Tire & Rim - more lessons learned the hard way

[bbxlr8]

I have been doing very well up until this last Sunday evening - I have been putting in some long hours digging & moving soil/rock to level the area next to the house and add to the bank in front (posted some pic in another thread).
Well, my stupidity caught up with me again as a strong line of thunderstorms was approaching. Previously, I had to patch soon after I got the tractor, by running over an old chicken run and put three nails through the new front R14.

This time, I had a full bucket and was pivoting backwards around/through a swail and drainage run that I roughed in ( 8-10" deep by 4 feet wide) and the force pealed the other good front tire off the rim.

Dumb move #1 - While I have been great about frequent greasing and checking the oil, I had not checked the tires since my 50-hour service and am now at 130h

Dumb move #2 - I was at an angled front to back & side to side and at that moment thought " No problem, I'll just pull forward 6 feet to get level". The storm is coming, it looks like good dirt there...
WRONG! I bent up the rim badly in three spots. It was about 3" in on three spots on the outer but the inner ring was still round. DUH Rocks in the ground & weight of full bucket - Oh sh#%!

Dumb move #3 - I grabbed a sledge and worked it back into rough shape by putting dents at 6 o'clock while still mounted on the tractor. I then pulled the rim and got it close with my smaller BFH and body dollies. I then drug out my manual tire changer. At this point, I thought I had a >50% chance of it sealing but did not want to mess with it again. Luckily, I had the tube that I ordered during my previous fiasco when I ended up having a commercial truck place patch it. Get the tube on, inner bead on, and realize this is going to be a fight with the stiffness of the plies and thickness of the tire.
Oh yea, it's directional... So even with the fat raindrops starting to drop, I go out to check the tractor because I do NOT want to do it twice. Look at the one on the tractor and go '"yea - I'm good " and finish up the fight and air it up. Take it over in the pouring rain, and I'm too stupid for my own good! In my rush and I have it on backward - i.e. matching the side I looked at.

Lessons learned:

• Check your tire pressures - especially when doing heavy loader work
• Don't move it on an empty rim - or at least dump the load!
• Take your time to get it right or you will do it again.

I don't know what a front rim costs and KTAC is $250 deductible. The tire is "fine" but I think I kinked the steel in the bead a slight bit. Prob, Not worth it $ or hassle but I DO have the insurance

It looks stupid, was meant to pull the other way, but is functional and doesn't leak.
Options are to:

1. Flip it manually (pain in the tail, but do-able)
2. Pay to pop off and remount (seems likely that a shop would prob pinch the tube and I would find out later).
3. Leave it

Any advice or thoughts from the collective? I know some would say foam it & I might get there down the road but I like the pneumatic OE part for now.

Thanks

 

[GreensvilleJay]

tires tend to be 'directional' when driven ( IE 4WD)..though...
ground driven spreaders are 'backwards'....
. anyone using a 2WD tractor to run a read snowblower 'probably' doesn't swap rears on a seasonal basis...

really not the end of the World.. that'll come 8.4 minutes after the Sun 'winks out'....

 

[Henro]

Do yourself a favor, and get the front tires foam filled. They are not that big and don't cost that much, and you never will have to worry about flats again.

Did that on my B2910 20 years ago. Never looked back...did it on my BX2200 also. And the rear tires as well on the BX. Best thing going in my view as far as flat prevention on front tires goes...

 

[ctfjr]

Do yourself a favor, and get the front tires foam filled. They are not that big and don't cost that much, and you never will have to worry about flats again.

Did that on my B2910 20 years ago. Never looked back...did it on my BX2200 also. And the rear tires as well on the BX. Best thing going in my view as far as flat prevention on front tires goes...

Wish you had posted that 10 years ago for me to see I popped the bead twice on my L3400 front tires. Both times by coming in contact with large rocks in the woods. What a pia taking them off there and bringing to a tire shop for remounting - I tried several methods & never was able to get the bead to seal myself.

 

[woodman55]

A fourth option would be to reverse the other tire. Then tell people you did that on purpose for backing up. I have seem tractors set up that way, and supposedly they ride a bit smoother also.

 

[GeoHorn]

A fourth option would be to reverse the other tire. Then tell people you did that on purpose for backing up. I have seem tractors set up that way, and supposedly they ride a bit smoother also.

OR… you could reverse the other side…and THEN SWAP SIDES…..and no one will realize what idiocy lives around tractors!

 

[Dieseldonato]

Just take it off and flip it around the right way. Lesson learned on all accounts. I've screwed up directional tires a few times and have a procedure for it now. Doesn't matter if I'm changing them by hand or with a machine. Take a sharpie and make an arrow for direction of rotation on the wheel and where it goes. Lf, lr, rf, rr. You'll never mess it up again. Comes off with a bit of brake clean, but I view it like the guys that write the tire pressure on the rim. Doesn't hurt to have a reminder. I'd also suggest some decent tire sealer if your going to stay pneumatic. Can't remember the brand my uncle sells. I'll have to ask. I know his landscaping and Contractor customers love it for a non foamed tire.

 

[GeoHorn]

After years of operating in mesquite-thorn country and being disappointed with “Slime” leaking thru punctures and rusting-out wheel-rims…. and after watching the you tube video from “project farm” on tire sealants…. I ordered a case of “Flat-Out” (formerly known as ”MultiSeal”): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NQCCQLP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Damn! That stuff will seal-up a 3/8” hole from a deer-antler! And it doesn’t rust wheel rims and it can be scooped-out and transferred years later to a replacement tire.

Here’s the video (keep in mind MultiSeal is still made but under a new name of “Flat Out”.)

 

[Dieseldonato]

After years of operating in mesquite-thorn country and being disappointed with “Slime” leaking thru punctures and rusting-out wheel-rims…. and after watching the you tube video from “project farm” on tire sealants…. I ordered a case of “Flat-Out” (formerly known as ”MultiSeal”): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NQCCQLP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Damn! That stuff will seal-up a 3/8” hole from a deer-antler! And it doesn’t rust wheel rims and it can be scooped-out and transferred years later to a replacement tire.

Here’s the video (keep in mind MultiSeal is still made but under a new name of “Flat Out”.)

Yeah, I agree, slime is horrible stuff, much better products out there these days.

 

[TX_Phil]

After years of operating in mesquite-thorn country and being disappointed with “Slime” leaking thru punctures and rusting-out wheel-rims…. and after watching the you tube video from “project farm” on tire sealants…. I ordered a case of “Flat-Out” (formerly known as ”MultiSeal”): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NQCCQLP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Damn! That stuff will seal-up a 3/8” hole from a deer-antler! And it doesn’t rust wheel rims and it can be scooped-out and transferred years later to a replacement tire.

Here’s the video (keep in mind MultiSeal is still made but under a new name of “Flat Out”.)

This is really helpful info.

I am reviving my dads old B8200 which has been fitted with turf tires it's whole life. I was going to try to swap to some R4s for the rear and traditional 3 rib on the front but this is proving to be a lot more frustrating and expensive than expected. I will only be using the tractor for shredder work 2 or 3 times a year, maybe 10 hrs each time. I will be working in South Texas and everything that grows down there has thorns, some pretty big. I found mention of MultiSeal while searching old threads. It's not cheap but much cheaper than new tires and or rims. Glad to hear FlatOut is working well for you.


Phil