Flat Tire Survey

[ejb]

Re: Flat Tire Survey/TODAY 8/25/01 07:30PM - HELP

Funny, I have been reading this thread for the last few days, and have never had a flat...went out to do 20 minutes of brush hogging and got my first flat. Rear tire, filled with calcium chloride (and tubes) and punctured it with a sharp stick. This is a big tire (16.9 X 30) on 15 inch rims.

My question is...what do I do know. The very soonest I can get someone out here is in the morning, Sunday. He also said it would be very expensive (85/hr including travel time which is probably an hour each way. He recommended I wait until first thing monday.

Question is, how much damage is that leaking calcium chloride gonna do in the next 48 hours or so.

I have the hole (which was easy enough to find with the 1" diamter stick sticking out) at the top, so nothing more appears to be leaking out. I have jacked up the tires to take the weight off so it would not go flat completely, but undoubtably some of the CC has leaked outside the tube and inside the rim...should I pay thru the nose and have this taken care of first thing tommorrow. Or is the tire guy right when he says that 48 hours ain't gonna make a difference. He said he would be scrubbing down the rim and washing it before he put in the new tube anyway.

Opinions??!!

 

[Hillbilly]

I had a flat on my R-4 front tire at about 100 hours,Iwas in the brush and some how popped the valve stem out of the wheel.I also punctured the same tire on some old rusty barbed wire that I uncovered while making a road,I had it plugged then it was a slow leaker,the tractor had to go to the shop for repairs and I asked them to put a tube in it while they had it. I have picked up a few thorns on an older tractor as well.

 

[Bird]

Re: Flat Tire Survey/TODAY 8/25/01 07:30PM - HELP

ejb, I don't have the technical knowledge to know for sure, but I'm inclined to think the tire guy is right; I'd wait until Monday.

And I guess for purposes of this survey, my having to have a tire patched on my wife's car this morning doesn't count./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Bird

 

[Von]

Re: Flat Tire Survey/TODAY 8/25/01 07:30PM - HELP

ejb,
I just went thru the same thing, only my tires are a lot smaller. (13.6 x 16 turf tire) What I did was to put a hose on the tube and pump all the CaCl out into a poly barrel. Then I removed the tire from the rim and cleaned everything off. Got a new tube and put the tire back on the cleaned rim. I was surprized on how easy it was to do. than I made a hose set up that would allow me to pressurize the poly barrel and pump the CaCl back into the tire.

 

[patrickg]

Re: Flat Tire Survey/TODAY 8/25/01 07:30PM - HELP

Von, My Kubota manual recommends CaCl and lists the concentrations required for various temperatures to avoid freezing. They never mention tubes. I asked the dealer and was told that if the interior paint isn't scratched there would be no problem. I will cast a concrete 3ph counterweight as discussed in another section rather than put stuff in the tires. Just a personal thing/phobia. I asked about what if there were a scratch and was told well it would probably eat a hole in the wheel pretty quick. They also said thay had good success with Rhino Lining type coatings in the wheels.

Patrick

 

[Von]

Re: Flat Tire Survey/TODAY 8/25/01 07:30PM - HELP

Patrick,
I most likely could have just patched the old tube, but I didn't want to do it all over again if the CaCl did something to the glue for the patch. I figured it was cheap insurence for a new tube at $25.00. Plus the kids get a new heavy duty tube to ride down the hills on this winter! They do make tubes just for loading, which have a larger valve that is all brass. It was $2.00 more than a standard tube.
It least I am all set up in case I get another flat, and I know how to change it quickly.

 

[Kerry]

G'day, My last flat on my 1920 N/H was on a neighbor's place, about 6 months ago I was doing some slashing (brush hog I think you guys call it) and backed under a large tree,tyding up,and hit a coil of wire a piece of which was embedded in the l/h rear about 2", removed rear wheel, drained the ballast put the wheel on my truck,(hydraulic hoists are a great innovation) and went and had it repaired.Have had none since and don't want any more as it's a hassle to get them repaired here. Kerry.

 

[Kerry]

Glenmac,I have ag tyres on my 1920,Please excuse my ignorance, I know what a turf tyre is but what is an R4? Kerry.

 

[Bird]

Kerry, the R4 tires are also known as Industrial tires; tread looks similar to the R1 (ag), but with the bars closer together, a flatter surface on the ground, heavier construction, stiffer sidewalls, etc. Seems that you used to only see them on skid steers, backhoe/loaders, etc. Try http://www.firestoneag.com/tiredata/const_section.asp for some pictures of the ones Firestone makes.

Bird

 

[skent]

My biggest problem over the years has been valve core's rotting out. Both Ag tractors (13.5 X 38) have the rears filled (75%) with calcium and if I don't replace the valve cores every two years or so they 'stick' (wont seal). Typically I replace them as annual service in the fall of the year.

Does anyone else have problems with rotting valve cores?

I plan on filling the Kubota (with anti-freeze) this fall after mowing season is done.




Steve

 

[PaulinSD]

One flat this year, rear turf tire. The mower picked up a short piece of chain link fence and chopped it up. Sent a 4" piece of wire into the rear right tire. Was on the JD 1050.

Paul

 

[Mike_Dumond]

Well, I had a different one last week. Was pulling/pushing rootballs out of the ground, had dug myself into four nice little holes, each the size of the respective tire when the left rear tire slipped on the rim. Instant mud hole as the antifreeze mixed in with the soil.

To make matters worse, they left main arm on the FEL decided to fracture at that exact instant. In all my years as a paramedic, this is the first time I put a sling on a tractor.

The tires were an easy fix, raised the pressure from 24 to thirty, and it reseat perfectly. Now, both rears run at 30.

The FEL, however wasn't that easy. Limped to the garage/operating room. Consulted with a logging trailer manufacturer, picked up some freebie steel from him, (precut, no less) and 3 hours later, the 6100 came out of surgery. Stronger than before, but my welding won't win any beauty contests.

Then back to those $#@&^%* stumps. Only got about 50 to go.

Keep the greasy side down.
Mike

 

[Boondox]

I've had two flats on my L3010. Both were my fault. The first happened just a few days after Clementine arrived from Carolina. It was probably 80 degrees in Carverland, but was minus ten up here. Cold air contracts, and I should have checked the tire pressure before starting to move all that snow. Lost the bead on the left front!

The second flat was just this week. Again it was a front tire. This time I ran over one of my own logging hooks (sharp J with a handle) and had a leaker.

Never bothered to replace the ballast in either tire, so am unballasted up front now. Question for the group, though. My left front is tubeless and the right front has a tube. Are there any disadvantages to this?

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[Bird]

Pete, in my opinion having a tube in one front tire and not in the other will make no difference on a tractor, so long as the tires themselves are the same.

Bird

 

[Jag]

BD, the tubless has the advantage of being plugged in the field instead of taking it off. Which can save a trip to town...

 

[glennmac]

I have a tube in one front tire on my 2910. I dont notice any difference from when I was all tubeless.

 

[patrickg]

JAG, You said a mouthfull boy. I have had two flats in 100 hrs of tractoring on tubeless, well one flat and about an average of 15lb/day pressure drop. Both were brush hogging wounds. One a $50 dismount repair with a 30 mile drive to take tire in (local guy on vacation) and the other a plug inserted at local tire shop for $3.00. I might even buy some plugs and monkey snot sealant to use with them and an insertion tool, it isn't the $3.00 it is the inconvenience of taking it to them. Of course I like to support their business as they rotate my truck tires (19.5 inch) for $15, and other service is reasonable (as in real cheap). For example they pulled all four trailer wheels and repacked and adjusted the bearings for $20.

Been thinking more and more about having my tires foam filled. Isn't cheap but that would be the last trip to a tire shop untill the bloddy things were absobloominlutely completely worn out.

Patrick

 

[banjobj]

No flats so far. TC 21 D with R-4's Sure hope I don't get a flat, with Calcium in them.