Tire ballast choices

[ruger1980]

No, but windshield washer fluid poured on the ground or in any water will disperse or evaporate, it's considered non toxic in that event.
It's really only toxic if you drink it.
Animals are not attracted to it like they are coolant, so that's really not an issue.

That's why it's a good alternative to other toxic non dissipating fluids.
CaCl is actually more toxic to ground and especially bodies of water.

Beet juice / Rim Guard is the only completely non toxic fluid of the list.

CaCl is non toxic and not considered hazardous to the environment. It is considered an irritant to the eyes and skin

 

[pigdoc]

Tire Fill Tools | Rim Guard

Find out how many gallons of beet juice tire ballast you need in your tires. Our Tire Fill Tool has data for over 2,200 different tire sizes.

www.rimguardsolutions.com

I was just quoted $400. for my tires, at 29 gallons per. Looks like you would take 31.

After some dickering, I paid $4 per gallon for the Rimguard I recently installed myself.

On another note, did you know that ONE teaspoon of ethylene glycol, consumed by a cat, is enough to kill it? Happens quickly, within 24 hours. Nasty death, too. The treatment? Everclear alcohol, in the vein. Only works if you get the cat treated within an hour or two...

Dr. Paul

 

[pigdoc]

so how many beet do I have to cook to make my own 'rimguard' ?

Seriously, I believe the raw material is a by-product of the sugar beet industry, which is BIG in North Dakota and Manitoba. It's not particularly sweet or sticky, so I would guess that it's the manufacturing waste after the sugar has been extracted. It probably has no real value, until it's been hauled somewhere. The manufacturers probably have to pay to get it hauled away.

Would be fun to show up at a processing plant with an empty carboy and flip 'the guy' a twenty to turn on the spigot.

Might need to be filtered, though. And, I have heard that it 'goes bad' and gets stinky over time, probably from mold growth...

-Paul

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: CaCl is non toxic and not considered hazardous to the environment.
hahahahaha.... sure KILLS anything green like grass and weeds !!!!
it is good for asperagus though......

 

[mcmxi]

Seriously, I believe the raw material is a by-product of the sugar beet industry, which is BIG in North Dakota and Manitoba. It's not particularly sweet or sticky, so I would guess that it's the manufacturing waste after the sugar has been extracted.

I would describe it as slippery and a little sticky, kind of like antifreeze really. If you get it on your hands, which I have, it doesn't wipe off cleanly with a paper towel.

It would be interesting to know how it's generated. Sugar beet is often ground up and fed to cattle, but if it's going towards sugar production then I would expect it be like sugar cane where the ground up beet is run through a centrifuge to extract the juice. Then there are a number of processes to separate the sugar from the juice. Perhaps the liquid that's left which contains some sugar is what we get in our tires.

I have beet juice (Rim Guard) in both sets of rear tires.

 

[ruger1980]

re: CaCl is non toxic and not considered hazardous to the environment.
hahahahaha.... sure KILLS anything green like grass and weeds !!!!
it is good for asperagus though......

So doesn't table salt

 

[johnjk]

I have CaCl in my B1700 in tubes. Prior owner was in WVA and needed the added stability. Love to get it out since I don’t need it. I did washer fluid in the rears on my B3200 in tubes. No issues with freezing yet. Would have liked to do Rimguard but at the time I had to do an authorized reseller in my area and had no way to get it trailered there and back. If I ever replace the B3200, I’ll get them loaded from the dealer

 

[Selkirk_D]

CaCl and MagCl are used all over the roads around here in the winter. I’m going to see what is in my old tires, and if it looks acceptable, I’ll probably just pump it into the new tires.