New to tractor tires...need help with replacement/repair of 12.4-24 tubed/filled tire

[Swamp_Yankee]

I recently bought a well used 1979 Kubota L295DT. The rear tires (12.4-24 ag tread) are pretty rough (cracked sidewalls, chunks missing, etc...) and have tubes that are filled with brine according to the previous owner. The left rear has not only developed a leak, but the valve stem got pulled into the tire as I guess the tube and/or the tire itself shifted. What are my options for repair or replacement here? I know that I can't just pull them off myself since the tire weighs hundreds of pounds filled with brine. I'd hate to see what a mobile repair guy with a crane charges In any event, once I get them off should I just re-tube them and leave the old tires be? Should I replace them with tubeless tires, etc...? If I do replace them with tubeless tires that might a challenge as the hole for the valve stem looks kind of hogged out either due to corrosion or because it was deliberately done. I'm not sure that a new valve stem could be put in and sealed properly?

 

[DustyRusty]

If the rims are in good enough condition, you can have the original valve stem hole welded shut, and a new hole drilled into the rim. I don't see any good way to save the liquid weight inside of the tire. I suggest that you collect a sample, and try to determine what it is. Possibly a local tire shop or tractor dealer can help you with this. If it turns out that it isn't hazardous to the environment, then it is as easy as drilling a hole in the tire to let it out. If it is a hazardous liquid, then all you can do it to contact your local hazardous waste site and ask for advice.
I would purchase new tires and have them mounted, loaded, and installed where you bought the tires. It will mean that you will need to bring the tractor to the dealer (tire or tractor) for mounting to your tractor. Some tire dealers also have a mobile service that is reasonably priced.

 

[Swamp_Yankee]

If the rims are in good enough condition, you can have the original valve stem hole welded shut, and a new hole drilled into the rim. I don't see any good way to save the liquid weight inside of the tire. I suggest that you collect a sample, and try to determine what it is. Possibly a local tire shop or tractor dealer can help you with this. If it turns out that it isn't hazardous to the environment, then it is as easy as drilling a hole in the tire to let it out. If it is a hazardous liquid, then all you can do it to contact your local hazardous waste site and ask for advice.
I would purchase new tires and have them mounted, loaded, and installed where you bought the tires. It will mean that you will need to bring the tractor to the dealer (tire or tractor) for mounting to your tractor. Some tire dealers also have a mobile service that is reasonably priced.

Thanks for the input. Would you recommend going tubeless if I can? Miller Tire sells tube tires in this size that are pretty similar to what is on there but two tires, two tubes, and shipping is about $1000.

 

[DustyRusty]

Check locally to see what it will cost to have "your" tires mounted, versus buying the tires from a local dealer and having them mounted. I know that tires purchased elsewhere, cost a lot more to get mounted than tires bought from a tire dealer. In the end, the savings of buying and shipping, and having it locally mounted aren't worth the cost difference. If you have a problem with the tires in the future, the dealer is more inclined to help you if you bought the tires from him. It is like you bringing your own eggs to the diner to have them cook and serve them to you.
The tire dealer is in a better place to determine if you should go tubeless or tubed. If you go tubeless, then have metal valve stems installed. If your tires don't have a guard around the valve stem, then have the guard welded on before you buy tires. It will protect the valve stem from damage. The guard is nothing more than a short piece of pipe that is welded onto the rim. The tire dealer will show you what it is. Also check with your local tractor dealer for assistance. Buying local is usually better unless you can do the work yourself.

 

[Henro]

I recently bought a well used 1979 Kubota L295DT. The rear tires (12.4-24 ag tread) are pretty rough (cracked sidewalls, chunks missing, etc...) and have tubes that are filled with brine according to the previous owner. The left rear has not only developed a leak, but the valve stem got pulled into the tire as I guess the tube and/or the tire itself shifted. What are my options for repair or replacement here? I know that I can't just pull them off myself since the tire weighs hundreds of pounds filled with brine. I'd hate to see what a mobile repair guy with a crane charges In any event, once I get them off should I just re-tube them and leave the old tires be? Should I replace them with tubeless tires, etc...? If I do replace them with tubeless tires that might a challenge as the hole for the valve stem looks kind of hogged out either due to corrosion or because it was deliberately done. I'm not sure that a new valve stem could be put in and sealed properly?

Is this a 4wd tractor or 2wd? If 2wd whatever you put on the back will not matter much. If 4wd, you need to match the front/rear tire sizes acording to the original ratios.

 

[Tioga Tim]

I recently bought a well used 1979 Kubota L295DT. The rear tires (12.4-24 ag tread) are pretty rough (cracked sidewalls, chunks missing, etc...) and have tubes that are filled with brine according to the previous owner. The left rear has not only developed a leak, but the valve stem got pulled into the tire as I guess the tube and/or the tire itself shifted. What are my options for repair or replacement here? I know that I can't just pull them off myself since the tire weighs hundreds of pounds filled with brine. I'd hate to see what a mobile repair guy with a crane charges In any event, once I get them off should I just re-tube them and leave the old tires be? Should I replace them with tubeless tires, etc...? If I do replace them with tubeless tires that might a challenge as the hole for the valve stem looks kind of hogged out either due to corrosion or because it was deliberately done. I'm not sure that a new valve stem could be put in and sealed properly?

Do you have a farm tire service in your area? I have a good one that will come and do everything at the house, reload the tires, etc. Not sure how they would handle the bad rim - they might want to replace it. But its well worth the cost to have the pro's do it correctly. I would replace the tires and tubes all together - you would be good for life assuming you deal with the rim. Anymore, the purchase price of a used tractor has to be significantly driven by the condition of the tires.
Tim

 

[GreensvilleJay]

You CAN do all the work yourself, ask any 'oldtimer ' farmer, they HAD to do it !
The 'brine' is a great weedkiller.It's saltwater, so you can just drain onto your gravel driveway or you can pump it out, save into plastic 45g barrels.
You can either remove tire off rim while still on tractor, or off on ground. 'Spoons' are used. Once removed, dispose of tube and then clean the rim,again and again. Repair the valvestem hole, then clean again and again. Do the lick test several times...ANY taste of salt, clean again THEN paint with an epoxy paint, let it cure. NOW you can mount your new tire ( and tube). Which you choose(tubeless,tubed, radial,bias), depends on your wallet, stock and use. Whatever you buy should last 2-3 decades, depending on use.
BTW. Most tireshops will want the brine OUT before you deliver the tires to them...so call and ask !

 

[Swamp_Yankee]

Do you have a farm tire service in your area? I have a good one that will come and do everything at the house, reload the tires, etc. Not sure how they would handle the bad rim - they might want to replace it. But its well worth the cost to have the pro's do it correctly. I would replace the tires and tubes all together - you would be good for life assuming you deal with the rim. Anymore, the purchase price of a used tractor has to be significantly driven by the condition of the tires.
Tim

So I just ended up taking it to a local shop. They do offer road service but since I was just able to borrow a suitable trailer from my neighbor it made no sense to pay for all of the extra hours of labor of a road call. That also ended up being a good bet because the wheels are definitely usable, but they do need to be cleaned up and painted before new tires are mounted. If that was discovered on a road call I would have ended up paying twice for the labor essentially because they would have had to come back. I will clean the wheels up this weekend, give the insides a heavy coat of rust converter paint and bring them back to the shop on Monday. They are charging me a little over $1500 for two new rear tires, tubes and 30 gallons of Rimguard per tire. I paid $2500 for the tractor itself and everything else is fairly solid so I'm just happy that I'll be going into snow season with a good set of tires that will likely last me the life of the tractor itself given the amount that I use it, maybe 30-40 hours a year. I'll be interested to see if the extra 180lbs (11lbs per gallon for Rimguard vs. 8lbs per gallon for brine) makes any noticeable difference with a heavy bucket load, etc... Now that this is done my next project is a 3pt weight box.

 

[jyoutz]

You CAN do all the work yourself, ask any 'oldtimer ' farmer, they HAD to do it !
The 'brine' is a great weedkiller.It's saltwater, so you can just drain onto your gravel driveway or you can pump it out, save into plastic 45g barrels.
You can either remove tire off rim while still on tractor, or off on ground. 'Spoons' are used. Once removed, dispose of tube and then clean the rim,again and again. Repair the valvestem hole, then clean again and again. Do the lick test several times...ANY taste of salt, clean again THEN paint with an epoxy paint, let it cure. NOW you can mount your new tire ( and tube). Which you choose(tubeless,tubed, radial,bias), depends on your wallet, stock and use. Whatever you buy should last 2-3 decades, depending on use.
BTW. Most tireshops will want the brine OUT before you deliver the tires to them...so call and ask !

I suspect that the “brine” is calcium; therefore the rusted wheels.

 

[Swamp_Yankee]

I suspect that the “brine” is calcium; therefore the rusted wheels.

It was definitely calcium...calcium chloride is a salt (just not table salt, or sodium chloride) so calling it "brine" is accurate. Around here the calcium chloride-water mix applied to roads prior to a snow or ice storm is always referred to as brine.

 

[DustyRusty]

If you don't need the ag tires, see if you can get turf tires installed. They are a lot better for snow plowing/snow blowing. I know where you live, you do get a lot of snow. If you should need more traction than the turf tires give, then you can put a simple ladder chain onto the turf tires. Putting chains on ag tires requires a special type of chain, and they are a lot more money. DustyRusty, formerly from NJ.

 

[jyoutz]

It was definitely calcium...calcium chloride is a salt (just not table salt, or sodium chloride) so calling it "brine" is accurate. Around here the calcium chloride-water mix applied to roads prior to a snow or ice storm is always referred to as brine.

I agree that it’s a salt. I was merely stating that’s why the wheels were rusting.