Dealing with thorns and tires

[kj3]

I think this is the best topic to post under though really I'm just wanting to bush hog more rather than bale anything.

My issue is that the previous land owner had about 10 acres cleared with a tree hog and among that area were a few Osage trees. Last year I asked a local guy if he would bush hog and later I found he decided to skip it because being a small job he was concerned some of the thorns might cause him more flats than the pay. I can understand reasoning like that but I'm still left with an large area to be cut. How best to get this done without blowing a fortune in tractor tires?

I can figure using slime but then I read on here where it may fail due to freezing temperatures and leave the tractor sitting on flat tires. Plus I might need to drain the tires before sliming them, yet since the area is hilly I might need to put water back in to lower the cg. Is that even possible or will it ruin the slime?

Are plugs a viable fix or will I be out numbered by holes. Should I just plan on buying new tires and mow as fast as I can, how long will thorns be an issue?

Personally I don't think there are many thorn issues on most of the land since I walked much of it while it was still ankle high last spring. Of course if there is even a smallish area with a few branches then passing back and forth several times could introduce 4 tires to many opportunities.

Sorry for so many questions in my first post, words from experience will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

 

[blueriver]

Are you talking Osage Orange also known as Bois De Arc trees .. The ones that produce the big green apple deals known as Horse Apples?

 

[Redbug]

About the only option I can think of would be to have the tires foam filled. Then you could drive over just about anything and the foam would add ballast weight, too. It's expensive but permanent.

 

[bajabum]

Might be cheaper to Rent a tracklayer that has a pto.

 

[Industrial Toys]

We have Hawthornes up here. Things that will go through your shoes and boots. Always have been nervous about them, but in truth I can't say that we ever really had much trouble. I mean, I don't go driving over them on purpose. Even my little Steiner with it's thin skinned tires hasn't succumed to them. I've seen many a tractor tire with these things stuck in them and broken off, but never a flat.

 

[kj3]

Are you talking Osage Orange also known as Bois De Arc trees .. The ones that produce the big green apple deals known as Horse Apples?

Yes, that is the one.

Part of my land still has a mess of them growing that eventually I will cut down. They're about 3-6 inch diameters so I figure buying fence posts will not be necessary for a long while.

 

[cowski]

poison them with a hand sprayer and remedy.

 

[Jd5203]

We are dealing with 300 acres grown up with honey locust trees. There is a product that replaces some of the liquid in your tires and it has little pieces of fiberglass in it. We have it in both of our tractors now and have not had a tire leak, when you look at the tires on the little tractor, there are about 20 thorns in a square inch. Before we got this product we were filling up all four tires once a day, we put this stuffing and haven't filled one yet. Don't get me wrong it's expensive, but worth it. I don't know what the name is, but I think it was $400 for a bucket I think. But in the long term, it's cheaper, we would have gone through three sets of tires.

 

[longgun]

Simiar to jd5203 recommendation. Tire Shield from Midwest Equip is pumped into the tire via the valve stem. It uses kevlar fibers to seal and repair the puncture. I use it on all of my equipment as our place is covered with hedge and black locust trees. I have not had a flat on any piece of equipment that I have treated. It is more pricey but it sure works. They have some interesting videos about the product on their website.

 

[lt190b]

kj3. 1 option would be to rent a compact track loader and brush cutter. Another would be get some AMERESEAL TIRE SEALANT. I bought (in 2009) 2, 5 gal.pails and pump to treat my tc35d tires and new tires on a ls160 skidsteer. This product is great. I also put some in my farmall 40 when I traded tractors, in 2010,and havent hade any flats or leaks. I mow a site twice a month during mowing season where we demoed several old barns,buildings and sheds,there are many thorn trees there also. I considered foam fill but didnt want that much weight on my tractor drive train + the cost. At that time the sealant and pump delivered was 435.00. I think it was worth it. lt190b

 

[Jd5203]

Simiar to jd5203 recommendation. Tire Shield from Midwest Equip is pumped into the tire via the valve stem. It uses kevlar fibers to seal and repair the puncture. I use it on all of my equipment as our place is covered with hedge and black locust trees. I have not had a flat on any piece of equipment that I have treated. It is more pricey but it sure works. They have some interesting videos about the product on their website.

That's what it is, the price for this stuff will save you thousands that you would spend replacing your tires.

 

[kj3]

Thanks everyone, sounds like I will look into Tire Shield.

Since the thorns could be laying around for a couple of years that means many opportunities to pick one up. Someone telling me they have lots of thorns but still no leaks is a good indicator. And from your locations it sounds like the Tire Shield can make it through the freeze cycle and still work. :thumbsup:

 

[Hiptfarms]

I've got Osage Orange and Honey Locust but have had the most flats from cedar, believe it or not. I apparently have a habit of driving over hidden eastern cedar limbs that are lurking in the tall grass and winding up with slivers in my Kubota's front tire tubes. They patch up just fine. I've considered the foam but I was told by my local tire guy that it makes for a rougher ride if you have to take your tractor on the highway for any distance.

Good luck with the sealant and don't worry too much about the Osage Orange. They are worse though when they dry out. Green ones aren't too tough. They do bend somewhat - unless of course you happen to step on one. Then, they grow horns and shoot straight up through your boot soles!

 

[plumbstraight]

years ago I had some mowing and the flats were killing me. Hawthornes. What I did was make a set of tracks. Never had another flat and it just took a day to build. Somewhere in here is a pic of what and how. Will try to find it. What I did was pick up some 8inch channel, cut it just a couple inches longer than the tire is wide. Cut up some chain into 3 links each and welded one end to a channel and the other to another. I just laid out the channel flat side up and started putting the chain on. I measured the tire circumference and made it a bit short. I used some 3/8 flatbar on the sides to keep the track centered on the tire. When I got it ready I backed up to it and ran a rope through the spokes and under a channel backed on up and stopped at the other end. I had put a piece of wood under the last channel propping it up. Let some air out of the tire, connect the ends and reinflating. Worked perfect, did each tire the same. Used 6inch channel on the front. Not another flat, tractor would go anywhere I pointed it no problem. I still have those, only used them that one time, but it saved me over 15000 in labor as I would have had to cut it all down and send through a chipper. The mower took care of them and I finished the job myself without help.

 

[plumbstraight]

found it and brought it back up under TRACKS. Hope this helps, a bit overkill, but they worked.

 

[kj3]

plumbstraight, those are awesome tracks. :thumbsup:

You never have to worry about thorns from trees that were cut down.

My situation just changed, the tractor wouldn't start yesterday seems to be spurting a mist of fuel out of the cylinder. So at least I know the fuel is getting in there.