Colt Case Ingersoll Garden Tractors

Looking for advice...

I have a pair of extra 16" rims for my 446 that I'm going to mount AG tires on, I would like to add some ballast to them eventually, either Beet Juice / RimGuard or Antifreeze (Windshield Washer fluid or RV antifreeze )

Any opinions on just filling them as they sit? Or is it better to install inner tubes and keep the liquid away from the steel rims? The tires had regular duty tubes in them ~ when I dismounted the old rubber I was a little surprised to see the amount of rust that had formed between the tube and the rim . The inside of the rims have since been all cleaned up and painted with Tremclad, but in the future I would like to avoid having them rust out from the inside.

Gerry I think tubes in the tires is a terrific idea if adding liquid inside. Harry

Yep, add tubes. The rust between the tubes and rim is from condensation, is my guess. Maybe Por 15 would help that if you put it on the rims.

Noel

I would use tubes. I realize you won’t be using calcium chloride but I would still want the liquid in a tube and not sloshing around on the rim.

The rust was most likely there prior to the tubes being installed . Condensation will continue it . No matter if you use tubes or not you need to deaden the rust and paint the rim . Most rims when they were made had little to no paint on the inside to start with . I perfer tubes myself (buy farm/industrial grade or don't bother). But if it is non-corrosive liquid without a tube you can jam a plug in if you get a puncture , no so if you have a tube . Note on RV/ plumbing antifreeze . Is does freeze if cold enough , but does Not expand in doing so like water . That is the protection . WW fluid will cause rust on bare metal .

Here's my experience:
Calcium; rims will rust (in 30yrs), tube or no tube, but heavier than WW.
Beet juice; local farm supply stopped selling beet juice (RIM Guard) because it caused corrosion, lol. I bought Wheat Juice. Sticky stuff, awful if you get puncher. Not much heavier than WW.
WW; my first tires I filled with WW was 30yrs ago. No issues. Will use again, won't go back to beet juice or Wheat juice.

Installation:
I just lie on ground, break bead, tread down on side and pore in from 4 litre container, takes about 20 litres and 10 minutes. Re-air.

A bonus is that WW is thicker than air, so you can lose air pressure but tire doesn't go flat. Ie. I haven't had WW leak out.