Dolly Tire Flat

[Charlie S.]

I have a Home Depot type of dolly that has a flat tire. Tried pumping air into the valve... couldn't get any pressure in the tire. Doesn't seem to have any nails in it. Couldn't see any tube inside either. Reminds me of a regular car tire. I know it sounds silly, but I thought of bringing it down to a tire shop and having them look at it. Or, would I be better off taking off the wheel and buying a new wheel/tire unit?

The tire thickness and wheel build is similar to that of a regular car tire. Get the feeling I would need a special machine to take it off and put it back on again.

[Tom G]

If you can see that there is no tube in it, I would assume the tire is not tight around the bead. You'll need to compress the tire by putting a band (rope) around the circumference of the tire and tightening it until the tire pushes out to the bead all around. Then when air is applied it should stay in the tire until it is inflated. Of course, it you're using one of those

12v inflaters or a hand pump, you'll never get the air in fast enough to inflate as the air will escape around the bead until it's inflated enough to seal all around. I've found you have to check the air pressure regularly as when it gets too low, the tire will separate from the bead and deflate.

Tom G.

[HeyBub]

As another poster pointed out, you've got to seal the tire against the rim before it will hold enough air to allow inflation.

There are two fixes: (1) Monitor the tire(s) every week and keep them inflated, or (2) Find an inner tube that will fit.

[Tom]

had the same problem with tubeless dolly tires going flat. Inserting a tube is the only thing that fixed it.

[Andy]

Andy writes: Sometimes you can bounce the tire on the pavement, or hit the tread with the blunt side of an axe, and the sides will pop into place well enough to seal. If you wet it down with a hose, it will help......

Assuming you can put air in fast enough to make it tight for a while, you might THEN. let the air out (maintaining the seal) and use green slime. It won't take much....

Andy in Eureka, Texas

[Charlie S.]

I tried getting the tire to bead against the rim with rope and bouncing. Didn't have any luck. Without a high pressure pump is seems useless.

May try a tire place. Maybe they'll fix it cheap. Would rather go with tubes. I noticed there are numbers inscribed on the sidewall. Maybe the Internet or small engine repair shop will have them.

I'm curious where did you get your tubes?

[hallerb]

Speciality tire places have tubes, like places that sell tires for lawn tractors.

there is also those cans of fix it flat, that seal as well as inflate.

I tried the sealing gunk, dont waste your money inner tube much better.

national tire shops wou;ldnt be able to help:(

[lee_houston]

Discount Tire has a policy of fixing flats free. If it's not punctured, i'll bet they'll mount it for you.

lee h

[ameijers]

Look for the local tire store that does farm and industrial tires- they'll have the tubes. 15 years ago, I paid twenty bucks to have the local place put real (non Chinese or Romanian) tubes in my 40-dollar hand truck. It was worth it just to watch the 250 pound tire monkey working on the tiny things. (Had to do it all by hand-way too small for the machine.) Anyway, I haven't had any lost air since then, and the thing often sits for months at a time, where it used to go flat in a couple of weeks.

That hand truck was the best 40+20 bucks I ever spent- saved my ass several times. Much better than the fold-up junk at the home center.

aem sends...

[harleyron]

Charlie inquired about his dolly tire and to this I say: I have seen small tires at H.D. and Northern Tool that are foam filled for hand trucks,wheel barrows and other cart type units. They are not cheap but no air=no flat tires. Almost any small engine/lawn mower shop can put in tubes but Northern or another equipment store( Fleet-Farm, Tractor Supply,etc.)well sell them cheaper and installing them ,if you have A couple of tire spoons to pull the tire bead off the rim, isn't rocket science. If you want to try to get the beads reseated the air compressor at your local gas station should have enough poop to pop your beads back on. Make sure there is no rust or dirt on the rim or tire so the tire bead seats with out leaking. I like to paint on A soap and water solution around the tire beads just before I fill them with air. There is A professional tire lube called Ru-Glide but it comes in gallon cans that you mix with water. This will last you about 10 lifetimes if you aren't A tire repair professional or A farmer that repairs his own tires. and I don't even buy the stuff. When I ran out of the stuff A half dozen years ago I started using Murphys Oil Soap and water. Works fine. I just looked up the foam filled tires in the Northern Tool catalog and the 4:10/3:50-4" hand truck tire lists for$24.99 (Item #

189337-1605) A set probably runs more than your dolly cost new but you would never worry about flat tires again. Good Luck! H.R.

[willshak]

Had the same problem with a wheel barrow tire that would go flat every other week. Put silicone sealant around the bead and rim. All fixed now. Been inflated for a year so far.

[______?]

On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 15:38:37 +0000, Charlie S. broke out their crayolas and scribbled:

I had the same problem with a pneumatic tire on a yard wagon that didn't have a tube in the tire. I removed the wheel and tire from the wagon. Removed the bead of the tire on one side of the rim and stuffed the tire with rags (old socks, scrap rags from the goodwill thrift store) until I was "just" able to get tire remounted on the rim. This expanded the tire enough to almost support the wagon empty and I was able to inflate the tire. The rags being left inside the tire won't hurt a thing. I was able to remove and reinstall the bead of the tire with some heavy duty screw drivers.

looks simular to this one.

[Goedjn]

You're not cinching the rope tight enough.

[rmloan]

responding to

rmloan wrote: If all suggested solutions do not result in an inflated tire, I recommend just replacing it. Home Depot carries universal nonflat replacement tires for $24.99. It replaces several different sizes including 4.10/3.5-4 with a 5/8" axle. The kit includes multiple spacers. I used the old retaining washer. I have 6 tires on various equipment that continually go flat. I plan to replace them all over time.

[Linda]

The rope idea just worked for me!!! I wrapped a woven flat belt-type thing, but it was flexible enough to tighten with a tire iron. I turned on the little portable compressor and kept tightening the woven belt. I watched the dial and an amazing thing happened - it started to move up - the tire was holding air!!! Thanks so much!! I hate bothering the guys at Discount Tire, and now I don't have to!!!

[Nicholas Kriho]

[Curly]

replying to Charlie S., Curly wrote: If tubes solve the problem... I have this problem with both my generator and my dolly .... Then why don't they just put the frigen tubes inside the tires!!!! Would save a lot if frustration for sure :-)))??