Tractor Tire Repair

catman977 · Sep 15, 2022

I have a large Tractor Tire That has a Fish Mouth Rip in the sidewall. I plan to break the bead, and get the tire pried out to get my hand in behind the tear. I will clean the area inside and out before starting the repair. I plan to use Kevlar Twine and a curved sail Needle. I will drill small holes 1/16" around the tear aprox. 3/8" out. Then sew the tear together. after the stitching is done I plan to vulcanize a boot on the inside, and a Rubber Patch on the outside, or Spread Flex Seal liquid rubber over the outside repair. Replace the Tube with a new one. Anyone think this will or will not work Please comment. Thanks

ROUSTABOUT · Sep 15, 2022

I think it will work. Make sure you tie each individual loop of thread. Probably advise to take tire off rim and put blocks between bead to spread it open.

Rebeldad1 · Sep 15, 2022

safety sake replace the tire. you never know when you will need your tire at 100%

Carl_NH · Sep 15, 2022

I think the repair as you describe will work fine - but I would not put too many holes/stitches as they can tear out from flexing.

New tires are $500+ for the M and only replace if this would fail. As far as safety you should see it before it fails completely.

Sawyer Rob · Sep 15, 2022

In the sidewall, I'd just replace in now and be done with it.

You are going to have to sooner or later, it may as well be sooner, who knows how much tires will go up/cost later.

Have you looked for a good used tire??

SR

4570Man · Sep 15, 2022

If the tire is sliced so bad it wouldn’t hold a tube without stitching I’d rate the chances of repair as pretty slim.

Williy · Sep 15, 2022

When the sidewall goes its best to replace it but its
your life. You don't know if the tire will give out or
how strong it is chances are you will be wasting your
time and money on trying to fix it.

willy

Eagle1 · Sep 15, 2022

It's a slow speed vehicle not like you are gonna run it at 100 mph. Repairs like that have been done in field quite often, when there is no one to help and money is tight. Seen them out last the owners.

Smokeydog · Sep 15, 2022

Several of those steps require a skilled hand to master and might work for a while. Wether you have those skills TBD. First time has low probability of success. Lost credibility using Flexseal.

Captain Dirty · Sep 15, 2022

Some of us, without much or any experience, have tried DIY repairs and been blessed with beginner's luck. On other occassions we have spent a lot of time and likely money making a short-lived repair. You have received differing advice from others, none of whom have actually seen the wound or even a picture of it. My suggestion is to let a pro repairman look at it and offer his advice. (A salesman is likely to try to sell a new tire.). My experience, upon which I base the suggestion is as follows:

Shortly after buying my tractor I ordered a snowblower. As I did not then have forks, I borrowed my neighbor's 1966 JD 300, pallet-fork-equipped, industrial tractor with gear drive and iffy brakes. I managed to get the blower out of the delivering semi-trailer and into my driveway without incident, but during later maneuvering I put a fork blade through the sidewall of a rear tire of my own tractor. A little good fortune was that a local tire company had their commercial/industrial shop about 5 miles away. The help there was perhaps amused but definitely sympathetic when I showed up with a virtually new (spew vents or "hairs" all over the treads) tire with a slit in the sidewall. A new tire would have cost several hundred dollars; I was happy to pay them $165 for the repair. That was over 8 years ago, and the tire has given me no problems.

oosik · Sep 16, 2022

Sometimes you may be be fortunate - other times not so much. If it was sidewall damage on my tire - new tire.

big bubba · Sep 16, 2022

Rebeldad1 said:
safety sake replace the tire. you never know when you will need your tire at 100%

agree. i'd hire a mobile tractor tire repair to replace tire on site. gone are the days when i'd wrestle with loaded rears, come along to overhanging branches, etc. not sure i'd trust your method under full load, etc. but an interesting idea, let us know how it turns out, & safety 1st, regards

LD1 · Sep 16, 2022

Are the tires in otherwise good or nearly new condition? Or are they bald and 30/year old dry rot?

A picture would go along way to help us understand if you are crazy or if it might be worthwhile?

If they are like new or otherwise excellent condition....do you have a need for weight? Or would consider loading them? Because another option is to have them foam filled. (which isnt really foam so dont get the idea of buying a bunch of cans of expanding foam). But to foam a tire they actually put holes in the sidewall so they can fill it with urethane rubber and let it set up.

sandman2234 · Sep 16, 2022

I would consider a repair based on what I did with the tractor. If I just use it to pull a bushhog or mower or something basically lightweight with no issues such as crop harvesting time frames, or other things such as steep slopes where a failure could cause a chance of the tractor toppling down a hill. If the sudden failure of the patch could cause an issue, I would consider replacement but if (as in most of my cases) a suddenly deflated tire would just be a time issue and very little safety issues, I would probably give the repair a try.
I would not consider using that tractor to pull a trailer load of children on a hayride, but would have no problem using it for a little mowing around the house.
David from jax

fidowanttobe · Sep 16, 2022

Lots of good info here.
All I have is that I have seen many repairs like this at auction sales on older farm equipment.
Depends on what you will need to use it for.

5030 · Sep 16, 2022

Carl_NH said:
I think the repair as you describe will work fine - but I would not put too many holes/stitches as they can tear out from flexing.

New tires are $500+ for the M and only replace if this would fail. As far as safety you should see it before it fails completely.

That is a cheap Chinese tire. Quality tires are a lot more today. Just reshod my M9 OS with Trelleborg Radials and it was 4500 for 4, mounted.

LouNY · Sep 16, 2022

Sidewalls on lower HP tractors have been stitched up for a great many years.
Many have worked well.
When doing the stitches I'd recommend doing an X pattern. I have used liquid rubber to fill cracks in tires.
A good sized 6 ply boot on the inside after stitching to close up the gaps,
that tire could go for many years on an H.
Lot of people seem to equate a low speed tractor tire with the same concern as a car or truck tire running 75-80 mph.

4570Man · Sep 16, 2022

LD1 said:
Are the tires in otherwise good or nearly new condition? Or are they bald and 30/year old dry rot?

A picture would go along way to help us understand if you are crazy or if it might be worthwhile?

If they are like new or otherwise excellent condition....do you have a need for weight? Or would consider loading them? Because another option is to have them foam filled. (which isnt really foam so dont get the idea of buying a bunch of cans of expanding foam). But to foam a tire they actually put holes in the sidewall so they can fill it with urethane rubber and let it set up.

I don’t know if foam filling cost the same everywhere but it’s ridiculously expensive here. Way more so than buying a new tire. I don’t think they can foam a tire that’s already leaking either. I was quoted $3 a pound to fill skid steer tires and they estimated 200 pounds per tire. A rear tractor tire would be several times that much. I didn’t take them up on that offer because I could buy solid demolition tires for comparable money.

sandman2234 · Sep 16, 2022

Well, I woke up this morning to a front flat on the tractor. I took it off and took it to a local tire shop. I asked them if they could install a tube, but after we aired it up and saw the slice in the sidewall, they said nope. I went home, and took the rear wheel off an Allis Chalmers B that I have, which matched. Called the local tire shop as I headed back out, and they had just dispatched their drivers on a call. So I called another, and took them there. Showed them what I had in mind, swapping the old rear tire onto the front rim. The guy suggested I just fix the old tire, instead of doing all the swapping around. So I let him put a patch on the inside of the slice, and then installed a new tube. When he aired it up, the slice opened up, but it held air. I will install in it the morning and see how it does. If it doesn't work, no big loss, I will just swap out the rear tire.
I guess I probably ought to consider getting a new set reasonably soon, as I am supposed to pull a wagon load of kids around in a couple months!
David from jax