Tubed or tubeless. What do ya'll do?

[Happy in NC]

That is why I originally asked for tubeless. I had driven it about 50 feet or so before I realized it was flat. Drove it 50 feet back to the compressor and no valve stem.

 

[neilpaku]

I put tubes in all my garden tractor tires because despite having good beads etc., they just wouldn't hold air. Had tubes in for 2 years now and have yet to put any additional air in. I think garden tractor tires just aren't the quality of larger tires

 

[Texasmark]

Took my front tractor wheel in yesterday to get it fixed. I had this one fixed before and they put a tube in it. Told them I wanted no tube unless there was some specific reason for doing so. The man that owns the shop just about everyone around here runs tubes.
What is advantage or disadvantage of each and what do ya'll do?

I have a 61" ZT riding mower and keep the air in my tires low since my farm is clay and in the summer, when you obviously spend a lot of time mowing, you could fall into one of the cracks (more or less).

The front tires, being that they turn circles have a problem with the tubeless tire to wheel area leaking due to the usage and low air pressure.

Several months ago in a posting, a respondent said to put a tube in the front tires (since obviously the tube really has no bearing on what the tire to wheel junction is doing.

Cannot believe how wonderful that suggestion was.
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Tubeless farm tires: New tractors have them and do just fine. Older tractors don't have the correct wheel sealing area shape to support tubules tires.

I bought a 1990's era tractor a couple of years ago that still had the OEM tires. I got a thorn in it. The tube had been against the tire for so long that I was able to plug the hole and it hold perfectly for several years so far.

Flip side is I had a problem with a tube in another tractor and for some reason decided it needed a new tube a 13.6x28. It took 2 guys from the tire store over an hour to get that tube installed in that tire.

My preference obviously is tubeless.

 

[ssgp2]

Tubeless for me.

 

[kbt kubota]

With tractors and articulated loaders, both of which generally don't spend so much time on the road, the main problem with tubes is punctures. Run over a nail and it deflates suddenly - you are stuck there and can't carry on working. Tubeless will generally go down slowly and, provided you can inflate them, you can carry on working until you get the machine back to civilization.
Having said that, I have tubes in both the front wheels of my Avant 520, they just won't hold air without. Rears are fine as are all four wheels on the bigger Avant 528. Odd.

 

[Mudfarmer]

I've had more problems with the bead breaking than punctures so in the past when a front tire went flat I'd have it repaired with tubes. That being said one such tubed repair failed at about five years when the tube rubbing on the rim wore through. Still I'd probably replace with tubes if I flatten a tire on either of my current machines which so far have surviving tubeless tires respectively at 15 and 6 years.

 

[anomad]

I'm not real picky with the tractor. But for bicycles and motorcycles I definitely like tubes with sealant in them. Sealant is the only way to go if you have a lot of sand spurs (aka puncture vine). And you still need to carry tubes and some gorilla tape on the bike even if you are tubeless for some trail side repairs. Even with just patching, tubes last for a long time.

For my tractors I have run them with tubes and without. Loaded with water I like tubes. I can get by with water here with just a couple/few gallons of anti freeze. Ya'll in colder climates can have a good laugh about that. I lived in Alaska, I know...

I kind of fix them as I see fit. Last fix was a front flat on a Sunday morning when I really needed the tractor. All I had in stock was a quart of Stan's mountain bike sealant. Kind of expensive, but I chucked the whole quart in there and it hasn't leaked at all since the field fix. If I had a tube in stock or the luxury of time I would have shoved a tube in there and filled with a proper dose of a less expensive sealant. Ain't no wrong way to do it. Just find what works for you.

 

[charlessenf]

"I Told them I wanted no tube unless there was some specific reason for doing so."​

Sounds like you knew which was better.

"What is advantage or disadvantage of each . . . ?​

What changed?

 

[Jaygyver]

I would rather have tubeless my self.
I went brain dead on my old JD-770 and completely forgot about the tires. One of those I'll get it later. Bought it new and still had the OEM tires, never had a flat and they were so bald you could see your reflection on them when I rinsed them down. Finally got new front tires and the old tubes looked brand new. Didn't realize it had tubes and I would have had to order new ones so I just wiped down the rims and the tube real good and just threw them back in. 3 or 4 years now and I'll get to ordering the new tubes one of these days. Tractor doesn't go very far so no big deal if it goes.
I used it like a Cat going through brush and the like, I only run around 5 or 6 psi in the fronts unless I do a LOT of dirt work with the loader so I kinda wonder it that helped a little bit.

25+ years with out a flat on the JD and the first year buying my LS it get a nail in the front tire. Threw a plug in it and 3 years later still full of air.

 

[Happy in NC]

5 or 6 psi

Only 5 or 6?!?!
I think mine are labeled 70! At 5 or 6 I would drive them off the rim on the first turn