Foam tires or replace?

PILOON · Feb 18, 2013

Now I don't know if all 'slimes' are equal but I had bad experience.
I had a small cart with tubeless tires that were always flat whenever I went to use it.
Installed a slime product (think it was Colman) and still had flats.
When I dismantled the tire I discovered that the product was water based and frozen so it did not work.
In desperation I simply smeared axle grease around the rim and that cured the problem, not clean but did the job.
I had previously even installed inner tubes but the also leaked.
My take is that the Chi-com tires and tubes are actually porous.

stuckmotor · Feb 18, 2013

PILOON said:
Now I don't know if all 'slimes' are equal but I had bad experience.
I had a small cart with tubeless tires that were always flat whenever I went to use it.
Installed a slime product (think it was Colman) and still had flats.
When I dismantled the tire I discovered that the product was water based and frozen so it did not work.
In desperation I simply smeared axle grease around the rim and that cured the problem, not clean but did the job.
I had previously even installed inner tubes but the also leaked.
My take is that the Chi-com tires and tubes are actually porous.

Do you think the grease allowed a seal between the tubes and rims or did it some how fill the pores in the tires?

PILOON · Feb 19, 2013

stuckmotor said:
Do you think the grease allowed a seal between the tubes and rims or did it some how fill the pores in the tires?

Definitely did a rim seal as I had then removed the tubes. The rims were like new (all painted surface, no rust) so the tire was the culprit.
The frustrating thing is that every tire was subjected to a tub water test. Was just like the air had evaporated.
A friend has 2 or 3 hand carts plus a compressor mounted on those Chicom tires and he is constantly also needing to inflate.
Maybe we need Chicom air?

PILOON · Feb 19, 2013

stuckmotor said:
Do you think the grease allowed a seal between the tubes and rims or did it some how fill the pores in the tires?

Definitely did a rim seal as I had then removed the tubes. The rims were like new (all painted surface, no rust) so the tire was the culprit.
The frustrating thing is that every tire was subjected to a tub water test. Was just like the air had evaporated.
A friend has 2 or 3 hand carts plus a compressor mounted on those Chicom tires and he is constantly also needing to inflate.
Maybe we need Chicom air?

EddieWalker · Feb 19, 2013

For years I was playing the slime game and then having holes patched on tubes for both my little 35 HP 4wheel drive tractor with R1 tires and my full sized 2 wheel drive backhoe with 18 ply front tires. Foam is fine for small puntures, but not very effective over time. If you rely on foam, then you are not in an area with locust trees or timber with roots and branches sticking up.

I foamed the front tires on both tractors and have never had a problem since. One of the smartest and best things that I've done. The weight is there, but since you never have to take off the tires again, it's not a big deal. The added weight on the 4wheel drive tractor seems to give it more traction. On the backhoe, it doesn't seem to make any difference.

Remember that the tractor is sitting "ON" the tires, and the added weight of the tires does not put any additional strain on anything.

Eddie

Kent B · Jul 14, 2013

Where do you take your tires to get filled with foam? Is that a typical tractor service or a specialty?

Do you think the local John Deere shop would do the work?

Thanks,

Kent B.

Kent B · Jul 14, 2013

Holy Crap!!
I just visited a website "OTR Engineering" where one of there tires (11.2 x 24) weight is 288 pounds.
Good grief !! That can't be foam. That must be solid rubber.

Kent B said:
Where do you take your tires to get filled with foam? Is that a typical tractor service or a specialty?

Do you think the local John Deere shop would do the work?

Thanks,

Kent B.

art · Jul 15, 2013

EddieWalker said:
Remember that the tractor is sitting "ON" the tires, and the added weight of the tires does not put any additional strain on anything.

Eddie

It does on the clutch getting started with direction changes.

EddieWalker · Jul 15, 2013

Really? So should you not have anything behind your tractor like an implement because of the added strain it causes by rolling forward?

I just noticed a good sized hole in one of my foam filled front tires yesterday before going out to mow. It looks like a pencil will fit into it, but since they are foam filled, they can't go flat on me, and I was able to spend a few enjoyable hours out mowing without having to fix anything.

Eddie