DIY foam filling for small tires?

   / DIY foam filling for small tires? #1  

newbury

Super Star Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Messages
13,609
Location
From Vt, in Va, retiring to MS
Tractor
Kubota's - B7610, M4700
There's several threads on foam filling.
I recently bought a new set of rears for my B7610, mainly due to age.
Now I've got "my" Gorilla carts and wheelbarrows getting flats from cheap chinese tires. I and my family have about 6 of the carts, so that's a quantity of about 30 tires, all 13".
Replacement tires are ~$20.
Looking on utube a few cans of spray foam MAY fix them for years, but which foam is best?

I realize proper foam filling requires pro grade materials but are there some mixes out there that will get me another 10 years from these tires?










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   / DIY foam filling for small tires? #2  
I bought solid rubber tires, wheels. Put tubes in other things. I ain't touched none of them tires in years. I have an air compressor, tire machine, tire tools. I go fix flats on site. I got all my little tires straight. My dad tried the foam crap on his wheel barrow, and that's exactly what it is. Tried foaming wheels on hay fluffer, another fine example of crap. Solid tires are too easily available. Two wheel dollys, solid. Five wheel barrows, solid. Yard cart, solid. Riding mowers all have tubes, have been touch free for years.
 
   / DIY foam filling for small tires? #3  
I tried using Great Stuff on some cart tires once and it didn't go well. I drilled holes around the tread to try to get it to expand evenly but it didn't happen. I spent more time and money than it was worth. It rolled but was a little lumpy.

On my wheel barrow I bought a solid rubber wheel and tire from HF. The hub was offset. I cut one of the existing spacers in half to center the wheel. That has worked good so far.
 
   / DIY foam filling for small tires? #5  
I tried myself. For whatever reason, one tire came out right. 25% success Isn’t that great though. I wouldn’t try it again but would suggest to use very, very little and cross your fingers that it doesn’t remain a very sticky goo.

For the $12, 13 inch tires I would just replace them, would be my luck that the foam would work great, then the next day the bearings fall out.

 
   / DIY foam filling for small tires? #6  
It seems that all those 'offshore' tires come with designed leakage.
Heck even the inner tubes leak all on their own.
They must inject air holes into the rubber mix.
 
   / DIY foam filling for small tires? #7  
slime on what I don't really care about (garden tractors, lawn trailers), flat out on the bigger stuff. The company that makes flat out has a version that can be used in ballasted tires too.
 
   / DIY foam filling for small tires? #8  
Buy solid tires or pay a tire store to fill them. Solid tires are probably cheaper.
 
   / DIY foam filling for small tires? #9  
While discussing foamed tires----

My CUT tires are seriously weather checked and scary.
Did buy a new set but they 'weather checked' over the first winter.
My size is simply not available anymore any where so I want to 'foam' them. (usage wise they have perfect threads)

Can someone suggest a foam filler facility near Montreal that I can go to.
Many attempts to locate one have so far been unsuccessful.
 
   / DIY foam filling for small tires? #10  
I slimed some once and had little green specs of goo leaching out all around and across the tread.

I have also used fix-a-flat in small tires.

Both worked somewhat in dry rot rubber.

That furrin rubber is crap.
 
 
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