Leaky tire on BX

[fransser]

Hi, the front left tire is leaking on my kubota bx2380. The tire (R4) is a replacement for a turf tire that was on the rim before. The previous owner indicated that the turf tire wouldn’t hold air and he wasn’t sure why. Anyhow, knowing the history I’m thinking the problem is probably with the rim and not the tire. So my question: is there a “cheap” way to fix the leaking tire (tube, foam fill, tire sealant) and why would one approach be better/worse than the other?

I’d like to fix the leak but I don’t want to spend an arm and leg to get there. Right now, I'm just filling it up occassionally. Thanks for your recommendations.

 

[ve9aa]

First thing I'd do is get a spare spray bottle and fill it with water and a few drops of dish soap, shake it up and spray it all over your tire and INTO your valve stem(take cap off obviously). You should know right away where the leak is once/if you see bubbles. Might just be a loose valve stem, which is fixed in 5 seconds flat with a $2.00 tool. If the valve stem is NOT the problem, and you live in a cold climate use a little compressed air to get the water out of there after your test (ie: ice, later)

If it's a bent rim (for example), or giant hole, well, you'd have to refer to the experts on that.

(They are tubeless tires, I believe)

 

[JeremyBX2200]

There is the option to use Tire Slime in them. I have done that with good luck.

I have read that there can be an issue with slime and it reacting with the rims.

 

[fried1765]

There is the option to use Tire Slime in them. I have done that with good luck.

I have read that there can be an issue with slime and it reacting with the rims.

I suggest that you avoid Slime if at all possible!
It is a nasty gooey mess if you must later dismount the tire.

 

[MOOTS]

Like @ve9aa said, fill with air and spray with soapy water. Find where it is leaking. If in tire, plug repair kit is cheap and good to have around. If rim has a bend in the bead, hammer is your friend. If it’s leaking at bead, but no bend, see if there is some trash in between bead and tire, not sealing.

 

[85Hokie]

ALl BX's are famous for the leaky front ends .......

Those OEM tires for some wild reason will not hold air - not sure if the tire or the rim is to blame!!!

I had a locust tree get both of my OEM tires ... tubed them and then they went flat again!!!

Bought new tires from Summit Racing and have not had a problem with them since.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

love/hate tubeless tires.....
love, can't puncture a tube during install...
hate, cause you MUST be 100% about rim and tire being clean...
also, use a 'bead sealant' or cheap me...'spray belt dressing'( stuffs 4 decades old...)
Have NEVER had a bead failure since using that stuff....

also blow tire up to 30 PSI,then soap test...no bubbles-no troubles, reduce down to 22,or whatever is on the tire sidewall. Max if loader.

 

[Henro]

Front tires are pretty small and not THAT expensive to get foam filled.

I got my front tires on both tractors foam filled nearly 20 years ago, and never looked back or regretted it. Both after punctures.

Foam and forget the fronts...almost became a motto for me...

 

[85Hokie]

Front tires are pretty small and not THAT expensive to get foam filled.

I got my front tires on both tractors foam filled nearly 20 years ago, and never looked back or regretted it. Both after punctures.

Foam and forget the fronts...almost became a motto for me...

Question for ya ----- do you remember any "differences" in bumps? Not that the OEM tires provides a lot of shock value - but with them filled with foam, is the ride a harder ride??? OR is the difference so small that it is almost unnoticeable ?

 

[PaulR]

I've had multiple great successes on a variety of small leaks in small tires with the Green Sime.
ATV's, wheelbarrows, zero turn, and now my new Kubota.
Pro-Tip: Buy a gallon pump jug and follow the recommendations on the jug for # of squirts.
My zero turn went flat recently, put in slime, didn't hold, gave it a few more pumps, still solid months later.
Also what I've noticed: if you can see it or hear it hissing, its probably too large a leak for slime, but if it goes flat over time, slime will do the trick.

 

[JeremyBX2200]

I've had multiple great successes on a variety of small leaks in small tires with the Green Sime.
ATV's, wheelbarrows, zero turn, and now my new Kubota.
Pro-Tip: Buy a gallon pump jug and follow the recommendations on the jug for # of squirts.
My zero turn went flat recently, put in slime, didn't hold, gave it a few more pumps, still solid months later.
Also what I've noticed: if you can see it or hear it hissing, its probably too large a leak for slime, but if it goes flat over time, slime will do the trick.

I had similar experiences with my Kubota. I bought it used and it came with a set of AG tires and a set of turf tires. With the work I was doing I kept picking up small leaks/punctures. I went ahead and slimed them and have not had an issue since.

If/when I get new tires I will probably look into other options.

I was wanting to fill the tires with ballast, but was worried about it all leaking out.

 

[Blue280z]

I tubed my troublesome bx tire and all is good.

 

[Henro]

Question for ya ----- do you remember any "differences" in bumps? Not that the OEM tires provides a lot of shock value - but with them filled with foam, is the ride a harder ride??? OR is the difference so small that it is almost unnoticeable ?

It has been so long I do not know really. The foam filled tires do have some spring to them if I push on them with my foot, but I would guess an air filled tire that was not filled to max rated tire pressure would be softer.

My bet would be that the foam filled tires make the ride rougher than air filled tires. This has never been an issue for me. BUT several years ago an orthopedic doctor told me I must have good bone structure, after falling 11 feet onto a rock hard driveway and only fracturing my left heal... (I did learn the meaning of the word splat during that event)

 

[leveraddict]

Kubota branded tire sealant and its water soluble!

 

[mcmxi]

I had both of the front tires on the BX25D go flat shortly after I bought it in the summer of 2016. The local dealer had tubes installed in both tires and I never had another issue for the next five years. I sold the BX this past spring and the tires were fine, even had some cracking on the sides of all four R4 tires.

 

[jyoutz]

Hi, the front left tire is leaking on my kubota bx2380. The tire (R4) is a replacement for a turf tire that was on the rim before. The previous owner indicated that the turf tire wouldn’t hold air and he wasn’t sure why. Anyhow, knowing the history I’m thinking the problem is probably with the rim and not the tire. So my question: is there a “cheap” way to fix the leaking tire (tube, foam fill, tire sealant) and why would one approach be better/worse than the other?

I’d like to fix the leak but I don’t want to spend an arm and leg to get there. Right now, I'm just filling it up occassionally. Thanks for your recommendations.

Install a tube and move on. Have them check the inside of the tire for stickers before attaching the tube.

 

[MuttCat]

The front left on my BX goes flat too. Turf type tire. Just my observation, but I believe the sidewall is so squishy...tech term...that tight turning allows air to escape. Seems to happen more on wet grass. I just air it up, no big deal.

 

[DustyRusty]

The problem is the powder coating that Kubota uses. If you break the bead and rough up the powder coating, the bead will stick again. Same problem with the rear tires. I have actually seen the rim spinning and the tire not moving as a result. Laid the tire down, and replaced the rubber valve stem with a metal one, and also sanded the inside of the bead edge. Problem solved.

 

[SRRGC1]

Tube it, should solve your leaking issues, unless of course you run over nails.

 

[shelkol]

I tubed mine. Usually get a flat every other year, take the tube out patch it and put it back in.