I fix flats or I'd like to

hairyapple · Aug 31, 2024

This comes under the heading of no good deed goes unpunished. I agreed to help my cousin straighten out and resurface his long washed out driveway, using a box blade and york rake.
I hardly ever use the box blade and actually believe I only used it one other time since I bought it 14 years ago. And that was on his washed out driveway!
This driveway is probably150-200' long and the washed out part was 12-15" deep and 5' wide and 50' long. I reclaimed a lot of material but we needed some more and he bought 3 tri axles worth
of processed gravel. I'm almost 78 and I was a builder for 40 years but I never used any of these "designer" mixes before and wasn't sure what to expect.
The thing I didn't expect were short lengths of rebar, like the one that punctured my 15' industrial front tire.
Now my regular repair shop won't work on tractor tires, even though they grew up on a farm and always had tractors there.
So I went on line to find some Hot Patches for a do it myself job, like CAMEL, the ones we used to set fire to. Seems like I missed that boat. Amazon has 25 choices with no real information on how they work in a tubeless, I assume, bias ply tire. What would you all recommend I get to do this job? Am I better off just buying a tube?

scootr · Aug 31, 2024

Sorry to hear about this. Around here we have a mobile tire repair service that will tackle anything possible in tire repair or bring out and install a new or used one. Hopefully you have somebody around you offering the same service and your cousin will help if not pay the bill.

hairyapple · Aug 31, 2024

My cousin felt bad enough to write me a check! Many years ago I worked in a garage/gas station and repaired a lot of tires with hot patches. They no longer are available thanks to government health regulations. Those things were cool, sort of like thermalite except for rubber. The mobile guys are really expensive around here. I'm going armed with a metal detector next time.

LouNY · Aug 31, 2024

I get much of my tire repair supplies here,
Shop - BlackJack Tire Supplies, Inc.

Eagle1 · Aug 31, 2024

I've used this place for patches, glues and sealants. Had very good success with Xtra Seal stuff.

Under-Car Equipment Replacement Parts

Too many Kubotas · Aug 31, 2024

Try Safety Seal. Their plugs work great.

Since you'll never get them hot by driving, like with a car, don't cut the excess off and light the ends on fire instead. That'll vulcanize the fix in a minute.

Of course, do put the fire out before it's all burnt.

sandman2234 · Aug 31, 2024

I slit the sidewall of one of my front tires, (Ag tire). I pulled a good tire off of one of the Allis Chalmers B tractors that was same size because it was a Friday afternoon and I really needed the tractor that weekend. Called a light duty/heavy duty tire shop and they agreed to make the swap. Got there, and the guy said he just sent his guys home because of no work. Didn't even keep 1 guy till quitting time! So I stopped by the shop that I would go to with my work truck (semi-truck) and the tire guy asked me if I wanted to fix the old one instead of using the other one I brought. I told him if he could fix it, go for it! He told me there would be a gap in the slit, but it would hold. He was right, almost 2 years later that front tire is still holding air and going fine. Tread is getting a little shorter, but at least both will wear out at same time!
Give your local shops a chance, if possible. Some of ours are better than I would have believed!
David from jax