I was going to bottle beer today... (picture heavy)

"JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t" (jawzx2)
02/28/2018 at 19:25 • Filed to: Tractorlopnik, Tires, flat tire, Beer

yup, that’s no good...

I have both a Red ale and a Sour Rhubarb Sourdough-Culture ale ready to go in bottles...

Then, while moving round bales to feed the sheep the last original tire on the Ford tractor blew...

oh yeah. really not good. lucky thing these are tube-type tires, the tube is probably the only thing that’s been holding this together for the winter...

We knew this was coming as we have replaced other rear already and the dry rot was obvious, so I already had a replacement on hand... I hopped to skate along on the original tire until later in the spring, but hey, at least it didn’t blow when it was -30F... in any case, plans were altered and I spent the afternoon changing a loaded tractor tire....

In case you didn’t know; step one (after dismounting the wheel) is to remove the remaining calcium chloride solution from the tires and save it... a $15 fluid transfer pump works fine for this... Calcium chloride solution is annoying and surprisingly expensive to make, so reuse is key.

18 gallon Rubbermaid totes are the bomb! I was able to rescue just over 30 gallons of ballast, which is about how much a tire this size should have, i believe the original tires were somewhat over-loaded.

calcium chloride solution is 40% heavier than plain water... these totes contain nearly 200lbs each! lookit that bulge!

after the old tire is empty it’s time to break the bead... this is NOT how you should do it...

now we have to get the old tire off the rim...

the key isn’t so much BIG leverage, as MANY levers....

patience and a lot of pry-walking with multiple bars and it eventually comes off... pull off the old inner tube and get that busted old tire off the rim entirely.

now’s a perfect time to clean up the rust on the inside of the rim.

and paint it. (note the arrow marking direction of rotation)

just lookit that spanky, new tire! ;)

use plenty of lube boys (50/50 dish soap and water), she’ll thank you for it later...(see that arrow marking direction of rotation? make sure to match it with the rim!)

the first half practically slides in... (if you used the lube, like I told you to...)

then it’s back to the pry-bars for the other side... oh yeah, stuff the new tube in before doing this step... forgot to take a picture of it.

ta-da!

then pump some air into that sucker and seat the beads...

sometimes a bead is a bit reluctant and requires “persuasion”

THUMP!

almost there!

after remounting the tire, allow all the air out and start transferring the ballast back in with the pump (don’t take it off the jack stands yet!) Tractor tire tubes have special two-piece valve stems to make filling the ballast easier... once the ballast is all in, after much pumping... reassemble the valve stem and pump about 20 psi of air in.. next step:

pour a beer.

a very well deserved beer.

THE END.

DISCUSSION (15)

AestheticsInMotion > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/28/2018 at 19:42

Good read. That’s something I didn’t expect to learn today

Urambo Tauro > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/28/2018 at 19:43

Oof, wrestling that tire looks like a chore indeed. That was the original tire from... when?

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Urambo Tauro
02/28/2018 at 19:44

1995.

Urambo Tauro > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/28/2018 at 19:55

Nice.

Chariotoflove > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/28/2018 at 20:03

Never had to change a fluid filled tire before. And now I’m even more grateful for that.

I’d like a bottle of that rhubarb. It sounds like one of the few things with rhubarb in it that I’d like.

TheRealBicycleBuck > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/28/2018 at 20:05

Nice post!

My bird IS the word > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/28/2018 at 20:19

Red ale is my jam. Hard to find though.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Chariotoflove
02/28/2018 at 21:35

I’d rather do a filled tractor tire than a modern radial without a tire machine...

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Chariotoflove
02/28/2018 at 22:23

I’m anxious to try the rhubarb sour, it smells very funky, but appetizing... I’m gonna put it in 24s and let it age for about a month, that should get it nice and developed... I will, of course, sneak a taste as soon as the carbonation is ready.

syaieya > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/28/2018 at 22:42

I have two experiences changing tires

One was a bicycle

The other was a saab on a manual machine

I pay people to do my car tires as it is not worth that

Chariotoflove > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/28/2018 at 23:38

That’s fair.

Chariotoflove > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/28/2018 at 23:40

Good. I’ll send you my shipping address for a case. Normally I charge for consulting like this, but I’ll give you the Oppo discount.

3point8isgreat > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
03/08/2018 at 00:13

I’m not seeing a clear answer on the googles, as it appears this is information handed down since the dawn of time. But, what exactly is the liquid ballast for? And does it go between the inner-tube and the tire? My first guess was for some sort of balancing, but that doesn’t quite seem correct.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > 3point8isgreat
03/08/2018 at 08:28

The ballast goes inside the inner tube. It increases the overall weight of the tractor (handily concentrated on the drive axle) which increases traction for hauling, it also lowers the center of gravity of the tractor, making roll-overs less likely, and in many cases, such as mine, it helps counter balance a front end loader to allow lifting of heavier loads. And all without the addition of external weights. Saturated calcium chloride solution is the traditional fluid of choice as it is both 40% denser than plain water and has a freeze point of -50F. However CC is hell on steel and causes greatly accelerated rusting. With the proliferation of tubeless tractor tires it is beginning to fall out of favor (in fairness, even a pinhole leak from a tube can destroy your rim in short order) and concentrated beet juice is the new standard. It is not as dense or as freeze proof, (30%, and -40F) but it is completely non-toxic and does not promote rust.

3point8isgreat > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
03/08/2018 at 22:40

That is definitely not something I would expect any sort of wheel/tire weight to do. Thanks for the info!