Right front tire was flat in early summer. Tractor had been used 10 days earlier, no problem, and tires were checked for air 20 days earlier, normal pressure.
So I inflated the flat while the wheel/tire were still on the tractor, and for the last three months, no problem. Pressure has not dropped.
QUESTION: What happened? I shouldn't complain, but have you ever heard of a tire that was "healed" merely by re-inflating it?? Thanks
Several things could have happened. You had a leak at the bead, and repositioning it solved the problem. Your valve had a piece of debris in its seat, and blowing air into the tire blew away that piece of debris. Or it was a plain miracle. Contact the Vatican immediately.
Steve
Has happened on my Deere, probably a flaky valve.
While I agree with what the other's have said, it would be helpful to know if it's a tubeless or tubed tire.
Jeff
Unless it's REALLY old it's likely tubeless. Back in 93 I bought an MTD and it had tubeless rims. Sold it to my neighbor in 01 and bought my Deere which also has tubeless.
Or really new. I got tired of the tubless tire on my wheelbarrow going flat, so I put a $2.50 tube in it. Hasn't gone flat in two years.
Ditto that for me...
Jeff
Tube or not, air leaks (can) at the valve..with that little tool/valve/cap tighten the needle valve into the seat.
Often overlooked.
-- Oren
"I didn?t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you."
I bought a solid rubber spongy one at a yard sale for fifty cents. It hasn't gone flat YET.
If anyone DOES buy a solid rubber tire, please be advised that there are soft ones and hard ones. Wheelbarrow tires with tubes or tubeless are a PITA. Solid is the way to go.
Steve
Ayup. A tire valve tool is a must for any serious handyman, and something very indispensable. It will chase the threads both inside and out, has a stem remover, too. Lots of times when people see mine, they ask, "What is that?"
Now, if I could just FIND the damn thing when I need it!
Usually a bead leak. Once these type of tires get low past a certain point, they leak even faster. Try some slime or other such tire sealer. And don't be afraid to use it liberally.
s
And, there are tire shops who for a few bucks will "fill" a pneumatic tubed or tubeless tire with a foam material which won't go flat even if you drive it over a spike sticking up out of the blacktop.
Jeff
You are right, but not for a few bucks. A wheelbarrow tire treated with polyurethane foam is about $45. It is actually sold by the pound. A Kubota tractor driver tire (big) runs around $500. Worth every penny compared to down time out in the hinterlands.
Slime doesn't work as it only cover the low areas inside the tire and not anywhere near the sidewalls or the bead. Plus it doesn't really seal the tires long term as it ooze out in time. Others may have better luck but that's my experience.
My bead leak was caused by corrosion in the rim. Used a wire brush on an angle grinder then follow by a good primer. Seems to work - three weeks now and holding. Oh yes, had to remove all that slime in the tire first.
on 10/2/2007 9:10 AM ** Frank ** said the following:
My wheel barrow tire would go flat every other week. I got tired of putting air in every time I wanted to use it, so I cleaned the rim off and caulked the beads of the tire with silicon. That was last year. It's still fully inflated.
- Or really new. I got tired of the tubless tire on my wheelbarrow going flat,
- so I put a $2.50 tube in it. Hasn't gone flat in two years.
My son bought a small trailer at Harbor Fright (boo!) to tow behind his mower to do neighborhood lawn work. We took the front wheels/tires off an old rider and modified the trailer so they fit. With the trailer tires matching the front tires of the mower, it looks so much better than the narrow wheels that came with the trailer. Both tires were flat so we added tubes and haven't had a flat in 4 years.
Any day you get to use a grinder with your teenage son is a good day.
BS. Slime and the pink stuff i use work just fine on bead leaks. It all depends on how much you put in there. Although even a small amount will coat the entire inside of the tire AND rim.
I usually put enough in my tires to amount to the solution being about 2" deep.
steve
Not to argue with you, I have the super duty tubeless Slime and this is what is printed on the package "SLiME will not seal sidewall punctures and should not be use with faulty valves or damaged rims."
Hmmmmmm.. guess the pink stuff i use is better than slime then. And at half the price at that.
s
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