Loaded rear tire on a Farmall H

[Charlie M]

I've got a rear tire leaking fluid on my Farmall H and I'm getting ready to work on it. I'm finding the tire to be about half full of calcium chloride solution. I didn't think the leak I had was big enough to
loose a lot of fluid but maybe since since its been a slow leak for about 3 months. How full should it be - I'm thinking they are filled to about 80% with the rest air but this is the first tire I haven't
called a dealer to take care of. What's my options to reload the tire when I'm done changing it out. I want the weight but not necessarily Calcium chloride. I know calcium chloride has the most weight per
gallon but maybe I can afford to loose some weight in the process. I'm in western NY so it has to withstand freezing.

 

[IHWhitney]

Beet juice... not corrosive!

 

[rustred]

there is no set limit as to amount. u can put 1/3 full , 1/2 full, or max about 3/4 full to the top of the rim. and if the tractor dont pull any implements under hard pulling u most likely dont need fluid of any kind. but both sides must match, of should match the amounts. and where is this leak? if its just the stem rotate it to the top and just replace the stem about 6.00 worth. i keep them on hand for that reason.

 

[Charlie M]

I use it to plow sometimes so that's why I want the weight. Its a 60 year old tire that has a fair amount of weather checking and it seems fluid is coming through several cracks with means the tube is leaking inside. The valve stem is about the only place its not leaking - I had changed that a few years ago. I'm hoping the rim is savable when I get the tire off.

 

[redforlife]

Proper level is about 1 inch below the top of rim. At this level, the air stays at the top, and if the fluid starts to roll at all, it just rolls over the rim kind of like a water fall.

To much fluid and the air will rotate around (at high speeds). Not enough fluid, and the fluid will rotate around (at high speeds). Most tractors don't go fast enough to have much of a concern. So alot of guys are not to strict about the level.

I don't think a guy would have much of a problem on an H if not filled to proper level. I'm only explaining so that you know what the proper level is.

Unless you have a loader on it, or doing some heavy pulling, or perhaps gonna be on snow and ice, you'll get along OK without any. It's kind of a headache to have in, IF you don't need it. Time is not your friend with this corrosive stuff. When replacing a tube is a good time to get away from it if you aren't really needing it. Something to think about. Especially if the other wheel is not long away from needing some attention.

 

[jhncp]

Does the other side have fluid too? I personally would not use fluid, wire wheel rim and paint it, order a new tube online, and if you need the weight wheel weights are easy to find for them. But fluid is the best for traction if you use it alot especially if you have a loader on it.

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

Local IH dealer used washer fluid in my last fill (years ago) instead of CaCl2. They were also a car dealership & the blue juice was cheap. The travelling tire dealer uses beet juice instead of the washer fluid alternative.

Mike

 

[Janicholson]

In my opinion if it is leaking through cracks in the tire, it will fail soon and cause more issues. Once the calcium leak is fixed, the tire may begin flexing at the cracks stressing the (probably) nylon cords. If both tires have cracks, I would probably replace both. If not happening, I would probably caulk the cracks with windshield urethane adhesive. Jim

 

[Charlie M]

I have a better tire and a new tube. Only mystery is the shape of the rim because I don't have the tire off the rim yet. I'm thinking the rim is going to be useable after cleaning, removing the rust and painting. I do have to patch the valve stem hole.

 

[Janicholson]

If the tube in the leaking tire is to be sacrificed, take out most of the fluid draining it into a tub or pumping it out with a drill pump made of plastic. Then just use a sawsall to cut close to the bead to make it easy to get things loose. Same on the opposite side, rotating the tire to access parts yet to cut. Once 90% of the old tire is off, the beads should be easy to move into the drop center and remove. Stiff old tire rubber cuts well with a coruse blade or a carbide tipped demo blade. Jim

 

[gene bender]

just replace the valve assy that will stop the leak does the tire go flat maybe the tube needs patching most of the rime just replace the valve stem they do screw onto the tube

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Did you have obvious fluid leaking out of the tire? It doesn't just disappear. In fact it likes to linger for a long long time, doesn't evaporate very readily. Unless you've seen obvious signs of fluid, and had to add air to the tire repeatedly, it probably was only about half full as you stated.

You lose a bit each time you change the tire, and don't necessarily always top it off.

I changed one recently where the rim had rotted completely away around the valve stem, and the tube was poking out. Amazingly that was the ONLY area on the rim that was damaged at all! The rest of the rim was perfect. Definitely worth repairing if I can find another parts rim to cut a section from.

 

[dhermesc]

Given how common H & M rims are I would just buy a different rim and start over with another tire. If you don't get in a hurry and watch CL or FB Market Place you'll find one before long.

If you want to keep the rim you really need to break down the tire and rim and clean everything (rim and tire) with soap (Dawn) and water. Good change you will have a fair amount of corrosion on the rim - especially if its leaked out half its volume over the last 30 years and the rim itself is over 70 years old. Once cleaned and painted if needed put a new tube back in and remount the tire.

While the cracking is an issue - you would be amazed at how bad a tire can get on a low horsepower tractor like an H before its really an issue. A tire in similar condition would tear itself apart on an 80 hp tractor but will hold together for a decade or more - unless you are pulling a plow. Again - these tires and rims seem pretty common and cheap on FB Market Place and find a decent pair already mounted for a few hundred dollars happens all the time in my area. The demand for the H&M tractors has dropped of tremendously in the last 10-15 years and lots are being parked and parted.