last another twenty :).
maybe you have tubes?
Wouldn't alcohol/water mix cause rust too?
We used calcium chloride in the tires in the 60's but tire or tube puncture and calcium choride was very corrosive a small leak could cause the tube to seize to the rim. If you moved the tractor with low tire pressure in the winter you would risk in the case of a seized tube to rim tearing the tube beyond repair..
Good information.
I use beet juice.. it's sticky but it's awesome no problems with it.. but can be messy..
Do all tractors need this? I have a backhoe on the rear, which will be used regularly. Can’t that act as a ballast ?
Yes. The only problem is that weight tends to be higher than tire fluid so it's not helping pull the tractor down, but for offsetting a weight you're picking up, like in the video, it would work just fine.
I have a question. Why is it not recommended to put fluid in the front tires? I would think it would help to lower the center of gravity even more.
There are lot's of opinions about that and I don't have first hand experience, my front tires don't have anything in them. Most people fill the back tires to offset weights picked up in the loader, but I've known people in extremely hilly conditions that have fluided the front tires as well. If you're working in conditions like that, I'd want every bit of ballast I could get to hold me down. If you're on flat ground, you probably don't need it because your loader puts a lot of weight on the front. It will add a little additional stress to the front axle and steering components, but failures in that area are fairly rare so I don't think I'd be worried about it. I think you'd be okay with fluid in the front, it'll be interesting to see if anyone reads this and has strongly different opinions.
I don't know why but the manual for my 30 hp Kubota says DO NOT add fluid to the front tires. I wish I knew why.
so thats how that is done- thanks!!
Just curious of the cost of that?
Usually $325=$400 is a good ballpark.
Tractor Mike had my Kabota done at the dealership 24 x 17 1/2 he charged me like 450 so it's most likely cheaper to have this way .thank mike great videos really enjoy them!
Thanks for posting another excellent how to & why you should type video. Stay safe.
How small would you go to do this? I'm looking into Mahindra or Yanmar tractor,should I do this for those?
I personally wouldn't own a tractor without fluid in the rear tires...any size. Using a front end loader can be a little scary without it. First time I found that out was when I worked for AGCO and borrowed a non-ballasted sub-compact to haul some dirt around my place. I had no experience at that point with running a tractor without fluid. I was headed down a hill in front of our house, with the full bucket in the air and my wife opened the front door and told me dinner was ready, I put on the brakes and the rear end of the tractor came up a foot or so and the bucket hit the ground. Scared the crap out of me!!! Even the small ones need fluid.
TY, I wasn't sure thank you for the video and the return . We may have just saved a life or two with this Q/A. That makes me fill good because I would not thought of this and I wonder if the dealer would have said something?
It looked like that tractor could also use some wheel weights if it's going to pick up loads like that. It looked little light in back in that last shot.
What do they get for that a gallon ? beet juice rim gard from my tire shop wont's 2.00 gallon and they put it in for free . great video take care . curt. 🚜 🚜
It's $75 for each 55 gallon barrel and they used two. So that's $1.36 a gallon, right?
So, waters added too? Rust out the wheels from the inside out? Ever fix a flat with a liquid ballast? Wheel weights are much better. Anybody ever rtfm?
should you use tubes or go tubeless?
Vicki Poe it doesn't matter. But if the tires don't stay on wheel when you let the air to put the fluid in you will need to put tubes in.
You want tubes. Tubeless means the rims are continuously bathed in water and will rust. With tubes the water or beet juice or Ca Cl stays inside the tube.
What are your thoughts on fluid in radial tires?
I've never heard of that being a problem. You have me curious, do you know something I don't know? Is there something different about radials that would cause an issue with fluid? Many bigger tractors have radials and we fluided them at the dealership I worked at and I never heard a complaint.
I only know what I've read on the internet. Various blog sites frequented by tractor owners seem to lean toward the opinion that fluid inside radials has no negative effect. Other sites that have input from tire distributors and tire manufacturers lean toward the opinion, or recommendation, that fluid should not be used in radials. I got the impression that in the past tire manufacturers thought it was ok to fill radials with fluid but as computer simulation technology improved they shifted their position to not using fluid. The reasoning being that the fluid "stiffens" the sidewalls and essentially makes it act like a bias tire. I've got a new tractor with radials being delivered shortly and have opted to not fill them with fluid. I'll go with wheel weights and 3-point ballast. I had hoped you might have contacts with some of the major tire manufactures and could get the facts on radial tire filling. Thanks for the videos you do. I've learned from them.
That makes sense...thanks for sharing. I'll do a video on that in the future, I had no idea that was an issue.
Alan Sommerfeld I put this fluid in radials and bias tires for the last 11 years.
Beet juice equals 11lbs a gallon. Non corrosive & environmentally friendly as well as non harmful to any animal.
I knew you could add fluid to a tractor, but never knew which fluid to add to the tires.
RimGuard (Beet Juice) is great and weighs a Lot more than other liquid ballast ...
The problem is RimGuard corrodes your valve stem cores. I just had an issue where RimGuard caused a rock-hard brown deposit on the valve cores on both my front tires - after only 4 years. I was lucky to even get the rotted cores out without having to replace the entire valve stems. I ended up having to use a drill and an EZ-Out. No more RimGuard for me. My rear tires have Windshield Washer fluid in them and no problems whatsoever.
Interesting, EOSJOE, Did you have rubber valve stems, or steel valve stems?
I have the stock Deere metal valve stems on my 2720. They are metallic but look sort of brass colored. It could even be a gold alloy as JD wants $30 for a new valve stem (LOL). It wasn't so much the valve stem that corroded but the core. I have photos of the corroded valve stem cores over on GTT. What happened was I went to check the air in my tires and once depressed the valve stem core would not reseal and the tire went flat. They were next to impossible to remove but once I got the core out I found it was all covered in hardened beet juice and everything was hard as a rock.
The 1025R came with rubber stems (not sure about cores). The (Kubota) dealer that added my RimGuard replaced both the stems and the cores saying that the stock ones might cause issues (he didn't say corrode, but that is how I interpreted it)
I've read a few posts where users reported issues with rubber valve stems. Something about deteriorating the bond between the rubber and the metal threads. I've never seen any reports of the cores corroding which is why I was so surprised when I encountered the problem. I was lucky to get the cores out. The first core actually broke off inside the stem due to the threads being all gummed up with hardened juice and I was lucky to get the remaining portion out with an EZ-Out. The second core turned out very hard but did come out without breaking. When I had both cores out I was able to clean up the threads inside the valve stem by running one of those valve stem tools down each stem. The new cores then threaded in easily and so far I have no leaks. Wheew. :-)
Can you add it to a compact tractor would it help I have a Massey Ferguson 1710 Thanks Mike this is my first tractor I’ve never had one before I hope it’s not a stupid question
No, not a stupid question, yes, you can add fluid to any tractor tire as long as it's not foam-filled. It'll help the tractor lift more and be safer doing it.
Yes, I have a compact tractor with the fluid weight (ballast) inside the rear tires and it definitely works for all the tractors you want to have the ballast advantage.
Hi Mike. I have a question as to adding fluid to a Boomer 20 sub compact tractor that has turf tires. After I watched your video Jason said that he added water to the solution. My first question is that will it eventually cause rust to develope inside the rim? And secondly will the added weight cause ruts in my yard as I use it to cut my grass with a finish mower? Thanks for your help and I enjoy the learning process of owning a tractor through your informative videos.
I would almost guarantee it will rut more with the added weight. It's no different than having anything heavy on the back. That is the big disadvantage to filling the tires versus getting a very heavy ballast box (or other implement) if you don't use the loader much but do more mowing. If you want to find out, just put something of approximately equivalent weight to what your tires filled would be on the back and drive around (be careful you may need ballast on the front if you don't have your loader on).
the only problem with this is that every used tractor i've ever owned had
trouble with the wheels being rusted out from having fluid inside. the one
i have now has part of the valve stem hole rusted away on both fronts from
being filled with fluid by past owners. myself, i'd as soon buy the proper
metal weights that bolt on instead of dealing with the flats and tubes
having a hole rubbed in them that i've had to deal with. the guy on down
the line is the one that has to deal with the trouble unless you're the guy
on down the line like i am.
It's the calcium chloride that was put in tires that corroded the rims, Beet juice and ethanol don't do that.
Why not fill the tires all the way with liquid?
Liquid is incompressible. You need some air space in the tire to absorb shock or the tire could push off the bead. I'm not in agreement with this method though. I'd prefer the beet juice, or windshield washer fluid, or RV antifreeze, or possibly propylene glycol automotive antifreeze mix.
Not better than Beet Juice .
Good to -35F and 25% Heavier @ about 0.08 more per lb.
Completely environmentally safe.
How bout no flat tire filler
Holy shit. Watching that tractors ass end go up scared me.
It's more fun when you're on it :) My tires are filled and I still don't lift a lot of weight without a proper ballast on the back (usually my cutter of box blade).
beet juice is avalible where i live
15 to 20lbs of air?! Holy, we put in no more then 13lbs on top of the fluid, for the main reason is if you have a load on the back like a power pack or a snowblower, and go over a large rock or culvert you could blow out the side of the tire. Seen it happen a few times on some bigger tractors, you really don’t need much air because it won’t compress like it should if the fluid isn’t in the tire.
I bet that wasn't cheap.
Scott Baker it's not as bad as I thought it would be. Had beet juice added to my rears last week. 11 pounds a gallon I ended up gaining about 1000 pounds and cost around 200 bucks. Well worth it in my opinion.