fixing a flat

   / fixing a flat #1  

Pirwin21

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2009
Messages
41
Location
NW Pennsylvania
Tractor
2007 Kubota L3400 HST
Over the weekend, I experienced my first flat on my Kubota L3400. The front left tire went flat and the bead was broken. My question is, if I jack up the side of the tractor where the wheel is flat, will I be able to put air in the tire and it will pop back on? Or will I need to use bead sealer or take the rim off and take it to a pro? Thanks for the input.
 
   / fixing a flat #2  
If you think the bead just came loose causing the flat I would try what you said.

Jack it up, remove the valve core to allow a bigger blast of air to enter, apply air hose and you may need to use your hands, feet and possibly a friend to hold the bead against the rim, and it "should" inflate and seat the bead.

Make sure there is no mud or dents on the wheel and the bead on the tire is clean.

Then once the bead is seated, reinstall the valve core and air up to desired pressure

Or you can try the same by taking it off the tractor and laying it on the ground or floor

If there is a hole in the tire...I am not sure if the standard automotive plugs and plugging tools work on these tires.....they should
 
   / fixing a flat #3  
You might be able to jack it up, and leave it on the tractor. What I have been successful in doing is to take the valve steam out, put the air on it and pull the tire back towards the bead. I have found it easier to accomplish this by taking the rim off, and laying it flat on the ground. Having a helper to hold the air on might be make it easier, or pick up an air chuck with the little lever on the side that clamps on. Your can find this at TSC for $5 of so.
If all this fails you can try pouring some dish soap on the bead, it sometimes helps.
CAUTION
I have been hit in the eyeball when the bead seats and you get that loud pop! In my case it felt as if someone shot me in the eye with a flaming dart! I knocked down a shelf of oil stumbling backwards screaming ARRRRGHGRHRGRH! while my brother and son laughed like a pair of fools! lol
 
   / fixing a flat #4  
On my 3940 I found that the rims don't have safety beads like car or truck rims so when the tire goes flat the tire easily pops loose from the rim, I was unable to get the tire to expand to seat to the rim. My solution was to tie a rope around the tire down the center of the tread, insert a bar and wind the rope tighter constricting the tire until the tire bloused out to the rim. Then inflate, once the tire starts to hold air remove the rope. If you do this you don't need to remove the valve core.

Hope this works for you.
Dan K
 
   / fixing a flat #5  
On my 3940 I found that the rims don't have safety beads like car or truck rims so when the tire goes flat the tire easily pops loose from the rim, I was unable to get the tire to expand to seat to the rim. My solution was to tie a rope around the tire down the center of the tread, insert a bar and wind the rope tighter constricting the tire until the tire bloused out to the rim. Then inflate, once the tire starts to hold air remove the rope. If you do this you don't need to remove the valve core.

Hope this works for you.
Dan K

I have also used a tie down strap with the ratcheting mechanism on it with good results. Many ways to skin a cat.
 
   / fixing a flat #6  
In the past I have jacked up the side with the broken bead. Then used a ratchet stap placed in the center of the tread all the way around. As you tighten the stap the side wall will be forced out slightly. This has always allowed me to reset the bead and fill the tire. One caution however, as soon as the bead seats, stop filling the tire and remove the strap.
 
   / fixing a flat #7  
Over the weekend, I experienced my first flat on my Kubota L3400. The front left tire went flat and the bead was broken. My question is, if I jack up the side of the tractor where the wheel is flat, will I be able to put air in the tire and it will pop back on? Or will I need to use bead sealer or take the rim off and take it to a pro? Thanks for the input.

Yes, it will fill right back up - no jacking needed most of the time either. I must've blown the bead on my L4200 a hundred times when I was doing a lot of loader work. Sometimes I'd come out in the morning and I'd find a flat - probably when some dirt got stuck in the bead from a previous day blowout. In all cases, I just aired them right back up while my tractor was sitting on the ground. I finally had enough and stuck a couple of tubes into the front tires ($8 at the tire store) - end of problem.

JayC
 
   / fixing a flat #8  
Yes, it will fill right back up - no jacking needed most of the time either. I must've blown the bead on my L4200 a hundred times when I was doing a lot of loader work. Sometimes I'd come out in the morning and I'd find a flat - probably when some dirt got stuck in the bead from a previous day blowout. In all cases, I just aired them right back up while my tractor was sitting on the ground. I finally had enough and stuck a couple of tubes into the front tires ($8 at the tire store) - end of problem.
JayC

If the bead is broken, small chance that it will "fill right back up." My "challenges" have come
with small wheel barrel, spreader, etc. tires, especially over the winter. If just the lower portion of the tire is separated, then I've been successful in carrying the small unit to the compressor. The firstly, spraying the tire and wheel interface with a lubricant like WD 40, then high flow air (120 PSI), and hand compression around the tire. In your case, if that doesn't work, then jack up the axle/wheel, lubricant similar to WD40, a ratcheting strap
around the diameter of the tire to seal it. Once air seals the beads, remove the strap, before filling to the tire specs. Then check for leaks! If a tread leak, try the green stuff first before you move to tubes.
The of course you can try this, as a last resort, without absolutely NO endorsement or responsibility for any actions on your part.

YouTube - How to inflate a tyre with a can of WD-40
 
   / fixing a flat #9  
Good luck Pirwin!

I had 2 flats in one of my rears on the L3400 when it was pretty new. Both times I tried - unsuccessfully - to get the lil bugger to seal. I did NOT try removing the core. I did get the tractor off the ground and used 2 ratchet straps around the center of the tire to try to expand it to make a seal. I also tried some tire sealer goop.

Eventually I gave up & called a commercial tire guy that does my company's business trucks. I wasn't there the first time but all was well when I came home.

A few weeks later the same tire was flat. Both times I had been working in the woods & just assumed (remember what that word means) I had come against large rocks & popped the bead. This time I was there when he came out with his service truck. The first thing he did was remove the core :thumbsup: One shot of air and the tire expanded & sealed immediately. He told me the cores are wayyyy too restrictive. So he put some air in & then screwed the core back.

The most important thing he did was find out why it went flat. After doing the soap bubble test he checked the stem nut. NOT tight :mad:
Two of the three others were also loose. :mad: :mad:

No problems since then - almost a year!
 
 
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