Tire puncturing form orange osage trees

[bjh2915]

I have a number of Orange Osage Trees that are blocking the sun from my garden. I want to take them down and clear them out. I have a Kubota BX23S with Grapple that I could use after I chain sawed them down. But, I'm afraid of running over the thorns and puncturing the tires for leaks. I've had a number of leaks on my Scags grass cutter from those darn thorns. I've thought about renting a Track steer with grapple, but that is pretty expensive. Also using a Tree Sheer to cut them down.
I am contemplating putting something into the tractor tires like "Multi-seal" before the project.
Any comments or suggestions would be welcomed.
I have R4 tires on the tractor now.

 

[oldballs]

I'd say that your Scag has turf tires which would be easier to puncture than the R4 on you BX. Yet, if you have very much of the Osage Orange to drop and move, I'd look at the Tracksteer. Maybe someone can give you some input on the various sealants that might be the answer. I've dealt with the OO for fifty years on my 400 feet. But I never dreamed of dropping the whole length.

My 50 x 100 garden is about75 feet from the hedge row and is not much of a problem as to shade and water.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Rockbadchild]

Putting Multi-seal in your tire prior to to a puncture wont do much for ya ... perhaps foam fill your tire prior to the job but I heard its pretty expensive .... might want to rent the equipment or dealing with the thorns by hand or dealing with the flat afterwards.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I am surprise that these thorns are capable to puncture tires.

 

[M59]

bjh2915,

An interesting problem since you indicate your Scag mower suffers tire punctures from I presume the thorns falling to the ground and you running over them in the grass. If that is the case then dropping a tree is going to litter the ground with thorns.

The only way to prevent tires from going flat from punctures is to fill tires with foam and that is a one way ticket. Tires have to be cut off when ever they need replaced.

Have you considerd hiring the job out including a thorough raking by contractor. Alternative is track loader with grapple but I presume you have someplace to put the trash and will clean the entire path of thorns between felled tree and trash pile.

 

[bullbreaker]

Some of those mature orange osage trees make one heck of a longbow . Highly sought after by the rite bowyer .

 

[Torvy]

Make a controlled burn. Maybe have the local FD use it as a training exercise. Burn the trees and the ground around to get the thorns.

Or, bite the bullet and use tracks or foam-filled tires. Heavier tires would reduce the punctures, but probably will not eliminate them. Good luck.

 

[bjh2915]

Appreciate all the comments.
I think I'm going to go with the cutting down (one way or the other) and renting a track Steer to clear. I'm probably going to use a dedicated area to leave the brush pile. Kind of a "No Travel Zone". Scags has turf tires yes it does. Kubota R-4 and yes those thorns will penetrate.
Foam filled tires. I haven't see to much about how to do that. I'm 75 and don't think I'll ever need to replace the R-4's. So cutting off is not a big deal.
Thanks again all

Bill

 

[Rockbadchild]

Appreciate all the comments.
I think I'm going to go with the cutting down (one way or the other) and renting a track Steer to clear. I'm probably going to use a dedicated area to leave the brush pile. Kind of a "No Travel Zone". Scags has turf tires yes it does. Kubota R-4 and yes those thorns will penetrate.
Foam filled tires. I haven't see to much about how to do that. I'm 75 and don't think I'll ever need to replace the R-4's. So cutting off is not a big deal.
Thanks again all

Bill

For the foam fill as far as I am aware you need to bring your tires to a industrial tire shop and they fill it for you, I don't think its something you can do yourself.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

TireJect, end of leaky tires! And it doesn't hurt the rims.

SR

 

[jaxs]

Make a controlled burn. Maybe have the local FD use it as a training exercise. Burn the trees and the ground around to get the thorns.

Or, bite the bullet and use tracks or foam-filled tires. Heavier tires would reduce the punctures, but probably will not eliminate them. Good luck.

I would remove trees like Oddball's picture and clean up free if I found some that straight. We have plenty OO trees around here but they are bushy without a central trunk. 1" boards would last the life of 3 stock trailers and still be solid. You might be surprised if you ask around about giving them away. If you have a 10k or larger winch you can use a screw anchor and pair of snatch blocks to uproot several from one position. Once out of ground they can be dragged away with long chain without driving on ground where they stood.

 

[Cataclysm]

I have a lot of those thorns in my R4's with no leaks. I use automotive grade slime on 4-wheeler, side by side and lawn mower tires that do leak with those thorns. The slime seals them up with no problems.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I have a number of Orange Osage Trees that are blocking the sun from my garden. I want to take them down and clear them out. I have a Kubota BX23S with Grapple that I could use after I chain sawed them down. But, I'm afraid of running over the thorns and puncturing the tires for leaks. I've had a number of leaks on my Scags grass cutter from those darn thorns. I've thought about renting a Track steer with grapple, but that is pretty expensive. Also using a Tree Sheer to cut them down.
I am contemplating putting something into the tractor tires like "Multi-seal" before the project.
Any comments or suggestions would be welcomed.
I have R4 tires on the tractor now.

Multi-Seal works awesome for this. Had to put it in every tire on every mower and tractor and havent had a puncture from those stupid thorns since then.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Putting Multi-seal in your tire prior to to a puncture wont do much for ya ... perhaps foam fill your tire prior to the job but I heard its pretty expensive .... might want to rent the equipment or dealing with the thorns by hand or dealing with the flat afterwards.

Works just fine for me. And its the recommended usage for it..?

 

[Ken45101]

The best solution I've found for honey locust thorns is a contractor with a D-6 dozer.

While the contractor was here doing a pole barn I had him clear a pasture with several honey locust trees. Knock on wood, I have not had any thorn problems in that pasture and it's been 12 years now.

It might be cheaper to find a dozer contractor vs. renting a CTL (tracked skid steer.)

Ken

 

[Rockbadchild]

Works just fine for me. And its the recommended usage for it..?

After researching ''TireJect'' I've notice they advertise it as preventative product as well as fixing punctures you are right ... I wasn't aware of this when I wrote my initial comment. You are saying you had situation(s) where you are 100% sure you had a puncture but it did not leak because of product like these ?? see myself I've had punctures and apply the product with about a 50/50 successful rate therefore I am skeptical about the effectiveness to prevent puncture(s). I am guessing there is multiple variables affecting the effectiveness of these product but if you had success with it then it must work and a thorn is not very big so I guess it could work.

 

[oosik]

I have one "thorny" tree - Russian Olive. It's a tree I planted myself - before I realized it had thorns. It's definitely not as thorny as your Osage Orange or Honey Locust. And it's quite a ways away from any traveled area.

Fortunately - it is slowly but surely dying. As the limbs die - I cut them off and leave them lying right at the base of the tree. Every spring I spend a month or more thinning and chipping my pine stands. If there are any limbs at the base of the Russian Olive - I will chip them as I go by.

These chips are blown even further out of the way. The chipper does seem to chip the thorns also.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

After researching ''TireJect'' I've notice they advertise it as preventative product as well as fixing punctures you are right ... I wasn't aware of this when I wrote my initial comment. You are saying you had situation(s) where you are 100% sure you had a puncture but it did not leak because of product like these ?? see myself I've had punctures and apply the product with about a 50/50 successful rate therefore I am skeptical about the effectiveness to prevent puncture(s). I am guessing there is multiple variables affecting the effectiveness of these product but if you had success with it then it must work and a thorn is not very big so I guess it could work.

Are you saying you had 50/50 success with Tireject, OR some other brand?

You can't compare the other brands with Tireject, Tireject is that much better, and it doesn't rot your rims like most other brands do.

SR

 

[Rockbadchild]

Are you saying you had 50/50 success with Tireject, OR some other brand?

You can't compare the other brands with Tireject, Tireject is that much better, and it doesn't rot your rims like most other brands do.

SR

other brand... first time time I hear of tireject... alright sound promising I will give it a try.

 

[jmc]

Without looking it up, I think my R4s have an 8 ply rating. No comparison to a lawn tractor tire. I did manage an ugly puncture once-- a deer antler.

Tires are less likely to be punctured when the ground is dry.