Blew out a tire...or something

[TractorGunn]

Well, got done brush mowing, came inside to have a bite to eat, then came back outside to find this. Property isn't that rough nor was I on the tractor. Valve stem is gone. 27x8.50 15 tires. 6 ply. I'm thinking 6 ply is a little light but don't know. I think they're industrial grade.

Where do you all suggest getting tires? I looked these up and find skid steer tires. Advice please. Thanks!

 

[Sportsman762]

I am not sure you need a new tire. The valvestem failed and it let the tire deflate. R4 tires have a tendency to return to their relaxed state, and often have enough strength due to their thick sidewalls to pull themselves off the bead. I would get a good metal valve stem and reinflate the tire. Unless you have driven on the tire cutting it, or see other damage I would not replace it.

 

[Eagle1]

First flat? Serious finding something that will puncture 8 ply is not hard if you find some antique farm trash.... tin, wire, implements and don't forget deer antlers and such,

Pop the bead, put a new stem in and then see if you have damage. Well unless obvious.

Between all the tires here I bet I fix a flat at least twice a month including the 10 ply on the trucks that do not go off road, just on the gravel county roads.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Good advice above, your tire is probably fine.

An inconvenience that hopefully stays just that, as opposed to something more financial or time consuming.

 

[tacticalturnip]

That new darker blue LS went to is really nice.

 

[ning]

Double check the bead of the tire. Not sure if that's damaged. The rim looks kinda notchy too, check the bead seat area of the rim.

My right front has a very slow leak and I found this out one day when I had a good load in the bucket, turned the wheel, pushed against a rock, and lost all the air.

Cleaned up the wheel and the bead, then used a ratchet strap around the middle of the tire, aired it up... now I keep track of the pressure better. Loses 5# a month, enough to watch but not care a lot about.

 

[jyoutz]

If you do end up needing replacement tires, go to a large truck/heavy equipment tire shop. They can source ag equipment tires.

 

[GS650GL]

Stem is easy to replace. The hardest part is getting tubeless tire beads to go back out to the rim so it will hold air and inflate. A ratchet strap sometimes works as mentioned above. Resist the temptation to use ether, a friend almost lost his hand doing that. Tire shops use a Cheetah bead seating tool which works great.
For a slow leak, pump in about 20 ounces of Liqui-tube to seal it up. It's not as messy as other sealers and washes with water. 6 ply tires are fine on a small tractor, no worries.

 

[anomad]

Well, got done brush mowing, came inside to have a bite to eat, then came back outside to find this. Property isn't that rough nor was I on the tractor. Valve stem is gone. 27x8.50 15 tires. 6 ply. I'm thinking 6 ply is a little light but don't know. I think they're industrial grade.

Where do you all suggest getting tires? I looked these up and find skid steer tires. Advice please. Thanks!View attachment 4110664

Looks like you have easy access to replace the missing valve stem. If you have never wrestled a flat tire back onto the rim, it isn't hard. You can use a ratchet strap around the circumference of the tire. Some soapy water might help seat the bead. Just don't go crazy inflating it. Release the strap before it gets too tight. I've even used a rope and stick with twist it up.

 

[TractorGunn]

I am not sure you need a new tire. The valvestem failed and it let the tire deflate. R4 tires have a tendency to return to their relaxed state, and often have enough strength due to their thick sidewalls to pull themselves off the bead. I would get a good metal valve stem and reinflate the tire. Unless you have driven on the tire cutting it, or see other damage I would not replace it.

The tire is pretty chewed up.

 

[Sportsman762]

The tire is pretty chewed up.

I did not notice until @ning pointed it out. Looks like you lost the valve stem when mowing and drove on it. It happens, I blew the tire on a semi mounted plow when moving it between farms and drug it a half mile before I noticed. Not one of my better moments.

I would replace the valve stem and remount it, but I am cheap (or poor). If it leaks then I would replace it. Worst case it goes flat and you destroy a already destroyed tire.

 

[sandman2234]

I did not notice until @ning pointed it out. Looks like you lost the valve stem when mowing and drove on it. It happens, I blew the tire on a semi mounted plow when moving it between farms and drug it a half mile before I noticed. Not one of my better moments.

I would replace the valve stem and remount it, but I am cheap (or poor). If it leaks then I would replace it. Worst case it goes flat and you destroy a already destroyed tire.

If it leaks, have a tube installed in it! I guess I am even cheaper than Sportsman, lol! It isn't going down the road at 75mph, it is just a tractor tire!!
David from jax

 

[CalG]

Well, got done brush mowing, came inside to have a bite to eat, then came back outside to find this. Property isn't that rough nor was I on the tractor. Valve stem is gone. 27x8.50 15 tires. 6 ply. I'm thinking 6 ply is a little light but don't know. I think they're industrial grade.

Where do you all suggest getting tires? I looked these up and find skid steer tires. Advice please. Thanks!View attachment 4110664

Jack up the wheel, unbolt the wheel and tire, take it to ANY tire shop and listen to what they say. They may just send you to someone else, but thats GOOD.

YOU do not seem to be in a postion to evaluate and perform a useful repair.
Leave it to the tire PROS. Just do the wrenching.

I could be wrong... but that is the take I got from this post.

 

[eolesen]

If it leaks, have a tube installed in it! I guess I am even cheaper than Sportsman, lol! It isn't going down the road at 75mph, it is just a tractor tire!!
David from jax

This. I've retrofitted tubes on all my lawn tractor tires at 10% of the cost of a new one. Started with one tire that just wouldn't bead and did the rest over time.

 

[WinterDeere]

I've even used a rope and stick with twist it up.

That's how I've always done it. Never even thought to try a ratchet strap! They call me "old school", now I know why.

Agreed with:

1. Try to fix and keep tubeless, if possible. This includes resorting to bead sealer if rim is sketchy.
2. If all attempts to stay tubeless fail, and there's no cording or anything that's poking thru the inside of the tire that will destroy a tube or any sidewall damage causing bulges, just tube the damn thing.

I wouldn't bother replacing a mechanically-good tire that never sees much more than 10 mph, as long as a tube remains an option.

 

[TractorGunn]

Jack up the wheel, unbolt the wheel and tire, take it to ANY tire shop and listen to what they say. They may just send you to someone else, but thats GOOD.

YOU do not seem to be in a postion to evaluate and perform a useful repair.
Leave it to the tire PROS. Just do the wrenching.

I could be wrong... but that is the take I got from this post.

I have no worries about doing it myself. Was perplexed on how this happened and wondered what tires you all might suggest. I've done tires before, but know nothing about tractor tires, and want to be as careful about that as possible, for safeties sake. I should get time tomorrow to jack it up with the FEL and see what's going on.

 

[LouNY]

If the rim and tire are just a bit chewed up a jar of bead sealer will help immensely.

 

[Sportsman762]

Was perplexed on how this happened and wondered what tires you all might suggest.

If I were a betting man the valvestem blew out while mowing (cheap valvestem) and did not notice it until you came back out after eating. I have blown the cheap rubber valvestems off tires before (calcium chloride eats them).

The results for a tire suggestion are unanimous in this thread; just use what you got. Heavier ply tires will not have any affect when the valvestem blows. However if your looking to burn through some money, then foam fill the tires, you will never get a flat again since their is no functioning valvestem to blow. Foam filling makes replacing them a %^&*.

 

[eolesen]

That's how I've always done it. Never even thought to try a ratchet strap! They call me "old school", now I know why.

Agreed with:

1. Try to fix and keep tubeless, if possible. This includes resorting to bead sealer if rim is sketchy.
2. If all attempts to stay tubeless fail, and there's no cording or anything that's poking thru the inside of the tire that will destroy a tube or any sidewall damage causing bulges, just tube the damn thing.

I wouldn't bother replacing a mechanically-good tire that never sees much more than 10 mph, as long as a tube remains an option.

The rachet strap may not work on smaller tires. The distance from the rachet to the hooks on my shortest hook strap left 8" of uncompressed tire, which was just enough to cpllapse and not move onto the bead.

Using a poly rope and twisting with a 2' piece of 3/4 pipe... everything compressed evenly and popped into place and onto the bead almost immediately.

 

[TractorGunn]

If I were a betting man the valvestem blew out while mowing (cheap valvestem) and did not notice it until you came back out after eating. I have blown the cheap rubber valvestems off tires before (calcium chloride eats them).

The results for a tire suggestion are unanimous in this thread; just use what you got. Heavier ply tires will not have any affect when the valvestem blows. However if your looking to burn through some money, then foam fill the tires, you will never get a flat again since their is no functioning valvestem to blow. Foam filling makes replacing them a %^&*.

Yep, I just came inside after lifting the tractor and took a good look at the tire and rim. Tire doesn't appear bad other than some slight bead damage, so not as bad as I figured. The valve stems on the front wheels are cheap rubber valves looks like from a Huffy pre-assembled bike at Walmart. Going to upgrade that.

Also looking at dumping some Slime in the tire prior to strapping it and airing it up to hopefully take care of any leaks. I did notice a slice in one of the tread blocks, but it didn't appear to go through. Guess I'll find out.

Any thoughts on doing the Slime, or not?