Tires, liners, and foam

[56FordGuy]

Hey all. I replced the steer tires on my tractor last year, and am replacing the drive tires and rims this year due to calcium chloride rust issues. One rear rim is actually splitting apart.

Since I'm going this far, I wanted to get some opinions on tire liners for the drive tires. I do a lot of bush hogging, usually my own land in a clean field. I've never had a flat rear tire. However, I really don't want to. Has anyone here used one of the full liners that Gempler's offers? Do you feel like it was worth the cost? Like I said, aside from the rim coming apart I really haven't had any rear tire problems, but since I'm going with new rims, tubes, and tires, if the liners really do offer a good deal of protection I may go ahead and install them now.

The front tires are a different story. I have been fighting flat steer tires since I bought the tractor. Blackberries and locust will do that, I guess. I put on two new steer tires last season, with new tubes. That has helped with the flats, but I still have a slow leak from one tire. The place I use for tires was telling me that they could foam fill mine, and eliminate the flat issue. I work with forklifts, and run across foam filled industrial tires commonly. It seems like over time, the foam breaks down and the tires become slightly flat. The gentleman at the tire place told me they use a different kind of foam, and that since the steer tire of my tractor doesn't carry as much weight as a forklift they should last just fine. However, I run a loader on my tractor and use it to lift very heavy loads fairly often. Has anyone here had their tires foam filled? What do you think about it? If it could eliminate my flat tires, and stand up to loader use, I think it would be worth the $150.00 per tire. I just want to get some real world opinions on it before spending that kind of money, though.

Thanks!

 

[tugboat-2]

56FordGuy :....well before you get excited, I must tell you that I can't help you, ...sorry.

I just want to say WELCOME ABOARD,...and I too am strongly considering getting my front tires foamed as well. BUT,..like you, I want to know a little more about ~"long-term-service"~ prior to such an outlay.

All I know about the process is that once it has been done,..that's it,..when the tire casing is worn out or damaged, you have to "cut" the tire and foam away from the rim and that is apparently such that others have simply purchased new rims.

I also use my loader with heavy loads almost constantly,...and now that you mention "foam-breakdown" and tires then running "soft",....I wonder if it would be worth it all. I can only imagine a foamed tire "might" be like running on a wooden wheel,... no bounce at all,...not sure how that affects the ride but I imagine it would be as bumpy as an old buckboard,......however, you are sitting over the rear wheels, NOT the front so it may not matter. (to the ride, but what about wheel bearings etc, do they take a beating?)

BUT,...since I can't "assist" you,...I shouldn't be adding to your list of troubles and so I will join you in asking those with experience to help us both. I think there are likely many more who are interested in this particular topic? SO,... can anyone help us ?

CHEERS!
. . tug

 

[Sportsman762]

I do not know how well tire liners will work. If you are not planning on loading your tires then you might consider using Gemplers tire sealent. I have seen this seal a 1" hole and last for several years. Ultraseal Tire Sealant -- 5-gal. Bulletproof-grade - GEMPLER'S It is not cheap though. I would also buy the highest ply tires you can afford to reduce punctures.

 

[MarkV]

I have seen foam filled tires on a skid steer run until you could see the foam where rubber was suppose to be. I think you would be fine on the front of a tractor. I am not sure I personally would foam rear tires because they tend to make the ride harsher. I think if it were me on the rears I would see what the liners cost and apply that to tires with more plys. Glad I don't have the locust some of you deal with.

MarkV

 

[joe48]

I don't know the brand name but I see them more and more on skid steers and fronts on 4x4 TLB's onconstruction jobs. They look like regular R4 tread with 4" holes cut in the side walls, seems like they give good ride, are flat proof etc. somebody will think of they name or you should be able to Google it.

 

[oldballs]

I, too, am interested because the back 500 feet of my property is lined with Osage Orange. There are native Locust as well as some Russian Olive and multiflora rose. I walk the property more often now that I'm retired. But I sure am tired of flat tires. I changed to a solid rubber tire on my wheelbarrow and have used a lot of Linseal over the years on the Case 448 tractor and the small trailers. I am even thinking about buying one extra front and rear wheel/tire for my new Kubota. Thus I could quick change a flat and keep on working until the flat is fixed. An inner tube with patches (as needed) might be better than foam filled or more Linseal (that green goop) when flats occur. I don't even know if one can buy these particular tires with more plys.

 

[DMW]

I had the fronts foam filled on my SCUT 5 years ago. No issues with them yet. The extra weight is nice when using 3ph attachments. I used an industrial tire shop to fill mine. Got a deal as it was the shop where the company I work for gets its forklift tires. They fill to the PSI sidewall rating, so they do have a little give. I wouldn't worry about flat spots as the weight load is far less than a forklift. Even our solid forklift tires end up getting them.
I found the frame flexes more with a heavy bucket load on very uneven ground. Not having to worry about flats, and the extra steering control with rear attachments has made it very worthwhile.

 

[CharlieKtractor]

my vote is for a flex-foam filled tire--front and rear--there's no shocks on a tractor

 

[Mike @ ARNCO]

ARNCO is the world's largest mfg. of polyurethane (foam) fill products. The use of fill on the front tires would work fine. I would suggest a lower durometer (flexible) product such as SuperFlex which will replicate an air filled ride. Depending on the size, most of these tires can be retreaded when worn out. This would take a few weeks so try and schedule when machine is down. PSI should be set at normal operating pressure. You can check availability with your local tire dealer.
As far as rears are concerned a high level sealant such as ReSeal would do the trick.

Hope this helps

 

[EddieWalker]

I've been fighting flat tires on my backhoe and compact tractor for years. I went with slime when it first happened, but that didn't work. Then I put in tubes, which also didn't work. Some months I'd get a flat every month, other times, I'd go a month or two between flats. I replaced the front tires on the backhow, but that didn't stop the flats either.

On a Saturday afternoon, last spring, I had my second flat in two weeks. I couldn't get it fixed until Monday, and I wasn't very happy about not being able to finish what I was doing for another week. I decided that enough was enough, and I was going to foam those fron tires.

Since then, I have not missed a day of work due to flat tires. They are heavy, and impossible to lift, but they work great!!! It's one of those things that I wish I had done years ago. Kind of like buying the grapple. Once you've done it, you realize how big of a difference it makes.

On my little tractor, I had about half the tread left on the front tires and I had told myself that when they wore out, I'd floam them too. But after doing the backhoe, and having another flat on the tractor, I decided I was done with flats on that tractor too. I bought new tires and had them foamed. It drives the same, but now I can mow any day that I want without having to deal with a flat tire.

I have locust trees, and think they are my problem. I don't know what else is causing the flats, but I think tha after a short amout of time, the tires become weekened and go flat easier then when they were brand new. It's just my guess, but when I first used slime, it seemed to work, but then it didn't anymore. My only explenation is that there is a point where the tire is just too badly damaged from too many holes in it to work anymore. The tubes helped, but the also went flat fairly often. Sometimes it's the valve stems, other times it's just a hole in the tube.

It's been less then a year, so I can't comment on long term, but I can comment on productivity and peace of mind. Both are way up because of the foam in my front tires!!!

Eddie