BX Tires going flat

[dj1701]

Hi All,

Had my BX2680 for about a year. I have turf tires all the way around, and use it mostly to mow with. I don't have a loader.

Seems every time I go to mow, the front tires are flat or need air. What gives?


Thanks
Dave :confused2:

 

[4get gto]

I'd soak them down with soap and water to see where they might be leaking. Leaking at valve stem, around the bead or do they have slow leaks in them somewhere..? Do they have tubes in them ?

 

[ning]

Thorns? - may need to pull the wheel off and submerge it in water. Or, drive the tractor into a pond and look for bubbles
Leaking valve? - easy to check, remove the valve cap, spit on your thumb and put the spit on the end of the valve and see if there's air coming out.
Corroded rim? - submerge again

 

[oldballs]

There were others about 10 years ago, (myself included), that had the front tires (turf tires) losing air on the BX models. It turned out to be the seating around the rim...right out of the dealers....brand new.. I fixed mine with some rim sealant that took care of the problem.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[aczlan]

There were others about 10 years ago, (myself included), that had the front tires (turf tires) losing air on the BX models. It turned out to be the seating around the rim...right out of the dealers....brand new.. I fixed mine with some rim sealant that took care of the problem.

Cheers,
Mike

Our BX2660 had that problem, tubes or bead sealant are the only fixes.

Aaron Z

 

[Henro]

Our BX2660 had that problem, tubes or bead sealant are the only fixes.

Aaron Z

Not really. Foam filling the front tires is a permanent solution and not all that expensive since they are relatively small. Foam filled the fronts on both of my tractors more than a decade ago and never looked back.

Would highly recommend foam filling. Then punctures of ANY type are history.

 

[zoltanthegypsy]

I'm another BX owner who had problems w/front tires losing air a few years ago. A couple of reasons: rotting valve stem rubber, and poorly made tires. One tire had exposed cord in the bead area. Took a while before it started leaking.

Z.

 

[oosik]

Had that same problem with one front tire on my JD G100. Bottle of SLIME solved the problem.

 

[dragoneggs]

Me too... lots of loader work and my fronts kept losing air. I took them to Les Schwab and they tubed them for about $20-25ea and never an issue again. Highly recommend tubes.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

:laughing::laughing: Yep, several of us had the famed one front tire going flat on the turf tired BXs some years ago. Foamed filled some say made the rubber bouncy tire hard as a rock and BXs ride rough enough, Slime is the ban of tire changers in later years and tubes can be a bit more than Slime and a lot less than foam filled. I think we discovered the tire was spinning on the rim on the one tire the people in assembly was putting on our BXs to mess with us. So, I've done tubes, slime and rim sealer since I've had several BXs with the one front flat tire syndrome. I did home insulation foam fill a F mowing deck front tire that was cut up and got another mowing season out of it. All the methods mentioned work and solved the issue for most of us and for me specifically. I also took a couple back to the dealer and told him I wanted warranty replacement and the dealer (Barlows) paid the local tire shop to tube at least two on two different BXs. My first choice, if it is truly the leaking tire and not a tire getting thorns thru the tread is the tube method but sometimes since I have to do the work myself I like the Slime method. I have the rim seal now so already purchased and I might try it first for myself. The foam filled would be my last resort due to ride and cost (Price it locally and see the cost, here it was shocking and few places would do it since locally it is only done on logging trucks and maybe heavy construction equipment).

 

[SPYDERLK]

Hi All,

Had my BX2680 for about a year. I have turf tires all the way around, and use it mostly to mow with. I don't have a loader.

Seems every time I go to mow, the front tires are flat or need air. What gives?


Thanks
Dave :confused2:

As said its very likely rim/bead leaks. ... You might be able to fix it without removing the tires:

Find yourself a HOT day and park the tractor in the sun. After the tires are good and warm pump them up to 25-30psi. Let them "soak" all day while moving the tractor around some. Then park the tractor with the tires hard. Leak them down to std pressure next time you use it - then pump them back up before you put it away. This will help the bead find a stable seated and sealed position.​

 

[rnbrn21]

The previous owner put tubes in the front tires of my 2007 BX24. That worked for a while I replaced the tubes after some failures and that worked for a while. Then removed the tubes and I stalled slime. That worked for a long time and when that started failing I replaced the front tires with new ones. Slime is great and I recommend it and have used it on other types of tires and will use it again. Just make sure if you ever take a slimed tire to a shop you let them know of you will make an enemy.

 

[dragoneggs]

I will say it again... TUBES... and be done with it.

 

[check]

I will say it again... TUBES... and be done with it.

Tried that. Didn’t work. Also tried filling in the front tires with this black goop. Can’t remember what it was, but the tire shop did it. Then, after a while I guess it ate through the sidewall of the tire, because both front tires blew and squirted that black poop all over the place. Finally just went out and bought a new set of tires on rims, and they explained that they are much better than the OEM tires. Haven’t had a problem since, so I guess the quality control problem has been solved.

 

[dragoneggs]

Tried that. Didn’t work. Also tried filling in the front tires with this black goop. Can’t remember what it was, but the tire shop did it. Then, after a while I guess it ate through the sidewall of the tire, because both front tires blew and squirted that black poop all over the place. Finally just went out and bought a new set of tires on rims, and they explained that they are much better than the OEM tires. Haven’t had a problem since, so I guess the quality control problem has been solved.

Surprised the tubes didn't work! I wonder why since they are independent of a poor tire/rim seal. :confused3:

 

[LouNY]

Surprised the tubes didn't work! I wonder why since they are independent of a poor tire/rim seal. :confused3:

I have seen the smaller sized tires slip on the rims and break or tear out the valve stems.

 

[dragoneggs]

I have seen the smaller sized tires slip on the rims and break or tear out the valve stems.

That would be my only guess is damage to the stem but man I worked my FEL and front tires/axle hard with max loads, lots of turns and on slope and the tubes have performed perfectly. I don't even remember the last time I put air in my tires since tubing. Wait I remember... when I got them tubed a a few years ago!

 

[cathy liebchen]

Tubes. Some tire shops wont touch them once you put Slime in them

 

[dragoneggs]

Tubes. Some tire shops wont touch them once you put Slime in them

That's true. I didn't bother with the slime on my BX... went straight to tubes. I have used slime on smaller pneumatic tires and once with a full size auto tire (emergency situation). Not a big fan for a long term fix. Just my :2cents:

 

[robertm]

My first BX2660, no issues with turfs. Even the R-4’s were fine for years. Now, my current BX2670 had issues the first year. Got fed up. Tubed them. Last month, one went flat. Dealer said “Don’t tube it. Seal the bead”. So far so good. One tubed, one sealed. As soon as I can swing it, I’m getting a set of R-4’s. The turfs are good for grass, and grass only.