Can I save badly checked tires?

[jodebg]

I have an older Wheelhorse Garden tractor. The tires are badly checked and air is
leaking out of the sidewalls in many places. I plan to sell the tractor in the near future
and would like to avoid the expense of new tires.

Is there any way, any product, that would seal the leaks and save the tires?

Wondering what your experiences are with old tires?

 

[Carl_NH]

Tubes - probably $50-70 for all 4 .

 

[catskinner]

Slime, just roll the fluid into the leak area.

 

[k0ua]

This is just an idea, but I find that items often sell for much much more when they are gussied up a bit.. As an example, put on new tires, and paint up the machine, and you possibly could get much more for it, and enough to cover the cost of the tires and the little bit of cleaning and painting. Just a thought.

 

[grm61]

Junk, good way to get hurt screwing with them.

 

[2458n]

Go to any used car lot and you will see NEW tires. This hides the sloppy misaligned front end and buyers love new tires. The car may not run long enough to wear out the set of new tires , but you as the seller should get your money plus alittle bit more for putting them on. Even if you use tire black paint you are still not hiding the cracks.

 

[hosspuller]

I did as Carl suggested. $10 saves a $35 tire on a lawn mower.

 

[DT86]

Junk, good way to get hurt screwing with them.

Maybe I'm missing something but how might he get hurt "screwing with them"? It's not likely he'll have a high speed blow out on the freeway with a garden tractor.

I agree with slime or tubes, depending on how bad they really are.

 

[k0ua]

Oh, I don't Know, I have seen some of those garden tractors going pretty fast.!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts0Fz2DkVmM

 

[jodebg]

I applied a soap solution to the sidewall and air was escaping all over the sidewall. I could hear the air coming through the tire.

A tube will hold air from escaping, but will it help keep the tire in tack for a while longer? If so, I'm thinking that the tube would
help stabilize the shape of the tire better than slime?

 

[Iowan]

I'd just put tubes in, you could spend the money on slime and then have to put tubes in, slime is a hit or miss thing.

 

[Carl_NH]

I applied a soap solution to the sidewall and air was escaping all over the sidewall. I could hear the air coming through the tire.

A tube will hold air from escaping, but will it help keep the tire in tack for a while longer? If so, I'm thinking that the tube would
help stabilize the shape of the tire better than slime?

What size are you looking for? Front tire: 15x6.00, Rear tire: 23x8.50 ?

A tube will help but it could also split the tire apart. Is it all four tires? You can go to a local lawn mower repair place, or tractor dealer, as they usually have 10-20 older machines sitting there - get these tires used for cheap and tubes too.

The other thing if you get tubes, get the better tube with the threaded valve stem that locks in the rim because the valve stem without this can slip back in the tire, I did this last year on my cub and bought one without and it disappeared, so got two with locking nuts on the stems and problem solved $11 ea.

 

[jimainiac]

On the scale of difficulty, what would it hurt to try the Slime first? It's the easiest thing to do, and if it works you're a winner. If it doesn't, You're just out the price of the Slime and it's a little messier when you dismount the tires to put the tubes in.

 

[jodebg]

The entire side wall is leaking (air leaks everywhere) making it difficult to use slime?

I would have to lay the tire on it's side and hope that I get a good coverage on all of the sidewall, on each side.
May be wishful thinking.

Will a badly checked old tire hold up with an tube inside of it?

Tire size 22x9.00x12

Any suggestions on getting the wheel off the axel. Don't think it was off since '89?

 

[texasjohn]

Been there with slime on sidewall leaks...doesn't work...and slime is expensive IMHO...spring for an inner tube...yes, it stops leaks and tire will hold together much, much longer than you think it will.

 

[alchemysa]

Been there with slime on sidewall leaks...doesn't work...and slime is expensive IMHO...spring for an inner tube...yes, it stops leaks and tire will hold together much, much longer than you think it will.

Agreed. Slime doesn't work on sidewalls. Even if you initially lay the tire down and roll the slime around it will soon just drain to the bottom. A tube is the only reliable, cheap option.

 

[chad22]

If it's leaking out the sidewalls I wouldn't even bother with the slime and go with the tubes.

I had 2 front tires on my Garden Tractor that's in my avatar and the tires were badly checked and leaking at the sidewalls from sitting for 6 years in the yard. My dad suggested to try some slime he had in his shed and I did try it and it didn't work.

I was then going to just get some tubes and go that route. Then I came across 2 good tires that were bought new a few years ago for another lawn tractor that we junked and never put on.

I totally forgot about those tires. I found them when I was going through stuff in our shop.

I'd recommend putting tubes in the tires and you should be good to go for a long time.

The slime would be a waste of time for sidewall leaks.

Chad

 

[adirondackmtnman]

I'm with the idea of tubes...your tires will more than likely last you a good long while after being tubed.

Sent from my LGL35G using TractorByNet

 

[SPYDERLK]

Checking that has gone all the way thru the tire wall and causing leaking will slowly chew thru a tube as well. Flat free time will be real long if the tractor sits. Less if its worked regularly.
larry

 

[jodebg]

The size I need is 22x9.00x12.
This size seems to no longer be made.

What is an available size that will fit on this tractor...22x9.50x12?

Where is a good place to buy tires and tubes online?

What tube size will fit...they seem to run different in size than the actual tire numbers.