Tire inflation

Shawn Osborn · Sep 14, 2011

I remember my dad telling me along the way that the tire stems need to be in a certain position to inflate the tires. I can"t remember if it is at the top or the bottom. I want to say since the issue is liquid the stem should be at the top due to gravity. Can anyone address this issue?

snoop-nc · Sep 14, 2011

SHAWN...if by "inflating" you are including the addition of fluid, you would want the valve stem to be on 'top'. If you are just checking/adding air, then it wouldn't make any real difference. Be warned, though, that you might get a small squirt.

If you are gauging your tires it would be a good idea to get a tire gauge designed for use with fluid...and rinse/dry it after each use.

Be careful...tires can be explosive if over inflated!

Rick

old · Sep 14, 2011

Air can be added to them no matter where the stem if with or with out fluid but if they do have fluid in them it will work better if the stem is at the top that way you loose not fluid and that also helps save rims form rusting due to the fluid being a slat solution

Shawn Osborn · Sep 14, 2011

Thanks! Very Helpful.

IH fan · Sep 14, 2011

While we're on the subject of tire inflation, something I've always wondered about is do you inflate to the same pressure if you have calcium in them as you do without? Dad never used calcium and as I recall inflated his 12(13.6)x38s (JD 60 or IH 460) to about 12# and his 9 or 10x36 (IH C/SC) to about 13# without fluid... would you do the same with fluid or does the extra weight need more air pressure due to the weight of the fluid "squashing " the tire and the lower volume of air?

old · Sep 14, 2011

PSI is PSI and it does not matter if it is air or water or a combo of the 2 it still ends up being the same as for how the tire sits.

IH fan · Sep 14, 2011

Thanks, old. Just thought maybe the extra weight might flatten the tread out more on the bottom and would need more pressure to get the tire tread to sit the same on the ground as one without the fluid.

Another memory from work..... we had a M-F test tractor that I was told had lead powder in the tires. I know it had some kind of powder because when driving it, you had to keep the speed down or the powder would start following the tire around and get WAY out of balance. We had a test track west of the plant and you didn't want to "road speed" this one to the track. Also had to be careful checking the pressure and I don't know how many tire gages were plugged up with that powder. There would always be some in the valve stem and you soon learned to blow it out first before checking.

F-Dean · Sep 14, 2011

Not all gauges are receptive to calcium chloride. If the tire has fluid in it, rotate the valve stem to the top.

Dave H (MI) · Sep 14, 2011

I thought you were going to complain about the prices.

Indiana Ken · Sep 14, 2011

For fluid filled tires the pressure should be checked with the valve stem at the top, to eliminate/minimize the effect of the fluid on the pressure reading.

A column of water 2.31 feet high equals a pressure of 1 Psi. Therefore, if the valve stem is at the bottom, the pressure gage will read the air pressure plus the fluid head pressure. Water weights 8.33 Lbs/Gal and in the case of calcium chloride solutions the additional solution weight also needs to be accounted for. For example, with the valve stem at the bottom and checking a 38" tire filled to the top of the rim with a calcium chloride solution weighting 13 Lbs/Gal the fluid head pressure will be: [38In/12In/Foot] divide [2.31 Foot/Psi] times [13Lbs/Gal/8.33Lbs/Gal] = 2.1 Psi.

Tire inflation

Shawn Osborn

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snoop-nc

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old

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Shawn Osborn

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IH fan

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old

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