Filling tires with foam?

[Charliebrn]

Every year in the past, with a Cub, I'd get flat tires after mowing the back 3 acres. Now that I have the BX, with 4ply tires i figured that would be a thing of the past. Wrong! Another flat. It's semi-rough heavy weeds and the stubble appears to be just as bad on the 4 ply as I have already had a flat on the front. ( I have turfs) I got it plugged of course, but my dealer is recommending that i have the tires filled with foam. He says it takes about a week to get done, and is expensive (he didnt say how much). But he says outside of that, there is no downsides and that flat tires would be a thing of the past.

Has anyone had experience with this stuff? I'd sure like to get away from tire plugs, my cub tires looked like pincussions when I sold it to my brother....

Thanks!

 

[DarinRay]

Charliebrn,

I honestely was just thinking about doing that myself too. You see I have a crawler that I never have to worry about flats with because it's tracks. I now have to start remembering where I'm going because now I have a tired unit and just got a puncture in my rear wheel. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Anyway to get to your question.....At work we have a lift cart that is 4wd and have it's tires filled with foam and have only had to change one tire in 10 years only because it got sliced a couple years ago and finally started opening up big time letting the foam break up and fall out. We run this unit over everything and just don't worry about it. I am not sure how much it cost but would love to find out so hopefully someone else has more info for both of us. Goodluck

Darin

 

[Roy]

I don't know of any experiences with compact tractors, but I do know of some bad, regrettable experiences of people foam-filling lawn and garden tractors. I assume that the same principles apply.

Problem is, the tire becomes rigid. Unlike air or fluid filled, the tire cannot shape itself to maintain traction. Bottom line is they had no flats, added weight, and noticeably less traction /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif. I also understand that it is one big headache to reverse the procedure, if you find that you don't care for it. Personally, I wouldn't want to be the first to experiment.


Roy

 

[MarkV]

Along the same line as Roy said, I heard that you lose the flex of the tire and it will beat you up on anything but the smoothest ground. Haven't done it myself, just what I heard.

MarkV

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I have never heard of the foam thing but I can tell you all you want to know about flat tires.

I think the solution to your problem can be found at Wal-Mart. It is called SLIME and is a green goo that you put in your tire. It rolls around in there and plugs up any reasonably sized punctures. AND IT WORKS!
You can find a cheaper version of this product at a Tractor Supply Warehouse or a similar outdoor store. It comes in a gallon bottle with a pump but is otherwise similar stuff. Don't forget a valve stem removal tool and a way to blow up your tire after you put the "magic potion" in!

 

[BigE]

At work we have 4 Cat wheel loaders, 1 with foam filled tires and 3 without, the ride in the machine with foam filled tires is brutal, even with a air ride seat. We have to draw straws to see who gets stuck in that machine.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I didn't make it clear in my first post, but the Slime treatment works for the life of the tire, you don't have to put it in everytime you have a flat. In fact you may never have a flat again after you put it in. It is not for people running fluid ballast in their tires though.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

And as long as I am chewing up my first post, You do not remove the valve STEM to install this sfuff, you just unscrew the little valve insert that is in the valve stem. Come to think of it I do not even know what the tool to do that is called. It looks a little like a tiny 4-way lug wrench. No need to dismount the tire or break the bead etc. Just let the air out, squirt the Slime in, and blow the tire back up.

 

[gerard]

They make commercial grades of "slime" also and they come in 1gal or 5 gal containers. gemplers carries it. They also have a "military" grade, a little more expensive but plugs bigger holes (I think up to 1/2 inch??)

 

[GlueGuy]

<font color=blue>Come to think of it I do not even know what the tool to do that is called.</font color=blue>

I call it a valve core tool. Don't know what it's real name is...

The GlueGuy