Fluid filled tires?

[Blue2Orange]

One of my neighbors I allow to hunt on the property. When he stopped by to set up his blind he took a look at my new BX. He has a SCUT similar in size to the BX. I use to tell him his tractor looks like a toy. Now I have a "toy" tractor. He first just added fluid to both front and rear tires to improve traction when using his 3pt snowblower and FEL. Didn't work as hoped for. When dropping the blower down to float position. Too often spinning turf tires. No locking diff on his SCUT. He added chains to the rear.

His suggestion was to add fluid to the tires. Remember the dealer offered it as an add on option. It was a bit of a cost that I rather spend on something that I think I needed vs. might need. My neighbor noted he just filled his with RV/sailboat antifreeze solution. Safe to do? Clueless what the chemical make up is of the dealer installed solution. Haven't goggle what is in RV and sailboat plumbing system antifreeze. Considering those solutions are meant for seasonal use only. Do they deteriorate with time? Cause issues when fresh or when they breakdown with time and exposure to summer time heat?

For now it is wait and see how chains alone work.
The BX front tires don't look to have much volume. Thinking added mass wouldn't be significant. Maybe better to add chains or studs for improved traction.

 

[DONLI]

I have a L3301 HST and just fill rear tires with RV antifreese it is good down to -50 F 30 gal each, it was cheap on sale $2.96 a gal. added about 520 lbs to the rear.
Well worth it , I had an L3010 GST an had water in the rear tires( no temps much below freesing where I lived at the time) and would not have a tractor without some rear wheel wheights.
Just my 2c.

Don

 

[jyoutz]

Filling rear tires does improve traction, but the primary reason for filled tires is to add ballast as a counterweight for using the loader to lift heavy loads.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

I think need to decide which problem trying to solve. Is it lack of traction because not properly working ballasted or lack of traction because slippery surface/lack of grip? IMO on a BX those are potentially very different solutions.

 

[Bee-Positive]

Grumpy hits the nail on the head as usual.
I have turf tires, not filled, and must say they are actually great in the snow.
However with the gravel driveway iced over and a fresh 3" of snow on top I'll sit and spin all day long, that's WITH 600# on the back AND 50# weights on each rear wheel. I put chains on both front and back, and half the rear weight, and the little BX is outstanding. Front chains are a must for me to improve steering even in just plain snow.

 

[Blue2Orange]

What my neighbor experienced with his fluid filled only turfs. No amount of mass will help if friction is zilch. His reasoning why I should fill the tires are when the 3pt blower is set on the surface in float mode there is not enough weight on the rears resulting in spinning. My feeling is his traction was the issue. Until I have a solid and slippery couple inches of hard pack snow/ice covering the gravel driveway I blade or snow blow with the implements elevated. Probably more mass than the small amount of fluid sitting in his SCUT's small rear tires.

Will be interesting to see if chains alone are enough. For ballast using the FEL or grapple claw I just attach the box scraper. No issues with the loads in the bucket or grapple, but I tend to go on the lighter side v. spec max.

Had issues with steering on the much heavier NH once the surface became slippery. Right now bare fronts. If worst than the NH will either stud or maybe chain. The inside towards the steering arms clearance looks minimal. Looks like the bolt that acts like a stop to prevent over steering are already set at max. Might need to consider longer stop bolts if that is even an option.