RV Antifreeze froze in my floats. Does regular A-F hurt aluminum?

[Alex Clark]

I put RV antifreeze inside the compartments of some EDO 2000s.
Today a prospective buyer came by to look at them and the floats had ice inside. It has not really been super cold.
I mentioned this to a friend who just used the same antifreeze to winterize his office toilets, AND his toilets were also frozen.
Very weird.
Will regular car antifreeze hurt the aluminum?

 

[stewartb]

No, but it’ll harm the environment when you pump the residue into the lake.

In my use RV antifreeze freezes into a slush but won’t freeze hard. I think windshield washer fluid works better.

 

[Dog]

RV antifreeze is none toxic hence you can use it in a drinking water system. Anything with strong cleaning agents may be corrosive enough to not be the best inside your floats.

 

[Rob]

RV antifreeze is none toxic hence you can use it in a drinking water system.

I get what the intention here is, but not sure this is a good metric. There are literally a zillion things we can use in drinking water, actually things we use to 'better' our drinking water that are not great for the environment.

In my day job, I am tasked with testing and treating the water we use so your food is safe for consumption. The treatment essentially kills everything living in that water.

Since antifreeze is not likely very regulated, the best source for an answer would be the MSDS of the particular antifreeze in question.

Take care Rob

 

[stewartb]

The worst part about car anti-freeze, at least the old fluorescent green Prestone kind, is that it’s slimy and near impossible to rinse out. Future repairs are a PITA as a result. My bitch with RV anti-freeze is that stuff grows in it. Windshield washer fluid didn’t have those problems. All I tried to do was minimize the chance of ice expanding and harming seams. It didn’t take much product to achieve that. I think guys who store floats upside down on sawhorses have the best idea. No water in the seams and no moose walking on the floats when buried in the snow.

 

[cubflier]

It's 18 degrees this morning and the RV antifreeze in my hatches are as fluid as when I poured it in. Seems like a brand issue. Auto antifreeze in floats would be a nightmare to get rid of IMO.

As far as other options besides flipping them, I wonder how that white shrink wrap would do.

Jerry

 

[StalledOut]

in 1987 had a set of Edo 2000's stolen in West Anchorage, middle of winter, over a cedar fence. That prompted some changes. When the floats come off in the fall, they go on a snowmachine trailer, come home, get scrubbed down and cleaned up (Star Brite Hull cleaner works well) and then hung in the garage. a couple of mechanics creepers help roll them around. I also take a shop vac and suck as much water out as I can. In the spring I can lower them down, but keep them suspended a bit so I can get a good coat of wax on them and the bottoms, before they go back in the water. No moose to worry about, no theft issues, no antifreeze and no having to flip a set over on saw horses.

 

[BC12D-4-85]

Many here cover floats with blue tarps and raise off ground on boards. Frost comes from below just like for skis. That's after Fall dewatering with hand pump or better yet wet/dry vacuum to get it all. RV antifreeze works but can allow bio growth as noted, but so does plain water. Windshield washer fluid can contain methanol alcohol, which there says can be reactive with aluminum (Edit: and zinc [as in zinc chromate?]). I'd also make sure it's compatible with any float sealing compound, not sure how.

Gary

 

[Bill.Brine]

Not all RV antifreeze is the same.
Some years ago I had the same issues with RV antifreeze freezing in a bilge.
Some research showed that there is (was) no industry standard for RV antifreezes. Lots of marketing hype and coloring added.
Also there is freeze protection and burst protection. Some products only protect freezing down to the low 20f range. Add some bilge water to dilute the antifreeze makes things worse.
Propylene Glycol is the magic ingredient.
More the better.
I use the -100 Star-Brite brand in relatively warm New England.
If I lived inland I’d go for the -200 stuff from Star-Brite.


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[Alex Clark]

Unfortunately i no longer have a hangar, and I do not have shop space large enough for floats right now.
I am just trying to keep them intact until somebody buys them at a bargain price.

 

[Mark_Moyle]

Might consider ethanol. Will not evaporate off much during the winter months? Pop the hatches in the spring…it’ll all be gone after a good warm day.


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[sj]

Semi-related question: I'm trying to buy 80 gallons of at least zero degree washer fluid to put in my tractor tires (way cheaper than wheel weights). I figured buying bulk would be cheaper, but so far by the time you add shipping to the 55 gallon drums the price is double what buying it at Autozone by the gallon would be. I'm watching for sales, etc. Have considered ethanol and beet juice, but find AF to be the most economical solution. Any suggestions on another alternative, or place to get cheap washer fluid?

sj

 

[mvivion]

I used RV anti freeze in several sets of floats in Fairbanks for 20 years, never a problem.
Bear in mind that some floats which don’t leak from the bottoms do leak from tops. So I pump them as dry as I can get them, then open hatches and visually verify no water. Then cover them with tarp or….

Problems I’ve seen is someone has a pump out tube that’s disconnected, didn’t get ALL the water out, added a little RV anti freeze, which was instantly diluted.. etc.

But, all the RV anti freeze I ever used, on floats and in RVs, worked great.

MTV

 

[Paul Heinrich]

Lots of condensation forms this time of year - cold floats meets warm moist air. Did the prospect tell you where the ice was; on the bulkheads, along the sides, on the underside of the hatches? That’s where he found ice, I’d guess. Not on the bottom where you put RV AF.

 

[cubscout]

Semi-related question: I'm trying to buy 80 gallons of at least zero degree washer fluid to put in my tractor tires (way cheaper than wheel weights). I figured buying bulk would be cheaper, but so far by the time you add shipping to the 55 gallon drums the price is double what buying it at Autozone by the gallon would be. I'm watching for sales, etc. Have considered ethanol and beet juice, but find AF to be the most economical solution. Any suggestions on another alternative, or place to get cheap washer fluid?

sj

SJ, have you considered an acqueous solution of calcium chloride? Pretty standard for tractor tires, most farm tire dealers have the equipment to pump it in. We run it in the 'Binder ('Farmall') at our airfield, and also in its predecessor, Fergie, the Duchess of York (Harry Ferguson TO-30). Makes a big difference.

We now return you to the Original Poster's topic.

Thanks. cubscout

 

[sj]

SJ, have you considered an acqueous solution of calcium chloride? Pretty standard for tractor tires, most farm tire dealers have the equipment to pump it in. We run it in the 'Binder ('Farmall') at our airfield, and also in its predecessor, Fergie, the Duchess of York (Harry Ferguson TO-30). Makes a big difference.

We now return you to the Original Poster's topic.

Thanks. cubscout

I have, I have heard it can play hell with the inside of the rims which is why I was looking for other solutions. I have the equipment to put the stuff in (a little pressure relief valve and drill pump). The dealers around here all do beet juice (Rim Guard) which is very pricey - but slightly heavier than water - and you have to take it in they won't come to you.

sj

 

[cubdriver2]

SJ, have you considered an acqueous solution of calcium chloride? Pretty standard for tractor tires, most farm tire dealers have the equipment to pump it in. We run it in the 'Binder ('Farmall') at our airfield, and also in its predecessor, Fergie, the Duchess of York (Harry Ferguson TO-30). Makes a big difference.

We now return you to the Original Poster's topic.

Thanks. cubscout

My compact 30hp tires are filled with blue windshield washer fluid

Glenn

 

[1934A]

I don't know of anyone that uses chloride anymore, given the choice. Beet juice is the preferred choice here, anyway.

 

[Scott A]

I don't know of anyone that uses chloride anymore, given the choice. Beet juice is the preferred choice here, anyway.

Same here, we have had the beet juice in them for more than 4 years and we have hit 10 to 20 below zero a few times with no issues.

 

[AkPA/18]

>

These covers work good on the wip 2100a.
Made by Nomar out of Homer ak for those that don't have hangars. My understanding is they still have the file to make them.

 

[mvivion]

View attachment 67319>

These covers work good on the wip 2100a.
Made by Nomar out of Homer ak for those that don't have hangars. My understanding is they still have the file to make them.

Nice!

MTV

 

[OLDCROWE]

Semi-related question: I'm trying to buy 80 gallons of at least zero degree washer fluid to put in my tractor tires (way cheaper than wheel weights). I figured buying bulk would be cheaper, but so far by the time you add shipping to the 55 gallon drums the price is double what buying it at Autozone by the gallon would be. I'm watching for sales, etc. Have considered ethanol and beet juice, but find AF to be the most economical solution. Any suggestions on another alternative, or place to get cheap washer fluid?

sj

Just foam them, same traction and no flats!

 

[SteveE]

Semi-related question: I'm trying to buy 80 gallons of at least zero degree washer fluid to put in my tractor tires (way cheaper than wheel weights). I figured buying bulk would be cheaper, but so far by the time you add shipping to the 55 gallon drums the price is double what buying it at Autozone by the gallon would be. I'm watching for sales, etc. Have considered ethanol and beet juice, but find AF to be the most economical solution. Any suggestions on another alternative, or place to get cheap washer fluid?

sj

I’ve got salt water in one and 50/50 mix of antifreeze in another. Both tires are tubed. 16.9x30 something. (I think). That way it doesn’t hurt the rim. Also both are about 1/2 full. Not too expensive to go the antifreeze route at 50/50 mix. Really helps on the traction and counterweight for loader.


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[RedOwlAirfield]

Just foam them, same traction and no flats!

Assuming you're talking about the tractor tires and not the floats...

Which foam do you use? I'd actually been thinking about foaming tires on an experimental airplane - but had no idea what foam to use.

Regarding tractor tires, one of the main benefits of using any sort of liquid is the weight. It helps in counterbalancing any heavy front end load - as in a loader.

 

[skywagon8a]

I'd actually been thinking about foaming tires on an experimental airplane - but had no idea what foam to use.

For what purpose? The air in aircraft tires is part of the shock absorbing system.

 

[Steve Pierce]

I’ve got salt water in one and 50/50 mix of antifreeze in another. Both tires are tubed. 16.9x30 something. (I think). That way it doesn’t hurt the rim. Also both are about 1/2 full. Not too expensive to go the antifreeze route at 50/50 mix. Really helps on the traction and counterweight for loader.


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Do you add some kind of fluid that you can track when someone liberates your tractor? 8)

 

[RedOwlAirfield]

For what purpose? The air in aircraft tires is part of the shock absorbing system.

My thought was to run zero tire pressure and use the foam to maintain the bead. If the right foam were chosen, you'd never have to mess with it again once you got it right. Also - no flat tires - ever. Also never roll a bead - not that I've ever done that.

The reason I asked is I know there's a million different foams out there - and I know that some of them even when cured have rebound properties that might work in this application. I know I saw foam tires that had rebound to them on warehouse equipment back in the 70's so I bet there's something out there that will fill the void and provide rebound damping.

This came about because I found out I have an almost bottomless source of free tires - but I'm not sure they'll hold the bead without air and I'm pretty sure that with virtually any air in them they'll be far too hard. I haven't verified that yet; it's just expectation. I'm planning on using the rebound of the tires as the primary suspension - since I don't fly true off airport at all. This is all just sort back of the envelope engineering at this point though. It's something I will examine more seriously as it gets closer, but if someone's already used foam in (any) tires it could be a data point in the process.

Just kinda thinking out load and wondering. It's something to examine anyway, which is why I brought it up.

 

[SteveE]

Do you add some kind of fluid that you can track when someone liberates your tractor? 8)

Still have that orange X on the cab. Lol


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[skywagon8a]

My thought was to run zero tire pressure and use the foam to maintain the bead. If the right foam were chosen, you'd never have to mess with it again once you got it right. Also - no flat tires - ever. Also never roll a bead - not that I've ever done that..........

Just kinda thinking out load and wondering. It's something to examine anyway, which is why I brought it up.

Hey, that's what experimental is for. If you do do it, be sure to tell us about it.

 

[Paul Heinrich]

Wouldn’t that much liquid in truck/tractor tires throw off the wheel balance and play havoc with the fuel economy? And wouldn’t foam in airplane tires easily deform from a hard landing, pothole bumps, or even just sitting. Nitrogen or regular compressed air seems to have worked pretty good for a lot of tires over a lot of years and a whole lot of vehicle miles.

I suggest using pneumatic fluid. But what do I know.