2 day old tractor front tire flat.

[montelatici]

I took the 2 day old L3700SU out of the barn to mow a neglected field. Get to the field and notice the tractor is cockeyed. Front left tire is coming off the rim.

Nurse the tractor near the garage and compressor. I use the loader to lift the front end and decide to take the wheel off. I am not as young as I used to be and I am wondering if my three tire irons and my strength will get the tire back on the wheel. Thinking of taking it to a tire place in the morning. But, I was planning to do some mowing this evening so I decide to give it a shot.

Worked up a heck of a sweat sweat and got the tire back on the rim with the tire irons. Start filling the tire with air but air is escaping around the bead. I start sitting on the wheel and bouncing on it while filling it with air. Finally it starts getting some pressure. Fill it to 20 lbs. and then fill it with the gooey flat repair stuff I happened to have laying around. Fill it up to 30 lbs. and I start mowing. It took some work but the tire irons did the trick.

Moral of the story. Get tire irons! And even if you are pushing 60, you can do it.

 

[irwin]

I bought myself one of these.. for when the tire doesn't want to seat.

A big Attaboy for the DIY tire repair montelatici. :thumbsup:

 

[montelatici]

I bought myself one of these.. for when the tire doesn't want to seat.

A big Attaboy for the DIY tire repair montelatici. :thumbsup:

What is it. I might want one.

 

[irwin]

It's similar to this, but only cost $100.00. TSI Cheetah Bead Seating Tool 5-Gallon Capacity, Model# CH-5 | Bead Breakers | Northern Tool + Equipment

Go to ebay and type in "tire bead inflator"

 

[montelatici]

It's similar to this, but only cost $100.00. TSI Cheetah Bead Seating Tool 5-Gallon Capacity, Model# CH-5 | Bead Breakers | Northern Tool + Equipment

Go to ebay and type in "tire bead inflator"

Thanks.

 

[638]

Get an old propane tank and a ball valve. Make your own.

 

[texasjohn]

Congrats on your repair. Yep, keeping sufficient air in front tires is useful....and easy to miss when they are low.....I filled my FEL with dirt, looked at the front tires, discovered they were almost riding on the rim and then aired them to the max recommended. Have heard of several TBN'ers who didn't happen to notice and rolled the tire off the rim, as you did...Glad it went back together for you... I predict you will love your new tractor.:thumbsup:

And, yep, I got my tire irons from Harbor Freight...pretty cheap iron and never know when you will need them.

 

[waxahachie]

Tire inflator sounds like a handy giz.
All my off road stuff gets SLIME when new. It's the only stuff that consistently works (for me) Even in areas covered up with Mesquite and Locust.
There's never an 800 pound gorilla around when you need one.

 

[montelatici]

And, yep, I got my tire irons from Harbor Freight...pretty cheap iron and never know when you will need them.

I have the tire irons because I road raced motorcycles until 3 years ago. In fact they were in my race bike trailer. I wondered if they were strong enough for tractor tires. They were.

 

[oldballs]

Wrestling a tire on/off a rim would make a good video...with sound of course.:laughing: At 145 pounds, and 77 years the tire nearly wins when I try it. More than two irons is helpful, I've noticed.

 

[montelatici]

Wrestling a tire on/off a rim would make a good video...with sound of course.:laughing: At 145 pounds, and 77 years the tire nearly wins when I try it. More than two irons is helpful, I've noticed.

I have three tire irons.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

When I roll a tire off the rim I just take it to the tire outfit and have them put a tube in it. Both tires done now, no more problems. The problem with tubeless is that as soon as the bead breaks the tire is flat. With a tube in it, the tire will ride through a momentary side jolt without losing air, and the bead re-seats automatically.

 

[oldballs]

:thumbsup:

When I roll a tire off the rim I just take it to the tire outfit and have them put a tube in it. Both tires done now, no more problems. The problem with tubeless is that as soon as the bead breaks the tire is flat. With a tube in it, the tire will ride through a momentary side jolt without losing air, and the bead re-seats automatically.

:thumbsup: Good point. I don't use the sealants in my tires but plan on putting inner tubes in when the time comes.

 

[bstrom]

On small tires I take one of those ratchet strap clamp things put it around the tire and ratchet it down until the beads are pressed againest the rim and fill er up. Works with those annoying small tires on carts, generators etc. but never tried it on tractor tires. They make them pretty big though and they cost alot less than 400.00 dollars like the tank thing.

 

[newbury]

Many threads here about flat tires.
More power to the OP for fixing a flat.

I've had the same rear tire go flat twice. Luckily I was able to slime it and (do to hot weather softening the rubber) it popped back in after I got it off the ground (backhoe stabilizers are real handy for rear flats) both times. If it had been winter it would have been a bear.

 

[RickB]

Wrestling a tire on/off a rim would make a good video...with sound of course.:laughing: At 145 pounds, and 77 years the tire nearly wins when I try it. More than two irons is helpful, I've noticed.

I don't think I have any tires that old.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I bought a gallon of some Slickmabob at PepBoys years ago, makes unbelievable difference while mounting tires. I also use three irons, from HF or TSC not sure now.

 

[k0ua]

On small tires I take one of those ratchet strap clamp things put it around the tire and ratchet it down until the beads are pressed againest the rim and fill er up. Works with those annoying small tires on carts, generators etc. but never tried it on tractor tires. They make them pretty big though and they cost alot less than 400.00 dollars like the tank thing.

+1 on this
On small mower front tires I have even took my belt off and cinched it around the tire and put the air to it to get the bead seated. I have always used Berrymans "tire snot" It has dacron fibers in the "slime" and will plug quite big holes, like black locust thorn holes at least for a while. sometimes they blow out with spectacular displays of liquid shooting out of the hole.. at least you can find it and maybe get a real rubber plug put in for the big ones.
James K0UA

 

[Dead Horse]

Hey, guys, here is a tip for seating a tire bead.

remove the valve from the valve stem.

Take the end of your compressor air hose with nothing in the female end and push it onto the valve stem.

The valve stem pushes the air valve in the hose female fitting in and a very large volume of air rushes into the valve stem quickly seating the tire bead.

Sometimes setting the wheel on a pail or 30 gallon drum allows getting the bottom tire bead sitting on the rim. This as well as ussing a ratchet strap around the circumfrence of the tire will help the seating process too.

I use the air chuck / valve stem method all the time. it works like a charm.

Safety note, make sure to remove the air chuck from the valve stem immediately after the bead seats. Reinstall the valve and air up the tire as you would normally, paying attention to appropriate tire pressure.

 

[oldballs]

:

I don't think I have any tires that old.

Well, you are getting pretty close on some of those you list. BTW, there is some good stuff for the DIY grunts in this thread.