Eugen wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:35 pm
I was planning to do something like this as well. Didn't have friends at any tire shop so getting wheel balancing weights was out of the question. I called a couple of metal recycling places to see if they'd sell me some lead. Both said they don't deal with small purchasing, but one said ok come by it's 90 cents a pound. I never found the time to to that. Another source of steel I figured would be automobile break rotors. Had four from my truck, found four at the curb thrown out, and two were given to me by a neighbour. Tried to drill the four holes in one of them, oh hell on ice it was so hard! I gave up after one hole. They're not bad as added weight on the rear box though. I suppose I could've welded them all together then weld bolts on them, and cast them in cement like Dave. Just didn't get this idea at the time.
I bought them off Tire busters for 33c a lb a couple of years ago but hadn't got to using them,that's what scrap dealer paid them at the time but prices have gone up on everything . The original plan was to set them in epoxy . The cast iron in break rotors "work harden with the repeated heating and cooling . I have an old set of 12" wheel weight that are unbelievable heavy for the size . They are what looks to me as cast concrete made with course Granite sand. That is another idea I would like to explore but no time right now .
Tire ,tube, rim , weight , all together 179 lbs each and low profile too . Should be enough for blowing snow .
Given the opportunity to do again . I would like to try granite chips and dust with epoxy .
Other than air pocket and gaps left by the folds in the plastic worked ok . Should have spent more time cutting and taping the folds in the plastic .
While the concrete is still green I will fill the gaps with mortar. After is cured I will spray with rubber coating . When that is done I will cut off the excess steal rod.
My first go-to is getting the tires filled. I have a local ag plus car tire store and they sell a lot of Rim Guard.
Rim Guard weighs more than water or antifreeze. They claim 11+ lbs per gallon. Rim Guard is not corrosive and is environmentally safe. In an 8.00-16 tire it will take 11.4 gallons per the fill chart. That is 125.4lbs per tire. So, 250 total is a lot of easy weight. I paid $3.30 per gallon the last time I filled some tires. In round numbers that is $80 per tractor.
The greatest thing is tire fill lowers the center of gravity, is not part of the rotating mass, and does not add to the axle shaft weight. You also do not have to lift the weights into place and your tractor does not look different.
To find it call Rim Guard and ask for a dealer near you AND one that sells a lot of product. The ones that sell a lot are almost certainly the cheapest in price.
If it was that cheap around here I would do it. That being said, I don't see how wheel weights put weight on the axle. Also, the center of gravity, if the tire is full, is almost identical to that of wheel weights; though on the horizontal axis each wheel weight will have the center of gravity more to the exterior.
@DavidBarkey I like how they came out, and like you, function over looks. But your weights look good with that white paint. Now I want to paint my weights white too.
I gave up after one hole. They're not bad as added weight on the rear box though.
I suppose I could've welded them all together then weld bolts on them, and cast them in cement like Dave. Just didn't get this idea at the time.
