Use ratchet strap to help seal a mower tire to the rim. Riding mowers are a matter of convenience for some homeowners and a necessity for others when cutting large areas of grass. The tires on a riding mower are designed to be durable, but due to normal use, there may be times when a tire loses air pressure. When this happens, the tire may separate from the rim. Sealing a mower tire to the rim requires a few basic steps and can be accomplished at home. Park the riding mower on a flat and level area, leave the transmission in gear and set the parking brake. Put on gloves to protect your hands while working. Pull the plastic cap off the axle with the flat tire. Remove the snap ring with snap ring pliers, and then pull the ring and washer off the axle. Place a tire jack under the front of the mower. Raise the mower so the flat tire is off the ground and pull the wheel and tire off the axle. Inspect the tire for damage such as a slit or puncture that could prevent proper inflation. Remove a damaged tire from the rim by prying the tire over the rim with blade screwdrivers.
Obtain a suitable replacement tire if necessary from a mower repair shop or hardware store. Install the replacement tire onto the wheel by working the tire over the rim with the blade screwdrivers. Apply tire seal along the edge of the rim where the tire will seat. Place a ratchet strap around the tire and pull down until snug. Apply enough pressure to the tire with the strap to force the sides of the tire down firmly against the wheel. Use a tire pump to inflate the tire partially and force the sides of the tire to seat against the rim. Loosen the ratchet strap a little and add more air. Continue to loosen the strap and add air until you are sure the tire is securely seated on the wheel. Remove the strap, and then fill the tire completely with air. Use a tire pressure gauge to check the pressure. Refer to the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure; it is usually listed on the side of the tire. Place the wheel and tire assembly back on the mower axle. Install the washer and snap ring, and then replace the plastic cap on the axle.
Lower the mower with the jack to use the mower. : How to Seal a Tire on a Rim Photo Credits Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionI grew tired of having to air up the tires on my riding mower each time I used it. I tried “Slime” tire sealant, but with all the holes they had in them, the tires still went flat.Then I had a hairbrained idea: inject all four lawn mower tires with foam. Here’s how to do it: Purchase at least two cans of minimal expanding rigid foam. Jack up the mower. Drill a hole just large enough for the canned foam’s spray tube. I turned the tire/wheel assembly so the valve stem was at the top, and then drilled the hole in the center tread of the tire itself. I removed the valve stem insert as well. Insert the tube into the tire and spray the foam into the tire. Watch for foam to start exiting the valve stem area; the foam will just have about filled the tire by that time. This also allows any air in the tire to exit. Replace the valve stem insert and cap to keep the foam from exiting.
Keep filling the tire. Do this until the foam starts to exit the hole you drilled. Allow the foam-filled tire to remain jacked up for a few days to make sure the foam has cured. After a couple of uses, the tire softened up some and started to get a flat spot when it sat for a few days. To remedy that, I added more foam.Even if I have to do this a few times, eventually I think the foam will be compressed to a certain point where it will not compress anymore.If you don’t want to do all this, there are tire shops that will fill tires for you. Here’s more information regarding foam-filled tires from Ken Burner’s Small Tractor FAQ website. — MOTHER EARTH NEWSUrethane foam can be substituted for air in a tractor tire. Foam is available in several densities which approximate different inflation pressures. This is popular with construction equipment, but useful for small tractors as well. It is expensive: $40 or more for a small tire. Foam-filled tires are several times heavier than air-filled tires.
Foam-filled tires are harder on a tractor’s steering mechanism than air-filled tires, since there is less “give” to the foam. Finally, foam filling does not make a thin tire stronger; in fact, it may put more stress on a tire than it was designed to withstand — resulting in a shredded tire with nothing to support the foam. So, this process is recommended only for heavy-duty tires. Most industrial tire dealers provide this service.”Step 38: How to Inflate a Tire That Won't Grip the RimShow All Items Let's say you just got a great deal on a vehicle because it's got flat tires.You could have gotten an even better deal on a car with no wheels at all, chickens living in it, and a tree growing through the roof, but that's for later.If at all possible inflate the tires before attempting to drag the car anywhere.You don't want to dislodge the tire from the rim. Little cigarette-lighter-plug powered compressors work pretty well for this, or this homemade compressed air can'If you already dragged the tire off the rim, or the tires were already that way, you won't be able to inflate them.
Here's how to get the tire seated back onto the rim.First jack up the car so there's no force on the tire.Then wrap a rope around the tire as shown, put a stick through the rope, and twist the stick until the tread of the tire is squished down all around the tire. That will force the edges of the tire outward onto the rim. If the tire still is too loose for the regular air chuck to fill it, you can use an airgun to blow air under the bead of the tire as shown here. This tire is now inflated.At my tire shop they use a ratcheting cargo strap around the tire for this, and in tough cases they use really large quantities of goopy greaselike soap around the rim. If you ask for a handful of that stuff they'll be really happy to give it to you.« PreviousNext »View All Steps Download New (9) from $21.79 & FREE Shipping on orders over $35. See more product details Slime 30013 Smart Tube Lawn Tractor Tube, 20" FREE Shipping on orders over . DetailsSlime 30014 Smart Tube Lawn Tractor Tube, 15" FREE Shipping on orders over .
DetailsMotion Pro 08-005 11" Tire Iron - Pair FREE Shipping on orders over . 15.1 x 14.7 x 9 inches 4.5 out of 5 stars #93,378 in Automotive (See top 100) #364 in Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Cycling > Tires & Tubes > Tubes 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Item can be shipped within U.S. This item can be shipped to select countries outside of the U.S. Learn More Manufacturer’s warranty can be requested from customer service. Click here to make a request to customer service. If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support? Would you like to tell us about a lower price? Slime Smart Tubes come preinstalled with Slime Tube Sealant to instantly and repeatedly seal tread-area punctures. Installs like a regular tube and works for up to two years. Fits: 20x8.0-8, 20x10.0-8, 21x12.0-8, 22x11.0-8, 22x12.0-8. See questions and answers 5 star71%4 star24%1 star5%See all verified purchase reviewsTop Customer ReviewsThese are great.