New Tractor -rear tire bead leak

[dbertheau]

I picked up our new LX3310HSDC on Thursday...3.5 hours one way to dealer. Really excited. Tractor is excellent for our needs.

One newbie question...I had the rears loaded with water and antifreeze. The right side rear tire leaks a little fluid. Maybe a drop here or there...see photos.

Would you be concerned or ignore? Small R14 tires...might seal itself???

Tire pressure was not registering...maybe less than 10 psi.. Manual said 30 psi. I put 25 psi and seemed to slow leak a bit.

 

[PaulL]

I think with fluid filled tires you need lower air pressure - because the water won't compress, so the small air pocket remaining has to do all the work of giving you ride compliance. It's possible they were filled correctly.

 

[GrizBota]

Congratulations on the new tractor.

Increasing the tire pressure to spec is a good call to help reduce the leak. My Kubota manuals show filling the tire so the fluid to the top of the rim. No reduction in air pressure is mentioned. There really should be no leak at all. With the 3.5hr oneway trip, having the dealer fix it probably isn’t convenient or cost effective. I suspect there’s something in the bead causing the leak, which I’m thinking isn’t an easy fix on a fluid filled tire. Maybe your selling dealer can arrange to have a local mobile tire filling service to come to your place to take care of it?

Let us know how you get it sorted out. Good luck with it.

 

[Trustable]

Congrats! Hope you can get it sorted and enjoy the new machine!

 

[dbertheau]

I think the bead is the problem...I may need to remove wheel and take to local dealer. Hopefully the two dealers will agree on solution...

 

[NCL4701]

1) Yes you need to get that fixed. That might be simple but most likely will be pump out fluid, break bead on tire, clean bead on tire, clean bead on rim, reset bead, refill tire. Don’t know how hard or easy that may be for you to do yourself. Maybe easier than a 7 hour round trip.

2) If you run tire pressure at 25 to 30 psi it will ride hard and decrease traction. Running it in the 12 to 15 psi range will get you much better ride and traction. YMMV…

3) Since you said the pressure didn’t register at all, and I really intend no offense with this one, I’m assuming you did have the valve stem at top dead center and gave the valve stem core a quick poke to blow out any residual liquid before putting a gauge on it.

4) A good dealer would work with you to get it fixed. Hope they get it resolved with minimal disruption.

Just an opinion.

 

[mikester]

Welcome to loaded tires. You will enjoy many years of rusty leaky rims.

 

[dbertheau]

3) Since you said the pressure didn’t register at all, and I really intend no offense with this one, I’m assuming you did have the valve stem at top dead center and gave the valve stem core a quick poke to blow out any residual liquid before putting a gauge on it.

Yep, valve at the top and cleared fluid. Used a Milton air/water gauge...

Thanks for your thoughts. I'll remove wheel and bring to local dealer to get it fixed.

 

[GeoHorn]

Yep, valve at the top and cleared fluid. Used a Milton air/water gauge...

Thanks for your thoughts. I'll remove wheel and bring to local dealer to get it fixed.

CAREFULL!!! Loaded tires are HEAVY AND DANGEROUS! When you unbolt that wheel…it can FALL ON YOU and seriously injure or kill you. I suggest you call your dealer and have them take care of it…it’s THEIR PROBLEM under warranty.

 

[jyoutz]

Welcome to loaded tires. You will enjoy many years of rusty leaky rims.

Not rusty unless it’s filled with calcium.

 

[jyoutz]

1) Yes you need to get that fixed. That might be simple but most likely will be pump out fluid, break bead on tire, clean bead on tire, clean bead on rim, reset bead, refill tire. Don’t know how hard or easy that may be for you to do yourself. Maybe easier than a 7 hour round trip.

2) If you run tire pressure at 25 to 30 psi it will ride hard and decrease traction. Running it in the 12 to 15 psi range will get you much better ride and traction. YMMV…

3) Since you said the pressure didn’t register at all, and I really intend no offense with this one, I’m assuming you did have the valve stem at top dead center and gave the valve stem core a quick poke to blow out any residual liquid before putting a gauge on it.

4) A good dealer would work with you to get it fixed. Hope they get it resolved with minimal disruption.

Just an opinion.

I agree that the dealer should fix it under warranty if they filled the tires, but if the trip is too far, most local truck and heavy equipment tire dealers can also handle and fix filled tires.

 

[lynnmor]

I always over inflate the tires to better seat the beads, then drop them down to the desired level.

 

[dbertheau]

I always over inflate the tires to better seat the beads, then drop them down to the desired level.

Is it possible that the beads can be seated now by over inflating?

 

[jyoutz]

Is it possible that the beads can be seated now by over inflating?

Can’t hurt to try as long as the over inflation isn’t too extreme. Move the tractor so the valve stems are at the top of the tire before bleeding pressure.

 

[dbertheau]

Can’t hurt to try as long as the over inflation isn’t too extreme. Move the tractor so the valve stems are at the top of the tire before bleeding pressure.

The manual indicates rear tires psi of 30. What is a safe over inflation psi to attempt seating the bead? These R14 tires are 6 ply.

Thanks

 

[jyoutz]

The manual indicates rear tires psi of 30. What is a safe over inflation psi to attempt seating the bead? These R14 tires are 6 ply.

Thanks

I would first try inflating to max pressure listed on the tire. If that doesn’t fix the problem, then check with an equipment tire shop to ask that question.

 

[GeoHorn]

Is it possible that the beads can be seated now by over inflating?

If you are insistent that You want to be the one to stop this leak….(instead of requiring the Dealer to correct their Work)…. and if you are confident that after you stop the leak that it will Never Re-appear after the warranty expires….(think defective tire with bad bead you’ll own for the rest of your tractors’ life with you)….. then I would be more inclined to reduce it as far as possible into an Under-inflated condition…then drive the tractor around, forward, backward and in turns…to encourage the tire-bead to Shift position…Then re-inflate to recommended pressure.

 

[lynnmor]

The manual indicates rear tires psi of 30. What is a safe over inflation psi to attempt seating the bead? These R14 tires are 6 ply.

Thanks

Look at the tire sidewall for the pressure rating, then go about 50% more.

 

[mcfarmall]

I had bead leaks on both my front tires when I took delivery of my new tractor. The leak was caused by the rubber tits on the tire pinched in the bead seat. Dealer installed tubes in both fronts at no cost. I like lower pressure on rears, about 10 psi, fronts I run higher due to loader use maybe 20.

 

[GeoHorn]

Look at the tire sidewall for the pressure rating, then go about 50% more.

What data are you relying upon to suggest a 50% over-pressure?

I think that is a very bad idea and quite dangerous, especially in tires as large surface area-wise as a tractor tire. Most professionals will only inflate a new tire within a safety-cage to seat the bead….and THIS tire…already a suspiciously defective… I would NEVER over-inflate.