The Benefits of Adding Calcium Chloride to Tractor Tires

Calcium chloride is a dense, widely available, and competitively priced material that is highly corrosive. It is used in tractor tires and other off-road tires to provide ballast, improve traction, and reduce tire and machinery wear. It can add approximately 30% to the weight of water and lower the freezing point of the solution well below that of tap water. It also creates a smoother ride by reducing the center of gravity to reduce slippage when cornering and slowing the diffusion of air within the tire to reduce the impact of shocks and cuts.

When choosing a solid calcium chloride product for weighing tires, use a calculator to determine the amount that must be mixed with water to achieve solutions of varying concentrations. A 31% calcium chloride blend is freeze-resistant to minus 58 F and weighs 11.3 pounds per gallon, making it a good choice for getting the most weight out of your tractor. It is important to add air tubes to the tractor wheels with & tires, otherwise the steel wheels will corrode quickly. If a tire breaks and causes liquid ballast to leak, the salt is not toxic to animals, but it can damage any plant that grows on the affected soil.

The size of the tires and the percentage of calcium chloride with respect to water in the solution determine the amount of ballast you can use on your tractor tires. Calcium chloride is a corrosive fluid and must be installed in tubes rather than directly in tires. This may not work for some older dual tractors because the outer set of tires and rims may not be designed for the protruding load. Another important condition that must be met when you are about to fill tractor tires with water is that the water inside the tube fills only 75% of the space and the rest of the space is filled with air. Farmers, highway departments, lawnmowers, and property maintenance providers have long recognized

the benefits of adding liquid ballast

to tires.

According to John Deere experts, calcium chloride can cause “hard driving”, difficulty in handling, spills in the event of punctures, and when used on rear tires may cause greater susceptibility to power jumps. Windshield washer fluid is an alternative option for weighing down tractor tires. It only weighs 7.6 pounds per gallon, less than running water, which really limits the amount of weight you can add to your tractor. The biggest disadvantage of windshield washer fluid is that it does not prevent water from freezing like calcium chloride does. When filling tractor tires with polyurethane foam, the tire is not punctured, but it is not possible to make future tire pressure adjustments. Driving quality is more affected at higher speeds, so farmers who frequently drive a tractor on the road should consider this when deciding which liquid ballast option to use.

Tires are the lowest point on the tractor; filling them with heavier liquid reduces its center of gravity and will help you convert greater tractor power into useful work. The data may be changed at any time without notice and at the sole discretion of Team Tractor and Equipment. When considering which liquid ballast option is best for your tractor, consider factors such as cost, weight per gallon, freezing point, corrosion resistance, driving quality, and future tire pressure adjustments.

Jaclyn Svrcek
Jaclyn Svrcek

Freelance coffee ninja. Incurable tv scholar. Extreme music fan. Avid beer aficionado. Wannabe coffee fanatic.

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