Flat tire, now what?

[pretendfarmer]

I have put less than 10 hours on my new to me Yanmar 1700D, and I now have a flat right rear tire. The tires are badly cracked and Les Schwab said they will not repair it if the tire is in poor condition. I cannot get any tires locally, and I need to use this tractor right now. The size is odd at 8.3 x 24. Would fix a flat work? I am also without a good area to work on this tractor at the moment or I would pull the wheel myself.

 

[bucktaker]

i guess you answered your own question..... maybe just add air every couple days?

 

[powerpace]

I use green slime in my front tires. They get most of the abuse when piling brush. The rears are loaded and have never had a problem. When you have loaded tires it is very important to keep the air pressure up. If the loaded tires get low and you are bouncing on rough ground the bead can breakfree easier. The loss of fluid may be slow but I have seen it squirt out when hitting rough ground.

You didn't say how old the tires or the tractor is.
Tubes may work for you if the tires are not in too bad. R1's or R4's? What kind of tires?

 

[pretendfarmer]

Tractor is a 1978 I believe. Tires may be original. They are very cracked. I assume they are tubed. May just have to bite the bullet and put two new rears on. I don't have power on the property to run a compressor right now. It is a major pita to have to load it onto the trailer just to fill the tires.

 

[deepNdirt]

Been there-Done-that! ...
a good old fashion bicycle pump would come in handy right about now or a portable air tank, though is providing the tube will hold air long enough to get it into a place it can be comfortably worked on,
Like you stated , the tires will have inner-tubes in them, and likely will either need patched or replaced, The thing I found out when having badly dry rotted tires, Is if you have to break the tire off the rim in order to replace a inner-tube, when comes time to re-inflate the tire, and in order to get the bead to seat, you'll might have to over inflate it, Causing the tire to crack even more so,

It would probably be time,money,and effort better spent to just have new or at least none dry rotted used tires installed,

 

[pretendfarmer]

The problem is that no tire place will repair the tube because the tires looks so badly cracked. Les Schwab just quoted me $800 for two tires installed. This is the problem with buying an old tractor in need of repair. I knew it would need tires, but had no idea I would experience a flat so soon. Gosh this is frustrating.

I was a little taken aback by the price of the tires, and expressed to the gentleman that Hoye tractor has them for sale at $169 per tire. He said those are likely Chinese tires. I asked where his tires were made. He said "they are Firestone tires." I asked if the Firestone tires were made in China. He again said "they are Firestone tires" in a condescending tone. I did not care for the guy and think that maybe the Firestone tires are Chinese, too. Not sure what I should do or where I should go.

 

[hawkeye08]

Perhaps check craigslist for some used tires? check some tire shops for used? I don't know about your tractor and if that is a required size or just what is on it.

Here is a set of (4) for Yanmar for example...

Brand new Yanmar "Turf Wheel Set"

 

[paulharvey]

Try an independent tire guy. A $30 tube should buy you a year or three. There is a guy at the local flee market that sells used tires, and he will work on whatever you bring him. Same with a local trailer shop. Chain shops often wont work on someone elses tire unless nearly new.

 

[pretendfarmer]

Perhaps check craigslist for some used tires? check some tire shops for used? I don't know about your tractor and if that is a required size or just what is on it.

Here is a set of (4) for Yanmar for example...

Brand new Yanmar "Turf Wheel Set"

Thank you for the link. It's a bit of a drive, but may be worth it. I don't know anything about turf tires, though, and I am working mostly in mud/dirt. Does anyone have any feedback on these?

 

[pretendfarmer]

Try an independent tire guy. A $30 tube should buy you a year or three. There is a guy at the local flee market that sells used tires, and he will work on whatever you bring him. Same with a local trailer shop. Chain shops often wont work on someone elses tire unless nearly new.

Thank you for the suggestion. I may call around to smaller tire shops.

 

[deepNdirt]

For the while when I was in need of tires I search high and low for our size, I found some on Ebay but the shipping cost detoured me from them, a couple weeks later I lucked up on some used tires ( Locally ) although were the next size up (9.5 x24's) the size worked out good because i had already changed the front tires to a larger diameter, The larger rear tires put the tractor back level as it should be,
But with your tractor being 4 wd. you'll likely need to keep the same size ( 8.3 x 24 ) in order to stay the correct front /rear gear ratio ,
In fact they're a few sets on there now,
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...nkw=8.3+x+24+tractor+tires&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

[pretendfarmer]

I don't think those turf tires will work for me. Hoye tractor says 16 x 10 on the rear, 14 x 7 on the front for my 1700D. Those wheels and tires are 16 rear, 12 front. Can anyone do the math and figure out IF they would somehow work given the tire size, or if I could possible get a larger front tire to make them work? I am new to this 4wd ratio thing. Thank you.

 

[SPYDERLK]

The problem is that no tire place will repair the tube because the tires looks so badly cracked. Les Schwab just quoted me $800 for two tires installed. This is the problem with buying an old tractor in need of repair. I knew it would need tires, but had no idea I would experience a flat so soon. Gosh this is frustrating.

I was a little taken aback by the price of the tires, and expressed to the gentleman that Hoye tractor has them for sale at $169 per tire. He said those are likely Chinese tires. I asked where his tires were made. He said "they are Firestone tires." I asked if the Firestone tires were made in China. He again said "they are Firestone tires" in a condescending tone. I did not care for the guy and think that maybe the Firestone tires are Chinese, too. Not sure what I should do or where I should go.

The new Firestones on my tractor are USA.
... Outside cracking will finally go thru the tire ply over years, and altho may not break the ply it can let it wiggle against the tube and cut it. If that is happening a tube repair wont last a week. Before you act to fix or replace, the inside of the tire should be inspected well. IF limited areas are showing cord delamination you can cheaply buy some time by putting a patch over those areas to protect the tube.
larry

 

[ultrarunner]

Or you could have them foam filled... no more flats and adds stability by making the center of gravity lower.

I had a puncture that could not be repaired... was going to go the tube route and then decided on having them foam filled...

Also, with some manufacturers, you may be able to buy the complete tire mounted on rim through whole goods for less than the cost of a tire... at least it was this way for my Kubota BX

 

[moship]

I don't think those turf tires will work for me. Hoye tractor says 16 x 10 on the rear, 14 x 7 on the front for my 1700D. Those wheels and tires are 16 rear, 12 front. Can anyone do the math and figure out IF they would somehow work given the tire size, or if I could possible get a larger front tire to make them work? I am new to this 4wd ratio thing. Thank you.

It's not the wheel size but the overall tire diameter, and more specifically the load radius that is important when considering a full set of tire/wheels. If considering tires only the wheel diameter would be critical in selecting the correct tire.

Name brand tires are typically very expensive as you're finding. Titan (formerly Goodyear) and Firestone (Bridgestone) both have good technical literature on line if you care to read all the technical stuff.

Good luck and keep us posted with your solution.

 

[kenmac]

I think my 2 rears came from India. They were around 8-900 a year or so ago. My tires are A little larger than what's on your 1700

 

[Hinomotoman]

I just bought 4 Ag tires from Tucker Tire on ebay. They're bigger than yours (11.2-24, 7-16) and I got all 4 for $750 shipping included. My local Discount Tire store said they will mount them for free since I am already a customer there.

Eugene

 

[normde2001]

You are sure making this tough on yourself.
1. Go to any autoparts store, pick up a can of Fix-a-Flat, a $20-$30 cigarette lighter tire pump, and good to go.
2 Jack up the tractor, remove the wheel and take to any rural service station with a mechanic on duty. They might charge you $12 to patch a tube, or $30 if it needs a tube. You will need a jack, a large socket, a breaker bar and probably a 4' length of pipe.

 

[Soundguy]

tube it.

can do it with it on the tractor.

put in gear.. jack that side up. pop bead on one side. slip in new tube. air and go.

nuittin to it.

i do my own tractor tires.

if it fights you at the bead. lay it ont he ground and get a wood block and sledge hammer.

they will come off.

 

[deepNdirt]

The larger /wider tractor tires are more forgiving and are a little easier to change out than the smaller 8" wide rims with 8.3 wide tire and the short sidewall ads to the dificulty, Not much room there to work with, I've hand change every tire from my tractor's, and quite a few sets on variouse cars/trucks, and larger size tractor tires, My son will contest to the smaller tractor tires being more of a booger that the larger ones, He does this every day for a living, goes out in the service truck and changed the big rig 18 wheels tires as well,
He told me of some tractor tires he changed once where the tires had been badly dry-roted and someone had lined the inside of the tires with used tread caps, He ask the customer about "whats up with that?" and he's said they been in there for 15 years,
Now that my freinds is what you call getting all from tires you can get,