Tires Questions: 1)Water in tires. 2) Flat tires.

[N80]

1) I'd like to get water in my rear tires (L4400) to help balance the FEL a little. Is this something I can do myself? What are the drawbacks to having water in the tires?

2) My property is plagued with locust trees. (Actually, they are a mixed blessing, when they are dropping pods the deer flock to them). My brother-in-law says the small ones or dropped braches frequently flatten his tires. I'm surprised there isn't a way to prevent this. When I used to mountian bike, you could get an insert between the inside of the tire and the tube that prevented the tube from getting punctured. Anything like this in tractor land? Also, can mere mortals change a tractor tube? I'm sure front is easier than rear. How much (general) do tractor sized tubes cost?

Thanks.

 

[jcollins]

Vast majority of the tractors out there are tubeless. As far as watering them yourself there is really nothing to it. Jack up the back of the tractor, rotate the tire so that the valve is at the 2:00 or 10:00 position remove the valve from the stem screw on an adapter to a garden hose and fill the tire to the point that water comes out of the stem. Put the valve back in and then inflate the tire to recommended air preasure. The adapter is under $20 if I remember correctly.

 

[gusg]

You didn't mention what type of tire you have. Turf tires are more susceptible to punctures. If you have R4s or R1s, they are less likely to puncture. I have never had a problem with R4s and have gone over many items, including nails, etc.

As far as water in the tires, my 7510 manual says water is O.K. I don't think you have to worry about freezing in SC so you should be O.K with plain water. It would have to stay below freezing for awhile to freeze the water in the tires. If your worried about freezing, windshield washer fluid and chloride can be used. Hope this helps a little.

 

[N80]

I've got the standard Ag tires. The manual says it is okay to put water in the rears. It doesn't get cold enough freeze the water in the tires often, but it does at times so I'll probably put something in there.

So, you get the adapter, fill the tire to about 75% (as per the manual), put the valve stem back on and then add air. Do you fill it to the same psi as you do when there is no water?

The tires are tubeless?!? That's great. Most of my recent tractor experience is helping an inlaw work on his old tractors and most of them use tubes, I'm in a bit of a time warp......so I just assumed. If mine are tubeless, I imagine they will be less susceptable to flats? I hope so. This locust stuff is fierce. Just yesterday I looked down and there was one stuck in my front tire going round and round as I drove. It fell out on its own. One went through my dad's boot into his foot!

Here is another question, a friend who owns an older 2wd Ford 39xx says he gets flats on the front all the time and he heard of a process for filling the tires with some sort of permanent foam. Anyone heard of that?

One more question: If the tires are tubless can they be 'plugged' when they get a hole in them? In other words, if one of my truck radials gets a nail in it I pull it out and insert one of those rubber plugs in the hole. Can I do this on a tractor tire?

 

[jcollins]

Yes you want to fill it to the psi recommended in the owners manual. (as if there was no water)

You can usaually go to any type of tire dealer that deals in off road tires and they can direct you where to go to get foam filled tires. You increase the weight of them quite a bit with foam and depending on which type you go with sometimes can get a much rougher ride with foam filled tires as there is not any give in them so you and the tractor have to absorb more of the ruts. Tractor usually does ok but different parts you might not do so well! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Yes I have seen people plug them or put tubes in them if they have a major problem with the tires.

 

[jcollins]

If you want Google foam filled tires, poly tires, or solid tires for a town near you and you will probably have several choices. I know we do it for customers with skid steers several times a year and it is usually around $110 per tire. 10x16 tire

 

[ccsial]

I have hundreds of black locust trees. My hands and legs have been shredded from cutting them down but in 30 years here I have never had a flat and I've driven over fallen ones many times with AG tires. The up side to these locust trees is that they are the hottest and best firewood going.

 

[wushaw]

You need to get rid of the Honey Locus trees and put up a feeder or a food plot whichever is legal in your state, them locus trees are a pain.
I used windshield washer fluid and used my 16gal sprayer with a short garden hose connected to it and every so many gallons I would shut it off to relieve the pressure and continue filling again, I used 29.5gal in each R4 on my L2800.
Yours will obviously take a little more.
Foam filling will add a whole lot of weight and if you ever have to remove a tire for anything you can't drain it, just something to consider.

 

[N80]

Yes, we have honey locust, not black. I'm not sure what the difference is but the honey locust thorns can be 5 inches long. I don't keep them because of the deer, I keep them because there are far too many to cut down. I hope I never get a flat from one but I've seen them flatten my in-law's tractor while mowing my place and like I said, I've seen one go through my dad's boot and into his foot. Anyway, it sounds like the foam is a mixed bag. I'd only do it on the front tires if I did it at all. Even the in-law says his rears never get flat from the locust.

I think I'll just see how things go. If I do get a flat and can find the hole I'll try to plug it. If I start getting lots of flats I'll consider the foam. I'm just glad I don't have to fool with inner tubes!

 

[have_blue]

Black locust is 1 thing, but I can't think of anything that's safe from honey locust. They are just pure evil. I had 1 go through a thick shoe sole and go the bone and break off.

Some folks swear by "Slime". A bottle or 2 in each tire can supposedly prevent flats from nails and other small punctures like thorns. Down side is, it makes permanent repairs a headache, and you can't ever use latex-based flat fixing products.

Someone mentioned plugs. They work excellent on tubeless tractor tires. I guess that's because of the low pressure and because they turn slowly, and run much cooler than automobile tires.

If the tires are filled, I guess the mushroom type plugs would still work.