Greatest Mystery

[Mark Page]

Went to get my log splitter out of the barn only to find both tires flat and the bead broken off the rim. I havent used it in several years but they were fine when I put it away. I've had this happen numerous times over the years with generators, riding mowers, finish mowers and tillers. Is there some event that triggers this or is it just one of those unexplained events.

 

[RoyJackson]

Temperature changes (getting cold) can cause pressure loss. Reckon if it happens often enough (over the course of a few years), the weight of the machine would be enough to break the bead.

If you want to store something for an extended period, it's advisable to raise the air pressure to the maximum (at least...even a bit higher).

 

[GaryM]

In addition you could put it up on blocks. At least if all the air leaks out the bead wouldn't break loose.

 

[creekbend]

Rest assured that I am not attempting to act like a tire expert, but having tubes will help somewhat. Are the tires tubeless? Just trying to help. I had the same problems before and this was recommended to me. It has worked for me. I also utilize the support of blocks.

 

[Short Game]

Hand truck and wheelbarrow type wheels are like that in my experience. When they go flat, the beads come loose. Many of the tubeless ones just seem to leak. They can be a pain in the butt. The wheels vary in quality. I keep tubes in the ones I don't want to go down.

 

[MHarryE]

Our 7720 JD (130 HP size) has one rear that goes flat every winter - it sits idle from November to March. The first time it happened it broke the bead so we had to use the ether trick to reseat it. Now it and our 105 HP New Holland, also with radials, sit on blocks for the winter and get aired up in the spring. Just seems to be a problem if no use and extreme cold (a few days colder than -40 are common every winter).

 

[Willl]

I havent used it in several years

Is there some event that triggers this

I think you answered your own question.

 

[dirt clod]

I think tires have tiny pores and the thinner the tire the faster the air loss. I'm usually wrong though . Anyhow all my small tires and trailers that I find low gets slime in tires and they seem to hold air better.

 

[teg]

My wheel barrel's tire looks like someone sucked the air out of them. They have not broke the bead... I don't know how or why, a mystery indeed

 

[Mark Page]

Rest assured that I am not attempting to act like a tire expert, but having tubes will help somewhat. Are the tires tubeless? Just trying to help. I had the same problems before and this was recommended to me. It has worked for me. I also utilize the support of blocks.

They have all been tubless tires. I'm thinking about having all of them tubed.

 

[EE_Bota]

Think about it a bit...and it may not be a mystery at all.

What seats your bead and holds them seated is the differential pressure Ptire>>>Patm. Some sticking and mechanical forces will help keep it stuck there too once seated.

After a while
Ptire = P atm due to slooow leaks or natural porosity in the tire, and in some cases, the rim.

At that point, the tire flexes to compensate for the P increase and decrease due to T variation.

When T crashed low, Patm>>Ptire, and that will force a bead free in many cases.

I hope this is correct, and if not, I will refund all moneys received.

 

[Soundguy]

porous rubber.. plus what everybody else said.. etc.

i've found that a shot of tire sealer / inflator or slime in most low speed tires will keep them from self deflating from porous rubber for much longer than no rtreatment at all. ie.. coating the insides.. etc..

soundguy

 

[DJ54]

Most of the one's I ever had trouble with had nylon seats on the vavle cores. Switched them to one's with neoprene seats, and with most, not all it fixed the problem.

Around here, it usually happens when the temp get down into the 30's or colder. Maybe the nylon shrinks, or gets harder, and looses it's sealing ability..??

 

[Mace Canute]

I remember one time back in the late eighties when I was running my first Stock Car I had one tire that always leaked down very fast. I took that thing off the rim a couple of times, cleaning the rim and bead and using a bead sealer but it still leaked down! Finally I grabbed my bottle of soapy water and misted the sidewalls down. In a couple of minutes the darn things looked like they were made of wool! Nothing but zillions of tiny, tiny bubbles covered the sideways completely! Porous rubber was the cause.

 

[Soundguy]

I remember one time back in the late eighties when I was running my first Stock Car I had one tire that always leaked down very fast. I took that thing off the rim a couple of times, cleaning the rim and bead and using a bead sealer but it still leaked down! Finally I grabbed my bottle of soapy water and misted the sidewalls down. In a couple of minutes the darn things looked like they were made of wool! Nothing but zillions of tiny, tiny bubbles covered the sideways completely! Porous rubber was the cause.

I seen that too.. on some wheelbarrow and lawnmower tires I have.

micro foam all over it.

in my case, i shot of slime / tire inflator / sealer solved it... must seal the inside rubber casing..e tc.

soundguy

 

[Egon]

I remember one time back in the late eighties when I was running my first Stock Car I had one tire that always leaked down very fast. I took that thing off the rim a couple of times, cleaning the rim and bead and using a bead sealer but it still leaked down! Finally I grabbed my bottle of soapy water and misted the sidewalls down. In a couple of minutes the darn things looked like they were made of wool! Nothing but zillions of tiny, tiny bubbles covered the sideways completely! Porous rubber was the cause.
/QUOTE]

I beleive many folks used dish detergent on the inside of Drag Racers Tires due to porus rubber.

That information was from someone posting on TBN.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[Clyde]

They have all been tubless tires. I'm thinking about having all of them tubed.

I'm another one that thinks tubeless tires on the smaller implements should have never been made without an innertube. I really don't understand earlier posts that a stored tire, on the machine, under weight of that machine, can pop the bead! I can understand however the cheap tires that are used today, leaking and that's the bottom line.

I have a JD318 for lawn mowing and I have noticed that with a tire low on air, the tire deforms in a tight turn and grass gets trapped in the bead and it then leaks more. I had been cleaning out the bead and then reinflating the tire and it works till next time. a big waste of time for me. I have or am in the process of putting tubes in the remainder of my so called "tubeless" tires and it has been a worthwhile project.

That is only my experience and never the rule for anyone else,

 

[ultrarunner]

Quality of the tire, stem or rim... at least this is what I have found.

The new tires and stems often leave much to be desired.

My three suggestions are.

Tubes... very effective. I have a trailer not used in eleven years and the tires are still full... this is 6 ply with heavy duty tubes.

Metal Valve stems and caps.

Foam filled tires never go flat... might not be appropriate for highway use... the best thing since sliced bread for wheel barrows, hand trucks, tractors and my log splitter.

 

[Clyde]

i shot of slime / tire inflator / sealer solved it... must seal the inside rubber casing..e tc.

soundguy

Great idea from those recommending the "goop" sealer instead of going thru the work of installing inner tubes. I have an ATV that injested a porcupine quill(they are hollow) and they don't recommend tubes in an ATV tire because of the low tire pressure to begin with. There was nothing out there to repair the leak except replacing the tire and they aren't cheap to begin with. I tried the "goop or slime" and it fixed the problem. Duh? What was I thinking? The sealer in a can certainly is definitely easier, cost effective, and a no-brainer for most people. I learned something and I definitely will try that. Thanks guys!

 

[ultrarunner]

Great idea from those recommending the "goop" sealer instead of going thru the work of installing inner tubes. I have an ATV that injested a porcupine quill(they are hollow) and they don't recommend tubes in an ATV tire because of the low tire pressure to begin with. There was nothing out there to repair the leak except replacing the tire and they aren't cheap to begin with. I tried the "goop or slime" and it fixed the problem. Duh? What was I thinking? The sealer in a can certainly is definitely easier, cost effective, and a no-brainer for most people. I learned something and I definitely will try that. Thanks guys!

I have had some luck with sealer...

I really hate having to work on a wheel with sealer in it and so does the local shop... they charge extra.

Some of my old equipment has liners in addition to the tube...

One liner goes on the rim almost like a giant rubber band and the other lays in the tire casing and provides a very good second line of defense...

Still think the best way is foam filled... can't leak if there is no air to leak out...