Rim Guard/ Beet Juice question - not recommended by local dealer
 

Hey Folks, I haven't posted in a while. On my recently inherited 1450 I found a snowplow. I remember my dad mentioning before he never used it because the wheels would just spin... well- turns out I don't think he ever used chains + wheel weights. It hasn't snowed yet in the mid-atlantic yet but I want to try using the tractor this year. I plan on getting Terra Grips to plow/throw my mother's newly paved asphalt driveway.

So upon my research I thought about Rim Guard/Beet Juice which seemed like a great option, as I could add even more weight later if need be. I found the local dealer (carries New Holland, not IH or CC) carries/installs it, so I called asking about pricing, timing etc- service advisor asked what it was going into- after telling him what I had he did not recommend putting in Rim Guard to ballast the rear tires on an older garden tractor as it puts additional strain on the drivetrain.

Instead, he recommended something removable like a weight box (mine does not have a 3 point hitch) or the traditional iron wheel weights - so I can remove it during the spring when I put the mower deck back on. He does have a point about it being removable but I've always thought of these IH Tractors to be tough and easily capable of handling ballasted tires year round.

Either way, he is willing to put in the Beet Juice but I'm now reconsidering putting it in at all and sticking with the traditional iron weights. Thoughts?

He has probably never had any experience with an older garden tractor.. especially an IH built one.. Those rear ends are near bullet proof. We have a 1450 that has run ballasted 10.50 ag tires and weights since 1976. The tractor has been worked hard all it's life.. heavy gardening and mowing... the rear axle has never given any trouble. I'd rather have the weight on the tires and wheels only.. if you hang the weight on the back you are also stressing the axles and bearings..
His reasoning doesn't make much sense to me...

Ballast those tires all you want and don't worry about it!!:beerchug::beerchug:

A modern box store lawnmower with an aluminum transaxle... I wouldn't even think about weight or ballast!:biggrin2::biggrin2:

The dealer is wrong. Load the tires and dont worry. :beerchug:

That's what I thought. Ironically the competing local dealer (where my dad originally bought the tractor from) now carries Kubota but does not do the beet juice. This tractor has lead an easy life (aside from my driving it into a brick wall when I was younger).. only used to mow a flat 2 acre yard. It sat in a garage for 15 some years now mows my 1/4 acre yard. Eventually, I want to put in a patio and garden in my back yard, so that will be the first time it actually works with dirt, another reason for the wheel weights.

Shame on the dealer! I believe it's best for the tractor to have the weight in the tires - to - the ground whether it be liquid or rim weights. Then, if needed, a "counter" weight on the rear of the tractor. I'm still shocked the dealer voiced his opinion on such a simple, time proven subject rather making a sale for the store. What a bunch of dope supporting bull!

I ordered a set of Tru Powers for my 2182 yesterday and our tire dealer is going to mount and fill when with rim guard for me today.

Pound for pound a dealer can make a lot more money selling cast iron weight than rim guard, it's going to cost me $32.50 for 10 gallons of rime guard and 110lbs of cast iron would be several times that much.

I called the other local dealer (a little bit further away), they're a little cheaper per gallon but a little more on the install fee. This one could do it quicker (the other was tied up for 2 weeks) and had no objections on a garden tractor. Both dealers want between $100-$125 for installation (not including the metal valve stems, which I can put in myself). At this point it's basically a wash- figure around $175 for either beet juice + installation or $175 for used weights on ebay/CL/classifieds + shipping.

$.02

Load the tires. Get some wiper fluid and a garden sprayer and do it yourself. I like the loaded tires both summer and winter

Then buy some IH weights. They should be about $100 per set. I heard they fit in a $14 flat rate shipping box . (!!)

For the same money you have both

Run both loaded tires and weights in the winter.

Sounds like your 1st dealer doesn't know the difference between vehicle overload limits when using suitcase weights that hang off a tractor compared with neutral weight mass when putting that same weight as a liquid, into a tire. All vehicles have a gross vehicle weight rating.

Vehicle overload limits is putting weight onto the whole of vehicle where it can't handle the stress and parts break from downward load forces.

Neutral weight mass is putting that same weight such as liquid into tires, wheel weights or both. There's no downward forces that overload the vehicle carrying capacity. The axles/housing/bearings still only see the weight of the tractor as if there's nothing. Thus you get traction without going beyond carry limits.

Adding some extra suitcase weights off the tractor just gives that little extra, if needed, as either traction weight or balance when one end of tractor has an implement attached.

I'd load them with washer fluid, won't weigh as much but it's still plenty and if you can do it yourself it will be less than $30. I run my tires loaded with washer fluid and my cub goes like a tank.