Tire bead has wood in it

[foggy1111]

I evidently drove over a stump.....and in the process drove a section of wood into the bead of my rear tire. The wood is about 3" wide and about 1/2" thick. Looks like I drove it nearly an inch into the bead.....but came up just short of breaking the bead. The wood is sheared off right at the rim, and the (tubeless) tires are filled with rimguard. Its hard to grasp the wood fibers with anything.....and they are really "snug" in the bead.

Should I try to dig the wood out?......or leave it alone? I have put a few hours on the tractor since doing this.....and no ill-effects so far. But...I'd hate to lose my fluid or go through a rear flat in the field. Not sure what to do about this tire. (I wish I had a pic to show)

 

[gwdixon]

Should I try to dig the wood out?......or leave it alone?

It is tempting not to mess with it if it is holding pressure. Sometimes those things work themselves out after driving around a while. Nothing will be destroyed.

Alternatively, you could dismount the tire and lay it down with the wood piece facing up. Let the air out first with the outlet at the top of the tire so as not to lose fluid.

Then you can break the bead by the wood, remove the wood, and refill the tire with air. No fluid should be lost.

To re-inflate you may need a snugged up strap or cable around the tire.

It is no fun wrestling with a loaded tire so you'll really have to be motivated. Having a second tractor or forklift helps.

A second thought is to let the air out of the tire, rotate the piece of wood to the top, and use a screwdriver to dig it out. Without pressure the bead should bend easily. Never have done it that way - but it might work.

 

[radioman]

If it was mine, I'd be laying the tire on ground wood side up. just follow gwdixon instructions. however, I'd put the tire in front of FEL and use bucket to break bead or push tire down enough to wiggle wood out after removing valve core.

I had to replace my tire stem on loaded rears with rimguard, but I had the Backhoe on at the time so my tractor was already stable with stablizers down so there was no danger of tractor falling off the jackstand.

 

[dmay]

I'd be worried the rear tire would blow out whilst operating and tip you sideways or maybe even cause a rollover. For safety sake I would take care of this immediately.

 

[foggy1111]

I am not too worried about a flat tire causing the tractor to roll-over.....but I do not want a flat out in the field. Thanks for the advice above. I have this feeling that I best get this fixed....or it's gonna come back to bite me. (murphy's law)

My tractor is located in a fairly remote area.....and its a long way around to get to town. But.....I was looking at a map of the land and our roads.....and figured out a way to drive my tractor cross-country over my neighbors land and then over an air-strip to get to a road that would get me to a good tire shop. Saves me allot of miles. :thumbsup: Gets the trip down to about 8 miles - one-way.

I believe I am going to schedule a trip into the tire store and play it safe......but I may wait for a warm day. No fun to drive an open-station tractor in this cold weather.

I am not sure I could lay the tires down or stand them up again safely by myself. My back isn't what it used to be.

 

[wedge40]

I'm sure you know this, most tire shops that handle tractor tires will come to you.. Yes there is a delivery fee, but they would have the equipment to pull the rimguard from the tire, break the bead and remove the wood, re-bead the tire and put the rimguard back. You dont even have to be there.

Wedge

 

[whiskywizard]

I'm sure you know this, most tire shops that handle tractor tires will come to you.. Yes there is a delivery fee, but they would have the equipment to pull the rimguard from the tire, break the bead and remove the wood, re-bead the tire and put the rimguard back. You dont even have to be there.

Wedge

That sure sounds more appealing than the 8 mile cross-country trek on an open tractor! I especially like the "You dont even have to be there" part.

 

[wedge40]

When I was putting rimguard in my tires I broke one the valve stems at the rim. They came out, drained the rimguard, pulled out the old tube, but a new tube in and refilled the tire with the rimguard. $180.00. And I was at work when they did it.

Wedge

 

[DT86]

I vote for leaving it. A turn over is unlikely due to a flat. But I also doubt it ever will leak at all.

 

[HCJtractor]

I have that happen frequently and it has never caused problems. I don't know if it is worth the trouble to remove it unless you are having a slow leak.