L3400 Tire "Plugged" by branch!

[SCRich]

When I pulled the tractor out today at the ranch my wife spotted a twig on the tire. She thought that was odd until she noticed that it was MOVING WITH THE TIRE! Apparently I have about a 1/4+ dia. branch stuck in my loaded rear tire. I believe the tire is a 19x15.5 the branch was sticking horizontally deep into the tread and it does not appear to be leaking any air. I don't even have 20 hours on the tractor!

How are these tires constructed ? I really wanted to pull it out but I resisted. Are the treads on the tire solid rubber ? It really looks like it only penitrated the tread and not the body of the tire itself. I am wondering if there is a way to just plug the hole up once I pull it out if it is made of solid rubber and has not reached into the tire cavity itself.

How expensive are these anyway?

 

[Shimon]

If it's just in the tread you are fine. It's solid rubber. If you are concerned, post a photo and we can have a closer look. I always find pieces of fence wire that are stuck in the tread and I've pulled them out with no harm.

 

[SCRich]

Well it goes in on one side of the tread but I do not see it coming out the other side. The bulge in the tread that I can see makes it LOOK like it's just inside the tread but since there is no "exit wound". I am not sure if it does not extend far enough or is going down towards the tire body itself.

I got some things to do at the house and some work related work to catch up on. I'll see if I can head out to the ranch later today to do some work and I'll snap a picture of it while I am there.

Rich

 

[N80]

I've pulled all sorts of junk out of my r1's. Yank it out! Post pics! If it goes flat I'll come over and help you load it up on your trailer to take it back to the dealer.

I'm curious, can these tires (with no tubes) be patched?

 

[SCRich]

Wish I had a trailer! Could not justify the cost since I don't move it anywhere but on the property and I really was not crazy about towing it with my Wife's 1500 that has 200K+ on the tranny and engine. Once this truck dies I'll probably buy a larger truck and maybe a trailer that can handle the tractor.

If I can hold out another 30 hours with the tire I'll be fine since it will need to go in for it's first service at that time. If I can't well at least the dealer is only 5 or less miles away. If it were not a twisty road with some blind turns I would probably drive it there!

 

[rickmacheske]

I've pulled a lot of junk (twigs, nails, screws, pieces of wire, pieces of metal) out of my tires. I just pull and wait and see. So far I've been lucky, no leaks.

 

[N80]

I don't have a trailer either. My truck will pull it but I've had this tractor for two years now and the need for a trailer has only come up once. I can't see buying one just to have it sit there and rust.

Soooo, let me rephrase my initial post. Yank the stick out and if it drops the tire I'll come over and help you remove the wheel and load it into the bed of your wife's truck!

 

[Taiser]

I had a torn from a choke cherry tree go right through my tire last week! I brought it in and they put a tube in because they could not find the leak, the next day, it was flat too!!! They found the hole in the tube and matched it to the location on the tire and it was poking through. Just a tiny piece of wood!!! What I get for using it to clear trees. I'm going to get the front tires loaded, not that expensive, but the back tires are outrageously expensive to get done!!!!

 

[SCRich]

If it's just in the tread you are fine. It's solid rubber. If you are concerned, post a photo and we can have a closer look. I always find pieces of fence wire that are stuck in the tread and I've pulled them out with no harm.

I just got back and forgot to look at the manual. With the valve stem at 12 o'clock I am showing 20psi, it's a 19.5x15 loaded and I got to search the web to see what the pressure should be. I did remember to take a photo though.

 

[JerryG]

Rich,
Looks like you may have lucked out and not went into the area with air. I'm never that lucky. Turn the tire so that the hole is on top just in case the hole goes farther in that it looks and then pull the stick out. If it does leak, call a tire service truck. I just had one out two weeks ago. I don't know what they charge in other areas, but it cost me $75 for two holes in the tube. The tire was dry so he didn't have to pump it. If it was wet, it would have been an other $10. If you call your dealers service manager, he will be able to tell you which service to call and which ones not to.