I read a bunch of posts on adding rim guard for ballast but since I wanted to do it cheaper I went with the windshield washer fluid fill. First attempt was using gravity to flow the fluid into my tires. I picked up a slime tire fill valve which allowed a garden hose to be hooked to the valve stem. The gravity method was very slow and splashed the liquid every time the tire pressure was burped. After some thought I found some 1/4" I.D. fuel line which fit my valve stems perfectly. Next a hole was drilled into a washer fluid cap just large enough to have a tight fit on the fuel line. Next to the large hole drilled into the cap a small hole was drilled so air pressure could be forced into the washer fluid container forcing the fluid into the tire. Using about 13lbs of air pressure it only took about a minute and a half per gallon. My b7100 tires 29x12.50-15 took 14 gallons per tire giving me somewhere around 150 per tire. Mounted in my rims are 75lb steel weights so about 225lb per tire.
Quick easy and cheap liquid tire ballast install
- Thread starter Dwarner
- Start date
Thanks jb62901 you are correct I was more interested in how easy it was to add the liquid without any special equipment and forgot that the beet juice weighs about 30 percent more then the washer fluid.
The added weight in the washer fluid still made a very noticeable improvement with weight in the loader.
The added weight in the washer fluid still made a very noticeable improvement with weight in the loader.
I've got a ZL2201 (L245) I want to know how much weight I should add to the rear wheels? Is water best or is there something better to use? This is new to me as it's the first compact tractor I've owned so excuse me if I'm asking very basic / simple questions. Thanks Stu
Stu,
OTT has an article on the pros/cons of different types of ballasts.
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/2009/01/comparing-types-of-liquid-tire-ballast/
As for how much, that I'm not sure. I'll leave it to others with more knowledge.