Tire Ballast
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=22713
Printed Date: 07 Aug 2025 at 6:32am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Tire Ballast
Posted By: AllisChalmers37
Subject: Tire Ballast
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 5:12pm
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I am needing to get some ballast for the rear tires on one of my tractors and don't want to use the calcium chloride because it eats the rims up. I cant do water because it will freeze and cause the tractor to tip over. Oil will eat the tires up. And Rim Guard is avalible but it is over 100 miles away. How about an antifreeze and water mix? What do you guys use that won't eat the rims or tires up and yet provide a good amount of weight besides water??? ------------- 1937 WC, 1950 CA, 1959 D14, 1967 190XT, 2006 Ram 3500 |
Replies:
Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 5:19pm
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I agree ,I don't like calcium/water(eats rims,kills weeds though) and I'm not thrilled about antifreeze(really bad for animals when it leaks out !).
Any chance you can buy or make up some wheel weights or a 'weightbox'. I use scrap steel in a box when needed,or a heavy concrete block on the front sometimes.
------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor) Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water |
Posted By: LouSWPA
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 5:27pm
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I use used antifreeze. Ask around your local garages, most recycle the stuff, but occationally you will find someone to give it to you. You may need to set up a way to filter some of the crap out of it, but, still the best solution (no pun intended) I've found ------------- I am still confident of this; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Ps 27 |
Posted By: Skyhighballoon(MO)
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 5:36pm
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-20 degree windshield washer fluid will work too. I have it in the front tires of my D17 Series IV to add weight. Mike
------------- 1981 Gleaner F2 Corn Plus w 13' flex 1968 Gleaner EIII w 10' & 330 1969 180 gas 1965 D17 S-IV gas 1963 D17 S-III gas 1956 WD45 gas NF PS 1956 All-Crop 66 Big Bin 303 wire baler, 716H, 712H mowers |
Posted By: Rick of HopeIN
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 5:48pm
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You might check with M E Miller Tire, also I have seen a product called Rim Guard advertised. info@rimguard.biz ------------- 1951 B, 1937 WC, 1957 D14, -- Thanks and God Bless |
Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 6:14pm
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I put calcium chloride back in mine cause it took 50 years to eat through the first rim. Figure I won't be around or care about a rusty rim at age 107. It has to get on the rim to eat it, so if you change out the valve cores every couple years and don't poke any holes in the tire, it will be good for as long as the tire is on the tractor.
------------- http://www.ae-ta.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ae-ta.com Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF |
Posted By: Steve M C/IL
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 6:32pm
| Amen Tuck. |
Posted By: Stan R
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 6:42pm
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Probably the biggest debate on this forum, but we've had Calcium Chloride in tractors and never had a rim that needed replacing. No doubt, when you get a leak you have to fix the tire and not let it bleed for weeks. Also, you have to wash it down if and when you get a leak. Got a D17 IV that is close to 50 years old and rims are solid. But without a punctured tube, the calcium chloride is contained in the tube.
Sure though, if you want to go with other materials, then go for it. |
Posted By: Tom IA
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 7:12pm
| I agree with you guy's I have cloride in mine I leave the caps off as soon as I see them start to leak I change the valve core that' why you most always see the rims rusted around the valve stem ,from a leaking valve core |
Posted By: bobkyllo
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 8:41pm
| you can also put calcium in a tubeless tractor tire as long as your liquid level is higher then the rim. air is what activates the rusting process. like others have said if you have a leak get it fixed. a good tire repair man should always wash the rim. when i fix a tire i wash the rim with soap and water. once the tire is back on i rinse it off once more. never had a complaint. |
Posted By: Rayhowling
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 11:05pm
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We put sugar beet juice in our loader tractor tires 16.9 X 34. Didn't use any tubes and the sugar beet juice was about same price as the tubes. The juice won't freeze and will nor rust the rims. It is about 2 lbs. per gallon less than calcium. |
Posted By: Tracy Martin TN
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 11:10pm
| I use methanol alcohol.It works just fine. HTH Tracy Martin |
Posted By: Jamie (KY)
Date Posted: 22 Dec 2010 at 11:22pm
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This reminds me of a tractor I seen on a farm one day while I was out reading electric meters. It was a D17 with a 3 pt hay sphere on the back with a huge round bale on it. On the front was 2 heads off of a 350 Chevy dangling from a chain... it worked for him. LOL ------------- Just when I thought I was finishing my "honey-do-list", she turned the page!!! |
Posted By: skipwelte
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2010 at 9:18am
| Ive used windshield wash fluid too, works ok. Most of the time I put in a new tube and pump the fluid back in. Like what has already been said, fix leaks right away. |
Posted By: Coke-in-MN
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2010 at 11:29am
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Remember the load on the bearings is also important and if you hang weights off tractor the bearings have to carry it.
I have chloride in my 16.9 X 24 tires along with 3 sets of wheel weights on each side to make the tractor loader counterbalance for traction.
As long as chloride stays in tube no problem. valve core is one part but also the stem and the seal on the stem to tube can leak also.
Now I have 100 gal of DowTherm chiller anti-freeze I would like to sell but KY is a little far away . You could getthe propolene glycol which is suppose to be safe in small quantities for pets but again if it's leakig fix it. ------------- Faith isn't a jump in the dark. It is a walk in the light. Faith is not guessing; it is knowing something. "Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful." |
Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2010 at 4:55pm
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We had a fellow who worked for us as a Mechanic. He worked previously in Texarchana AK. It did not get too cold down there so they put water in the tires with a handfull of salt. Seemed to work OK for him. If the tires froze he would hit it with a crowbar to break it up then move on.
Course we used Cal Chloride in all we sold. Remember, that was before all the regulations and concerns.
Merry Christmas!
Good Luck!
Bill Long
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Posted By: Reeseholler
Date Posted: 23 Dec 2010 at 10:51pm
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The farm now uses magnesium chloride. It comes in a bag and you mix it with water in a 55 gallon drum then pump it in. It's supposed to be used for dust/ice control but it works I guess for the tires too. http://www.meltsnow.com/products-dry-magnesium-chloride.htm - http://www.meltsnow.com/products-dry-magnesium-chloride.htm |
Posted By: SHAMELESS
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2010 at 1:15am
| i took all the fluids out of all my tractors, use wheel weights if needed. our local tire repair people charge $75.00 to out pump the fluid, $75.00 to fix the tire/tube, and $75.00 to in pump the fluid. doesn't matter if it's the front or rear tires! whew! now they are starting to charge extra to jack up the tractors too! $25.00. |
Posted By: Brian G. NY
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2010 at 8:47am
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IMHO, weight in the tires is the best place for it. My Dad and I rebuilt a WD back in '58/'59 and installed new wheels, tire and tubes filled with CaCl. In the past 20 years since I've had the tractor, I have had two flats (both on the same tire) and I fixed them immediately. Before I remounted the tire, I wire brushed the inside of the rim and painted it with Rust-O-Leum Damp-Proof primer. When I installed new tires a few years ago, I gave the same treatment to the other wheel. As long as you fix any leaks immediately and maintain the valve stem and core, you will not have problems with the CaCl. Having said that, every single WD, WD-45 as well as my D-17 have real nasty looking wheels from past leaks. One of my WD-45s had brand new tires on it but the rim was so bad that the tire blew the side of the rim out shortly after I bought the tractor. From what I understand, the "beet juice" product adds nearly as much extra weight as the CaCl. So.......I may consider it when install the new wheels on my D-17.
Expensive, tho!!
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Posted By: Brian Jasper co. Ia
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2010 at 2:20pm
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I wonder if sand blasting and painting the inside would be much defense against CaCl? When I fixed up my D17 rims, I sand blasted them and painted the inside as well as the outside. Didn't put any fluid back in. I might if I find it needs the extra ballast. ------------- "Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian." Henry Ford |
Posted By: SIMPLICITY
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2010 at 6:22pm
| USED DRILLING MUD ONCE |
Posted By: Rick
Date Posted: 02 Jun 2011 at 7:39am
| I think Charlie hit the nail on the head about the calcium chloride. That's all I use in my tires for the best weight,but like he said...change out the valve cores every couple of years and it'll be fine. Rick |
Posted By: Sitesstables
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2011 at 5:21am
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How much did you put in your front tires Mike? Needing some weight up there on my 17 also ------------- 1965 D17 Series IV |
Posted By: Dave H
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2011 at 7:31am
| take a look at Tracey's post again. The go fast racers around here burn that stuff in their rods. It can be bought by the gallon for a little less than gas. If I can get the info on how much to mix with water, that is the way i am gonna go. |
Posted By: Skyhighballoon(MO)
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2011 at 8:14am
5 gallons for 5.50 X 16 6 gallons for 6.00 X 16 (mine) 7 gallons for 6.50 X 16 9 gallons for 7.50 X 16 Mike ------------- 1981 Gleaner F2 Corn Plus w 13' flex 1968 Gleaner EIII w 10' & 330 1969 180 gas 1965 D17 S-IV gas 1963 D17 S-III gas 1956 WD45 gas NF PS 1956 All-Crop 66 Big Bin 303 wire baler, 716H, 712H mowers |
Sitesstables wrote:Posted By: KC-WD45
Date Posted: 03 Jun 2011 at 8:38am
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I would love to use the rim guard but around here it is about twice the cost of calcium and for everything I do one set of wheel weights with new tires has been enough. |
Posted By: ky wonder
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2011 at 7:19am
------------- i like old tractors of all colors |
Posted By: Dave (Mid-MI)
Date Posted: 05 Jun 2011 at 11:46am
| I noticed a wet spot around one of the valve stems on my D-15 yesterday. Slow leak from the valve core. I replaced both valve stems, and I agree that it is a good idea to replace them every couple of years. $2.00 valve stems seem like cheap insurance against rotted rims. |