A leak from around the rear tire

[Dognose]

I have a 1946 A, restored last year, but is a work tractor with a L59 woods mower on it. When I went into the barn the other day, I noticed a small puddle around the base of the right rear tire of what appeared to be a oil or liquefied grease.

The temps this week was in the mid 90s and the humidity Tuesday and Wednesday was in the 80 to 90 percent making a heat index of 106. So it was pretty hot.

Any ideas what the liquid could be?

[Barnyard]

My guess is you have loaded rear tires. What you saw was probably calcium chloride leaking from it.

[Dognose]

How are the tires loaded? It has the color of oil but may be due to dirt around the tire I guess.

How can I be sure if it is from the tire.

[Eugene]

How can I be sure if it is from the tire.

Park the tractor near the garden hose. Rotate the tire until the valve stem is somewhere between 4 and 8 o'clock. Remove valve cap and press the valve core. Fluid will come out. Wash everything off and replace the valve cap.

Fluid is installed with a pump.

If it is calcium chloride you need to remove the tire and tube. Then clean up everything. Calcium chloride rapidly rusts metal.

[Barnyard]

Calcium chloride rapidly rusts metal.

I will also kill your grass and steralize the soil. Try to open the valve on a driveway where it can drain.

[Dognose]

What is the purpose of putting this in the tire?

[Barnyard]

What is the purpose of putting this in the tire?

So they can sell more rims more often after they rot away.

No, I'm just kidding. Really, it is to add weight to the tires for traction.

[Dognose]

Well the rear tires have the wheel weights. I emailed the guy I bought the tractor from and asked him about the loading of tires.

[SONNY]

Chloride should be banned from use in tires.---its use has destroyed more rims/tires/tubes than cutting torches have.----do your tractor a BIG favor and get rid of the stuff, and add more iron if you need the extra weight!---I never saw the need for any weight of any kind, but most guys add tons of weight to these little tractors, then wonder why the clutches wont hold up!---just my observation! thanks; sonny

[DanR]

Take it to a tire store that can safely remove the calcium chloride. They can pump it out and dispose of it properly. DIY is not recommended.

[Dognose]

I received an email from the guy I bought the tractor from. He indicates there is no fluid in the tires. There was fluid in them when he bought the tractor originally and it had destroyed the rear rims that's why there's new rear rims on the tractor now.

So its not the tires.

[Bigdog]

Take a close look at the rear axle seals. My BN likes to "wet the tire" on one side.

[Dognose]

The leak was coming from the underside of the tractor. The pan is held on by eight bolts or so. A few were loose enough to get a quarter to a half turn on them. I tightened them up so I will keep an eye on it to see if it leaks.