Tires Foam for the front tires?

[EdC]

Can anybody offer any advice on the benefits and drawbacks of filling my front tires with foam. Couldn't find anything using the search function. A good percentage of my tractor use is loader work and I do no mowing with this tractor. I am also planning on getting some tire chains so I have better control plowing snow. Thanks in advance.

 

[virgil]

all I am about to say will be based on 10 year old foam...perhaps there is a new and better product out there now.

advantages:
You will NOT have a flat.... If you run over a piece of angle iron and stick it in the tire, you stop, get the torch, cut the iron and go about your way. it is great for severe applicatations.

disavantages;
its heavy, real heavy
when you wear the tire compleatly out, you remove the tire and wheel, and go buy more tires and wheels.
You will break spindles, shake the guages out, and loosen every nut, bolt and screw on the machine, and rattle the teeth out of your head... there is no give to a foam filled tire...

more advantages;
You will NOT have a flat...ever

 

[Barneyhunts]

Where do you get tires filled with foam? Tractor shop? Tire shop? DIY?

 

[EdC]

Virgil

Thanks for the info. You raised some really good points I had not thought about. Definitely need to do more research.

Barney
The local tire store service tractor tires and will install foam. The one closest to me is a Les Swab(Sp) Tire Store. Mainly in the Northwest but I am sure whoever works on tractor tires in your area will install foam as well. After Virgil's points I will really have to see if there ares still the same drawbacks to the foam. If so I'll probably pass.

 

[Barneyhunts]

Thanks!
Barney

 

[LeadPoison]

Just do it.

It also takes the bounce out of the front end from the front end loader.

It's worth every penny, but it's not cheap.

 

[Darren]

I had the dealer get the tires on a Kubota L3710 filled with foam when I bought the tractor. I haven't had any problems in seven years and 500+ hours. I did notice that when maneuvering in close quarters turning the front wheels will move the front end slightly in the opposite direction from which the tires are pointing. It makes loader work a bit more challenging.

Ag tires are obviously rough on grass, with the foam it will be worse plus you'll loose some traction because the tires don't flex. If I had to do it again with what I know now I'd do it again.

 

[adlertom]

I use my tractor for FEL work, and was amazed at the number of sharp things I was "finding" with my front tires. I had two flats within a short time of purchasing my tractor and decided enough was enough.

I had the front tires foam filled and no longer worry about front flats. I think the rear tires are a little more immune to flats because they are thicker, plus are more out of harms way. So, I didn't fill those. Plus, filling rears is really expensive! Filling the fronts on my TC33DA cost me about $200.

Another advantage of the foam filled tires is the extra stability provided by the low center of gravity weight. I have lots a hills, and my bucket and rear implement certainly contribute the most to the stability, but it's nice to know that there's a little extra insurance provided by the heavier tires.

I have not noticed any significant change in the ride comfort.

I also like the fact that my front tires no longer squat when lifting a heavy load with the FEL.

 

[adlertom]

I did notice that when maneuvering in close quarters turning the front wheels will move the front end slightly in the opposite direction from which the tires are pointing. It makes loader work a bit more challenging.

How does foam filling the tires cause that? My tractor does that as well. but it is due to the Supersteer feature. It did it before I filled the tires as well as after.

 

[patrick_g]

There are different densities of foam fill. There is a foam available that is nowhere as near so hard. It is less dense so it is lighter, it does flex a bit, it won't go flat (just like the heavy stuff) and it will last until the tire is just completely worn away.

Check with large professional shops who do foam fill for ag and industrial tires. A professionalism test is whether or not they are aware of the availability of different density foams for tire filling.

Pat

 

[Wesdor]

I have a lot of osage and multi flora rose on the farm. Within the first couple of months I had flats on both front tires. Although it is relatively easy to lift the front of the tractor with the FEL and remove the flat tire, it got to be a real pain and also costly.

After doing some research, I had a local tire shop fill them with foam. It weighs almost 100 pounds per tire and cost me about $1 per pound.

I now have 500 hours on the tractor and have not had a problem with the tires. And for sure no flats.

BTW - if I get a real novice visiting the farm, I give them a tire gauge and ask them to check to be sure I have 35 pounds in the front tires. You might as well have a sense of humor.

 

[patrick_g]

I have a lot of osage and multi flora rose on the farm. Within the first couple of months I had flats on both front tires. Although it is relatively easy to lift the front of the tractor with the FEL and remove the flat tire, it got to be a real pain and also costly.

After doing some research, I had a local tire shop fill them with foam. It weighs almost 100 pounds per tire and cost me about $1 per pound.

I now have 500 hours on the tractor and have not had a problem with the tires. And for sure no flats.

BTW - if I get a real novice visiting the farm, I give them a tire gauge and ask them to check to be sure I have 35 pounds in the front tires. You might as well have a sense of humor.

I too have rosa multiflora and bois d'arc plus some very thorny locust. I had a problem with slow leaks from thorn punctures in the front tires and put slime in the tires. Here we are well over 5 years later, still running over thorns but go for years at a time with out adding air.

I'm not knocking foam fill, it works and will keep you going just fine even if you get some really nasty gouges and holes you can stick your finger in. For thorn punctures, Slime or similar will do as good a job for way less $.

Pat

 

[Barneyhunts]

I'm not knocking foam fill, it works and will keep you going just fine even if you get some really nasty gouges and holes you can stick your finger in. For thorn punctures, Slime or similar will do as good a job for way less $.

Pat

Pat,
Does Slime make a real mess when a tire does have to be changed?
Thanks

 

[patrick_g]

Pat,
Does Slime make a real mess when a tire does have to be changed?
Thanks

I will have to let someone else provide a definitive answer to that question as I have never had that experience.

You aren't "filling" the tires with it, just a few oz. Most of it should be on or in the tire. I suppose when laying the tire horizontal on the "tire machine" some might get on the rim if you really had a lot of it in the tire but it could be just wiped off with a rag.

I have never needed a repair on a tire with Slime in it. When worn out, the tire shop removes and replaces the tires and has never commented or complained about the slime. Some of our local shops put it in on request from their gal jugs with pumps when installing new tires.

We are predominately an agricultural area so shops cater to our needs and slime or similar is not unusual to them.

I run slime in tractor tires (I don't do liquid fill) and in My 4x4 Dakota. In theory, my 4x4 2008 F-250 is the replacement for the Dakota (when I get around to dumping the Dakota) so I suppose I will be putting Slime in those 18 inch tires because I do have thorns aplenty.

Pat

 

[Treemonkey1000]

I had just checked on a couple of front tires for my tractor yesterday. $550 for tubed tires. Those were Goodyear or something like that. Then the guy at Les Schwab said he can get Titans for about $60 less for the pair. I was asking him about Calcium Chloride. That is $2.75 a gallon. Then he mentioned foam. It is $1 a pound. So as someone else mentioned it would be about $200 to fill them. I asked him can you replace those tires off the rim then after they wear out? He said they just re-cap them at about 1/4 of the cost of a new tire. He showed me where one guy had re-capped his tires 4 times. Now these were large tires. So the guy has saved the cost of new tires a few times by having them filled with foam. That seems to be a good cost savings to me. Although those tires were on a commercial piece of equipment where if you have laborers standing around while you fix a flat it cost big $$$$

 

[patrick_g]

I had just checked on a couple of front tires for my tractor yesterday. $550 for tubed tires. Those were Goodyear or something like that. Then the guy at Les Schwab said he can get Titans for about $60 less for the pair. I was asking him about Calcium Chloride. That is $2.75 a gallon. Then he mentioned foam. It is $1 a pound. So as someone else mentioned it would be about $200 to fill them. I asked him can you replace those tires off the rim then after they wear out? He said they just re-cap them at about 1/4 of the cost of a new tire. He showed me where one guy had re-capped his tires 4 times. Now these were large tires. So the guy has saved the cost of new tires a few times by having them filled with foam. That seems to be a good cost savings to me. Although those tires were on a commercial piece of equipment where if you have laborers standing around while you fix a flat it cost big $$$$

There is also an age thing to the carcass. My Michelin 19.5 inch truck tires are regroovable but that is not my plan. By the time I wear the tread off they are getting way too old to consider recap or regroove. In a situatioin where tractor or equipment tires get the tread worn off quickly the carcass is still not so old and recapping, even multiple times is practical. In that situation, foam is a definite bargain.

Some of my tires get old and essentially rot off while they still have good tread. IN a case like that I'm not sure foam is a bargain. Foam is a good thing and is the economical choice in some situations. The equipment mowing the roadsides here is an example of a good foam application. Without foam the broken bottles put you down for tire change too often.

Again, I'm not anti-foam. If it were cheap, I'd have it in my tractor tires front and rear.

Pat

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Good point Patrick. That is why I mentioned it was on a commercial piece of equipment. That outfit is running those tires practically every day. Sun damage which doesn't happen here in Washington to much. Or just plain old wear and tear can make the sidewalls not good candidates. Fixing a flat out in the woods could be a pain in the rear. That is where a lot of my use would be. Someone using their tractor where getting the tire off and repaired easily might have another way of viewing the cost effectiveness.

 

[patrick_g]

Good point Patrick. That is why I mentioned it was on a commercial piece of equipment. That outfit is running those tires practically every day. Sun damage which doesn't happen here in Washington to much. Or just plain old wear and tear can make the sidewalls not good candidates. Fixing a flat out in the woods could be a pain in the rear. That is where a lot of my use would be. Someone using their tractor where getting the tire off and repaired easily might have another way of viewing the cost effectiveness.

I can get one of my front tractor tires repaired (I take in) for less than $10 (typically $5 at a shop less than 2 miles away) but don't have to any more due to Slime. Rear tires (I take in) are $50 to repair a flat. Done this twice. I don't cut brush close now. I cut it 8-12 inches so I can safely drive over it. Some dies and rots some resprouts and gets cut the next year. The dead stuff that rotted some at ground level gets knocked off by the slightest blade contact of brush hog.

If I had not learned to cut the brush so the little stumps (punji sticks) were long enough to bend over when driving on them I would have foamed my rear tires because $50 per flat and the hassle of having to use a winch to pull a wheel up the trailer ramp along with the jacking and everything is a hassle (and walking home to get the truck and trailer.) No more rear tire punctures since I quit making short stiff punji sticks out of brush. It was a self inflicted problem, curable with a simple lift of the 3PH and a slight attitude adjustment and the patience to wait a year to finish the job.

Again, if the circumstances had been different, I was prepared to fill the rear tires with foam.

Pat

 

[EdC]

I had not thought about recapping and at Les Schwab to. There is one just about 12 miles down the road. Certainly puts a new light on the foam idea. Weight for me would also be an advantage. My tractor is not used for finish mowing at all and when blading snow this winter the tractor was sliding around quite a bit. So tire chains and foam, looks like I have to put off the rotary cutter for a year.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Give them a call to see if they can give you a price break down on re-caps and the cost of the foam.. It makes sense to me as I would need the weight to counter the logs I am skidding out. Just the hassle of a flat tire out in the woods would be a big factor for me to get a 150lb tire out to the truck that might be a mile away.
Jim