TECHNICAL ADVICES

Mechanical lead

Liquid ballasting

Charts of filling
with liquid

Tyre maintenance

Storage

Use
and maintenance

Liquid ballasting

Occasionally the machine needs extra weight to increase tractive power but also to lower the centre of gravity for improved stability.
Primary, wheel or chassis mounted weights should be used, but on occasions when this is impossible, the tyres can be liquid filled.

Liquid filling alters tyre characteristics:
- Tyres get more rigid and less flexible.
- Rolling resistance increases.
- Increased risk of damage to tyres, rims and axles.
- Considerably increased forces during road operations

Liquid recommendations

In areas without any risk of freezing:
- Tubed tyres – water only.
- Tubeless tyres - water + anti corrosion fluid, usually ethylene glycol.

In areas with a risk of freezing:
- Tubed tyres – Water + Calcium-Chloride (CaCl2) or ethylene glycol or methylated spirit
- Tubeless tyres - water + ethylene glycol

These solutions lower the freezing point and do not damage the tyre, while the calcium chloride also increases the ballasting.

Liquid precautions

- use pumps with rust resistant pressure gauges
- ensure the operator uses protective glasses, overalls, boots and rubber gloves
- prepare the solution by pouring the calcium chloride into the water and stirring the mix to help it dissolve.

Never pour the water into the calcium chloride: it is dangerous. Always mix calcium chloride in to water.

Liquid volume

Maximum permitted filling volume is 75% of the total tyre volume. For forestry machines, operating in heavy terrain, max. 50% filling volume.

Mixing of anti-freeze fluid

The following proportions may be used as a general guide:

Calcium-chloride (Ca Cl2)

Temperature °C	Ca Cl2 kg	Water litre	Total weight kg (per litre mixed fluid)
–10 –20 –30 –40	0,14 0,24 0,36 0,49	0,95 0,90 0,83 0,76	1,11 1,16 1,21 1,26

Example: Tyre dimension 650/60-38 TWIN 414.
Volume at 75% filling level = 590 litre
Wanted anti-freeze temperature –30 °C.

Ethylene glycol

Example: Tyre dimension 650/60-38 TWIN 414. Volume at 75% filling level = 590 litre

Wanted to anti-freeze temperature –30 °C

Liquid filling instructions

Liquid filling valves

Agricultural wheels are normally equipped with combined air and liquid-filling valves. For tube tyres the valve number is TR218A (or ETRTO V4.01.1+V4.02.1) and TR618A for tubeless tyres (or ETRTO V5.01.1+V4.02.1).

Instructions for liquid filling

1. Tyres should be mounted as usual with required bead seating pressure.
   
2. Equip the tractor with the required tools.
   
3. Inflate the tyres to the recommended pressure.
   
4. Move the tractor until the valve is pointing to desired filling level (at the highest vertical point for 75%)
   
5. Insert a jack under the axle, near the wheel, and raise it until it makes contact with the axle (the jack will sustain the tractor in the original position when the tyre is deflated).
   
6. Deflate the tyre. Unscrew the entire air valve housing.
   
7. Connect the liquid filling valve (this is a special valve with an air drain pipe).
   
8. Introduce the liquid into the tyre through a normal rubber hose fixed to the stem of the valve until it flows out of the drainpipe.
   
9. When the liquid filling valve is not available, introduce liquid in to the tyre by fixing a normal rubber hose to the stem of the normal valve. During the filling operation occasionally remove the hose from the valve in order to allow the air in the tyre to escape.
   
10. Stop filling when water starts to come out.
    
11. Replace the air valve and inflate to the desired pressure (same as point 3).

Note: Only use an inflation pressure gauge that is resistant to anti-freeze liquid. Make sure that the air valve is above liquid level before measuring the air pressure.

Instructions for draining water

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