Fixing a tractor tire

pigman · September 04, 2005, 07:30:08 PM

My advice to DanG would be to go to a tractor dealer and buy four new tires already mounted on a new tractor. 8) I give free advice, no payment expected. ;) ;D

wiam · September 04, 2005, 09:05:51 PM

Dang If I was you I would listen to Bob the tractor salesman. But I am not you. :D :D :D

Will

DanG · September 04, 2005, 11:00:55 PM

Oh, I'm listening to Bob the Tractor Salesman alright. I'm just waiting for Bob the Finance Man to chime in. :

:D :D

Faron · September 04, 2005, 11:21:22 PM

My ole buddy Pete always tells of a fellow who set down on a tractor tire as it was being aired up. Bead snapped up real quick. The mechanics had to use pry bars to get his butt our of the tire.

leweee · September 05, 2005, 12:30:17 AM

Ouch!!! that's goen to leave a mark

;D :D :D :D

Furby · September 05, 2005, 12:43:40 AM

Uuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhh..............
Yeah, I bet it would!

Cedarman · September 05, 2005, 08:02:57 AM

I'll never be able to set on a tire again and not think of that.

Quartlow · September 05, 2005, 09:31:13 PM

I know the easiest way to break a tire down, hands down you won't find an easier way any where, ya won't even break a sweat!!!

Call the tire shop :D :D :D :D :D

Corley5 · September 05, 2005, 10:07:22 PM

Quote from: Quartlow on September 05, 2005, 09:31:13 PM
I know the easiest way to break a tire down, hands down you won't find an easier way any where, ya won't even break a sweat!!!

Call the tire shop :D :D :D :D :D

You're darn right about that ;D 8) Grandpa was ALWAYS fixing some old tire usually on a hay wagon but tractor tires too. One year I'd taken a couple of ours to town and it cost me five bucks and the cost of a new tube and we were back hauling hay. A couple days later Grandpa had a couple tires off and ready for me to help him break down and patch the tubes. I told him it wasn't worth my time when I could pay someone to do it for me and put in new tube instead of patching patches on an old one. He was a bit offended by it but I took the tires and had them fixed anyway. I don't think he ever fixed one himself after that either ;) ;D

wiam · September 05, 2005, 10:39:47 PM

That is the best answer Dang. Go to a tire store and get it fixed for 5 bucks. :D :D :D

Will

pigman · September 05, 2005, 10:50:23 PM

The last rear tractor tire with fluid cost me $80 to fix and and I think I got the best of the deal. 8) Big tractor with big tires. ;)
DanG, I am still working on the financing on that new tractor for you. :-[

Weekend_Sawyer · September 06, 2005, 09:06:38 AM

Dan,

I have changed alot of tires and a fair number of tractor tires.

I leave it on the tractor and try and break the bead. It's easy now because we have a backhoe. I just use the bucket and pop goes the bead.
I use a set of 30" tire irons to remove the tire. Got them from Gemplers
Jack the tractor up.
Make sure that while you are trying to get the first spoon in to pull it over the rim that the oppisite (bottom) bead is kicked tward the center. If it is on the lip it will be the devil to get off.
once it is started you can use the 2nd spoon to pull another bite over the rim and so on.

When the first bead is pulled over the rim pull out the old tube. I usually thorw it away and put in a new one.
Put your spoon in from the inboard side of the rim all the way through so the tip is just over the outsid lip of the rim. Making sure again that the bottom of the bead is in the center of the rim. PULL your guts out and flip that bead to the outside of the rim. Now take your 4lb hammer and while holding down on that spoon beat the tire bead left and right of the spoon woking the tire off the rim. It will get to the point where you can just pull it off.

Well now you need a beer and a breather and I have to build a cable assembly. I'll post more later on this subject! Stay tuned.

Jon

Dan_Shade · September 06, 2005, 10:28:27 AM

you forgot to mention the soapy water, jon

Weekend_Sawyer · September 06, 2005, 12:33:10 PM

That's right Dan, soapy water definatley helps.

If the tire was filled with calcium chloride (super salty solution) you need to wash EVERYTHING it got on real good. Especially the rim. If the rim is rusty I take some time and use a wire wheel on my angle grinder and clean it up real good and paint it.

Ok so the rim is in good shape, still on the tractor, and of course jacked up.
BUT if the valve stem hole is NOT twards the outside you need to take the rim off and turn it around or do the following with the rim on the ground stem hole facing up.

Make sure you have your tire rotation is going the correct way. Now the soapy water is really handy. Run it all around the tire bead. Lean it against the rim and starting from the top, kinda push it to the left and right, it should start walking onto the rim. I use a rubber hammer and start whacking the bead right where it is going on the rim. Work the left fro a while then the right working your way down. Once you get past the half way point you need to make sure the bead that is already on is pushed twards the center of the rim. If not it wil make it REAL hard to get on. If the rim is on the ground It shoud be on concrete or a pice of plywood. The last few inches usually go on pretty easy.

With the first bead on the rim take that new tube and put it up inside the tire, put the valve stem through the hole and screw it down. It should be threaded. Work it over the rim. once again if the rim is off the tractor it is a little harder you have to put 3 or 4 wood blocks under the tire to hold it up off the rim so you can stuff in the tube.

Might be time for another beer. The smell of rubber is probably maknig you a little nausiated but hang in there, we are getting it done.

Allright slop up the tire bead with more soapy water, take a tire iron and put it through the bead and just over the rim, push up and over so that the bead is inside the rim BUT NOT PINCHING THE TUBE!!! man have I done that before! Ok same process take that rubber mallet and start tapping that bad boy on. You have to hold the iron inplace for a while and then work left and right going down the rim. Again right about half way through make sure the bead that is allready on is pushed twards the center of the rim. and Pop, you got it on. If it is on the ground this part is much harder, I have to get it started with an iron, then stand with my feet right where it is going onto the rim while leaning down and whacking it on with the hammer. Every now and then, WHACK, I hit myself in the ankel, jump off, hop around on one foot string together some PROFANE language and then climb back on and get it going again.

So your tire is on the rim, tube is in place and it is time to air it up.
FIRST look all around the rim on both sides and make sure the tube isn't pinched between tire and rim. Then run your soapy water around the bead and around the rim where it has to walk up on to seat the bead.

Start puttin the air to it and it should walk right up onto the bead with no problems, someitmes it pops onto the bead quite suddenly, keap you little fingies out of the way!

If it doesn't seat fully don't drive off thinking it will seat its self, it wolnt. you need to let the air out and add more soapy water where it doesn't want to go on.

That's about it, get your self another beer, you earned it.

Jon

Tom · September 06, 2005, 03:28:51 PM

Wow!

DanG, You should be able to change that tire now. :D

Those are some pretty good instructions. Maybe they need to be on the knowledge base. ;D

Dan_Shade · September 06, 2005, 03:32:48 PM

also, make sure you have the tube in the right way, nothing like having the tube in with the stem pointing the wrong way, then having to take it all back apart to flip it, and then pinching the tire with your spoons... ask me how I know....

Gilman · September 06, 2005, 03:43:03 PM

Hm Jon,
All that reading got me thirsty, I think I'm craving a beer now.

woodbowl · September 06, 2005, 03:47:08 PM

I've got a sneeky feeling that DanG's trying to back out of fixin' that tractor tire! :

DanG · September 06, 2005, 03:54:13 PM

Noop. Not backing out. Got a case of round tuits on back-order. While I wait for'em to get here, I'll proceed with the beer drinking portion of the procedure. Never been one to wait around when there's something to be done. ;D

Jon's method sounds real entertainin', but Quartlow's seems more realistic.

woodbowl · September 06, 2005, 04:02:33 PM

DanG,
All we trin' to do is save you a $200 dollar bill, pull together as a team to further the educational benifit for all, establish some experience in the work place and have some fun off ya' whiles we got the chance. ;D ;D

Bro. Noble · September 06, 2005, 04:30:49 PM

Corley,

Your grandad sounds just like my dad. He still changes his own tires sometimes (I pretty much use slime :D :D). I remember having to help him get the bead started when they first came out with tubeless tires------ever try doing that with a hand pump? >:(

Well it cost a dollar at the filling station back in the 50's-----course we had 18.9 cent gas during the 'gas wars' :D :D

Tom · September 06, 2005, 04:48:37 PM

Gas Wars!! There is an obsolete, extinct and soon to be forgotten term. :D :D

Weekend_Sawyer · September 07, 2005, 07:54:12 AM

Tom, I hate to dispute but me an my brothers used to have gas wars all the time!

Tom · September 07, 2005, 02:17:48 PM

In a closed automobile?

DanG · September 07, 2005, 09:37:09 PM

Just to get this thread back on track, I hereby announce that the tire is repaired. I followed the sage advice of Mr. Quartlow, and hollered for help. ;D The tire company charged me fifty bucks to send a guy out here to do all the work. He popped that sucker off of the rim, put a double boot and a new tube in, added the water back in, and was gone in less than an hour. The only perspiration I shed was when I told Linda about the $ 180 it cost us. It woulda been $130 if I had taken it off and hauled it to the store.