Wheelbarrow tires going flat

[Oz_Kioti]

Why is it that small wheels with inner tubes keep going flat?

One of our wheelbarrows with a 13" wheel, with inner tube, just won't hold pressure. I've removed the tube, inflated it, and it shows no leaks. The valve does not appear to leak. But after re-assembly and inflating to 30 psi, next morning -- flat!

What's the go here?

 

[thepumpguysc]

Lol.. it’s black magic I tell ya.!!
Northern Tool and even Harbor Freight sells solid wheel barrow wheels..
(Cheap)

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

The best thing I've done in a while is catch them solid tires on sale. Fixed all six wheel barrows.

 

[Diggin It]

I'm kind of giving up on small air tires and going to solid where possible. I've done a retrofit on one wheelbarrow and getting ready to do it on another.


Side question .... Anybody using the dual wheeled ones? They look like they'd handle more load, but not corner as well.

 

[jyoutz]

Solid wheels are the answer

 

[Spike56]

Why is it that small wheels with inner tubes keep going flat?

One of our wheelbarrows with a 13" wheel, with inner tube, just won't hold pressure. I've removed the tube, inflated it, and it shows no leaks. The valve does not appear to leak. But after re-assembly and inflating to 30 psi, next morning -- flat!

What's the go here?

I should not go "off topic" on you, but I will. ONLY, because your complaint is one I had all the time and I finally solved it with a rubbermaid wheelbarrow. This is one of the absolute best products I ever purchased. Had mine for about 10 years. WAY easier to move loads, indestructible. Solid tires...IMHO, the best there is.Yes, they are pricey now, but if you use one a lot. consider. A side benefit is it sits "level" unlike some "normal wheelbarrows"; which makes it better for certain tasks like mixing sacks of concrete. NO RUST, NO TIRE ISSUE, Much easier to move...
Sorry not to directly answer your question, but I gave up on wheelbarrows with air tires a long time ago.

 

[Tinhack]

It's the Chinese rubber. They don't know how to make it. I think they use old party balloons as base stock.

I remember back in "hard times" I had to buy some cheap truck tires. Two of the four had blowouts just sitting parked in my driveway. That just made times harder, and I vowed to never buy Chinese rubber again. If it can't be helped, plan on replacing it in 3-6 months.

 

[5030]

One thing for certain, Chinese rubber stuff has an odd smell about it.

 

[Tinhack]

Side question .... Anybody using the dual wheeled ones? They look like they'd handle more load, but not corner as well.

They corner fine. The wheels turn independently--Like zero-turn.

 

[Shenandoah MF1760]

Rubbermaid wheelbarrow. This is one of the absolute best products I ever purchased.

I have one of these as well and can attest that they age well as I keep mine outside.

One of the problems that I've found is that they are not "Door Friendly" being too wide for use inside.

Back on topic - Many folks keep saying solid wheel, I think they mean the soft plastic non-pneumatic ones. Most solid wheels are hard, thin and prone to sink into the dirt especially when it's wet. The soft plastic wheels can be found as wide as a rubber pneumatic one and are much better on soft ground.

I just paid more for a wagon that had soft plastic wheels, thinking the cost difference was about what I'd pay to replace the wheels on a cheaper one and that it would save me a trip to Harbor Freight and the very real chance of me buying the wrong axel size as I can never seem to remember to measure first.

 

[Tinhack]

One thing for certain, Chinese rubber stuff has an odd smell about it.

Yeah, I smell that every time I've walked into Harbor Freight.

 

[5030]

That is the infamous Harbor Freight tarp straps stinking. Only straps that 'self destruct' on less than a year.

 

[oldballs]

I switch to the solid rubber wheel that has the same demensions etc as the OE inner tube type. No flats.....but ....does not push as friendly as the pneumatic type tire/wheel.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[oosik]

Perhaps it has to do with the quality of the product. My barrow is 40+ years old. I have to "air up" the tire every ten years or so. Back when rubber was really rubber. Almost had to replace the handles. The local porcupines really enjoyed chewing on the ends. That became the "final solution" about 35 years ago.

 

[KennyG]

I had one that wouldn't hold air and I couldn't find the leak. I replaced the tube and all is good now. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and move on.

 

[ruffdog]

I guess I have been lucky. I'm only on my second tube in my wheelbarrow so far after 32 years. I have noticed a few valve stem cores causing leaks in other tires though. If I replace the core, it fixes the leak.

 

[Jchonline]

Got a solid wheel years ago...dont look back!

 

[bmg88201]

Had my last flat about 2 weeks ago on a really old metal wheelbarrow. Gonna get me a two wheeler with solid tires. And get a solid tire for the old one. I priced a new 2 wheeler at Lowes, yikes kinda pricey.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Bought my wife this one awhile back, I think I paid about $40 less than what it is now...

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-7-cu-ft-Steel-Wheelbarrow-with-Flat-Free-Tire/1000777746?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-sol-_-bng-_-LIA_SOL_242_Tools-Watering-Storage-Sheds-_-1000777746-_-Local-_-0-_-0&gclid=0b8fd2c7cbcc11c0800eb1811394a8f9&gclsrc=3p.ds&ds_rl=1286981&msclkid=0b8fd2c7cbcc11c0800eb1811394a8f9

I remember them telling me they didn't have one assembled and I've to come back in a few days. I told them I could handle it myself, lol.

 

[Cycledude]

Kind of surprised I’ve had pretty good luck using Slime in slow leak tires with tubes.