How much weight is too much?

[Inspectorjoe]

I want to eliminate chains, so I thought I'd double up on rear wheel weights. The wheels are loaded with calcium chloride. I just discovered a crack on the inner side of one of the tires. They are otherwise in good condition. I've had garden tractor tires with much more severe cracking, but there wasn't a lot of weight on them. I'm looking for opinions on whether I'm asking for trouble with doubled up weights and calcium chloride loading.

[ricky racer]

The calcium chloride is in the tubes, not the tires, I would assume. If you add rear wheel weights, you can increase the tire pressure a few pounds to minimize the sidewall flex to compensate.

[Inspectorjoe]

The calcium chloride is in the tubes, not the tires, I would assume. If you add rear wheel weights, you can increase the tire pressure a few pounds to minimize the sidewall flex to compensate.

I forgot to mention that the tires aren't tubed.

[Barnyard]

I forgot to mention that the tires aren't tubed.

You do not want calcium in an untubed tire. The calcium will corrode your rims. I would grain the tires and just go with weights. The first pic shows what may be corrosion already eating through the rim.

[ricky racer]

The calcium chloride is in the tubes, not the tires, I would assume. If you add rear wheel weights, you can increase the tire pressure a few pounds to minimize the sidewall flex to compensate.

I forgot to mention that the tires aren't tubed.

Are you sure there are no tubes in those tires? I don't know if I've ever seen a tubeless tire of that vintage.

[Inspectorjoe]

I forgot to mention that the tires aren't tubed.

You do not want calcium in an untubed tire. The calcium will corrode your rims. I would grain the tires and just go with weights. The first pic shows what may be corrosion already eating through the rim.

I have to think that simply draining them wouldn't stop corrosion from continuing. If I did do away with the calcium chloride, I'd want to dismount the tires, remove any rust and paint the rims. That's something I don't have time for in the short term.

That area that looks like rust damage is just calcium chloride solution that dripped down from the valve the day before. The rims appear to be pretty solid. Oddly, the solution that came out was crystal clear. I expected it to be rust-colored.

[Inspectorjoe]

The calcium chloride is in the tubes, not the tires, I would assume. If you add rear wheel weights, you can increase the tire pressure a few pounds to minimize the sidewall flex to compensate.

I forgot to mention that the tires aren't tubed.

Are you sure there are no tubes in those tires? I don't know if I've ever seen a tubeless tire of that vintage.

Yes. There are two-piece valve assemblies installed.

[Barnyard]

Yes. There are two-piece valve assemblies installed.

That is what a tube valve looks like. You have tubes in them.

[ricky racer]

That looks like a valve stem for tire tubes used to accept liquid ballast.

[Inspectorjoe]

Yes. There are two-piece valve assemblies installed.

That is what a tube valve looks like. You have tubes in them.

Really? You made my night! That explains why the solution was so clear.

Now, do you have any thoughts on doubled-up weights with that crack?

[Inspectorjoe]

Yes. There are two-piece valve assemblies installed.

That is what a tube valve looks like. You have tubes in them.

What's the giveaway? The nylon nut? I've seen that style for tubeless use, but they have brass nuts.

[kully560]

if the tires are filled with calcium, it is supposed to be filled over the top of the rim. this way there will be no air to reach the metal for the rust to start!

[SONNY]

Get rid of that crap NOW while you have any rim left at all! I would just get new rims cause you will be doing so in the very near future!!!

[ajhbike]

I have seen what that will do to rims although it is a long process of decay.
I use single wheel weights with chains because no matter how much weight on the tires, I need the chain biting into the snow and ice for the couple storms a year we get. My big JD weighs 9,000 lbs and will still slip and slide without chains.