Tire repairs

[J & B Lawncare]

Hello All

What does everybody do for tire replacements. I have been lucky so far. Recently I blow out an old front tire. Seeing that replacement tires and tubes are all around I went to returbe it. Gotta be easy right. Bent a tire spoon, bent the rim and learned lots of new bad words. Checking the whole replacement market out, I see that they sell a small tire changer that is operated manualy. Does it work? What do you guys do? Send them out or do it yourself?

Thanks

J & B

[lawnspecialties]

I tried changing out a front tire on my Z and just about went crazy! Pry bars and everything. Ended up taking it to dealer. Just don't have the time to fool with that again. But I will plug, slime, and fix-a-flat a tire to death before I have to replace it.

[TURF DOCTOR]

We do the same plug em,sure as i mount a new tire it always goes flat.

[ed2hess]

We began buying all our tires at Discount...they put em on and they repair leaks. Can't beat them on price...if you got store in your area.

[Restrorob]

We have a manual tire changer at work and it is not worth a crap on small caster tires. They normally take four hands a couple good size screw drivers and a lot of foul language. Have you ever watched a dealer change one ? It's worth the price they charge Huh.

[steve45]

I don't know of an easy way to install a new tire, but I think the easiest way to remove the old tire is to cut it off. A hack saw and some good diagonal cutters for the bead wire will get it off.

[lawnmaniac883]

I agree with the others, it really is better to plug/patch a tire to death than to replace. But if I had to replace it, I would go to my dealer holding the rim, new tire and a :) on my face :laugh:

[Jason Rose]

I finally invested in a set of spoons the other day. Iv'e done trailer tires once before, the smaller the rim and the smaller the sidewall, the harder they are to mount! I needed to change out some old bald 20x10-8 tires for the rear of my Z. Bought some lug tires for snow pushing! Lug tires are hard as a rock I learned! The tread surface is very thick and has little to no give in it to aid the mounting. I saw my dealer mounting some regular tires one day and learned a valuable tip:

VICE GRIPS! Use 2 pair. That and something SLICK AS SNOT. Ivory soap (liquid) worked for me. Once you cet the bead over the rim in one place use the vice-grips and clamp them to the edge of the rim as close to the tire bead as you can. This keeps the tire under the rim and you have free hands to use the spoon to do the next section. Once you do that, don't move the spoon until you move the vice-grip further around the rim edge to hold the tire again.

The first one I did I really fought! Cussed a storm, smashed my thumb, and about lost an eardrum from dropping and throwing the tire tools onto the concrete! (very loud!) Once you get a rhythm it's not so bad I guess. I certianly didn't save a dime after the cost of the tools, plus I had to buy valve stems and a tool to install those! But now I can take care of my trailer tires and such too. I don't worry about balancing those...

As for leaks or nails I keep SLIME in my mower tires and if I get a nail in the trailer tires I just plug 'em. I will plug tires on my work truck if they are pretty worn already (which they are usually) but otherwise I will pay to have vehicle tires done RIGHT and patched from the inside.

[Jay Ray]

Hello All ... I see that they sell a small tire changer that is operated manualy. Does it work? What do you guys do? Send them out or do it yourself? Thanks J & B

The small tire changer works but it is no fun at all. I've only used it once on a 4" rim. I was close to giving up when the tub finally went in. It is from Harbor Freight and about $35. I'd say the unit is worth the money. I would pay much more for a changer that makes it easier.