Stupid things we do some times

[gm280]

For the last year now my left front tire on my lawn mower has had a slow leak. And I always just fill it up before using it every time. Well the recent post about "green slime" here on iboats got me to thinking more about it. So rather then inject the green slime hoping it solved the slow leak and also not wanting to deal with that green slime if I ever removed the tire, I decided to just buy a tube. Not a bad outlay of money, a little less then $9 dollars. So I went to my shop with the tube and removed the tire off the rim. A little struggle with a few flat bladed screwdrivers and some elbow grease and wala...off. I looked over the tube and made my decision just how that thing should go on the rim. Seems the air valve stem is a little offset to one side, or so it seems anyway. So I installed it and replaced the tire as well. So now to fill it up and seat the bead. I applied some air and it filled pretty nicely but wasn't sure how much air was in it. By this time the bead was seated nicely all around the rim. So I measured the air and it was about 8 pounds. It calls for 14 pounds. So I applied the air chuck to it again, and the stem vanished inside the rim...... OMG now what do I do. I can't see the valve stem anymore and the tire wasn't filled, but was inflated to where I couldn't easily get the tire off the rim again... I closed up shop and went back in the house...the day is over for me! Of course all types of ideas went through my head as to how I could solve that problem. Next day I was a little more fresh and inspired and tackle the TIRE from hades! I took every type tool I could think of and wanted to remove the tire without damaging the tube. Finally, after wrestling with it and even tag teaming with my wife, I pried the tire away from the rim (nearly bending the rim) and saw the valve stem wedge between the tube and rim. I was able to take a flat bladed screw driver and deflate the tube and all was well again in the world. I've since fixed that tire/tube ordeal and it is now resting in its place on the left front position of the lawn mower again. Funny how things can change your opinion of a great day some times :facepalm:

 

[rbh]

You had me cringing with Flat Blade screw driver AHHHH- LOL (buy some spoons)

YUP, what can go wrong will go wrong, but good save.

 

[MTboatguy]

Been there done that, I had a heck of a time with my snowblower tire right before snow season.

 

[dwco5051]

The imported tires they are putting on equipment today are CRAP. I have a forty eight year old Bolens 850 that has three of the original tires and It will sit all winter in the garage and only lose a few pounds of pressure when I pump them up in the Spring. I mostly use it for tilling the gardens and moving boat trailers around. The right front tire I replaced in the late 80's with a wheelbarrow tire because I cut it somehow and it never needs air in the Spring. My lawn tractor is at the point where I can only cut for 20 minutes or so before I have to run it back to the shop and pump the tires up again and it is only about 12 years old. One of my hand carts is much newer but I have to pump up one of the tires every time I use. The riding mower would cost about 200 bucks for new tires but since it is pretty much worn out it isn't worth it. Plus you can't get the rear wheels off the shafts anymore and changing them when they are still on the mower is a real PITA.

 

[dozerII]

Glad to see that Murphy visits other Iboaters as well lol, Imported don't get me started. I have a snow blower that has seen the sun for less than an hour since I bought it two years ago. It sits in a dark garage all the time and within a year of buying it both tires were sidewall cracked so bad they will only hold air for about two hours.

 

[gm280]

Glad to see that Murphy visits other Iboaters as well lol, Imported don't get me started. I have a snow blower that has seen the sun for less than an hour since I bought it two years ago. It sits in a dark garage all the time and within a year of buying it both tires were sidewall cracked so bad they will only hold air for about two hours.

Oh yes I know what you're saying. I can see the air in my lawn mower tires as well and they are fairly new. It doesn't seem to take much time for some makes of tires does it...

 

[WIMUSKY]

Yep gm, your tube was twisted(maybe the operator too? j/k) and sucked in the stem. When I worked at a gas station way back when, we would put a bunch of air in the tube, let it back out and refilled it. It supposedly took the twist out....... At least with car tubes.....

 

[gm280]

Yep gm, your tube was twisted(maybe the operator too? j/k) and sucked in the stem. When I worked at a gas station way back when, we would put a bunch of air in the tube, let it back out and refilled it. It supposedly took the twist out....... At least with car tubes.....

Yea, I know I should have dome that as well. But I also should have held the valve stem in place until I did get it finished. But that was the first time I ever had that happen. The look on my face was probably a picture to behold. It was almost like magic it happened so fast... Just had to port it so others can see how easily things change from a simple around-the-house task...

 

[dwco5051]

Yep gm, your tube was twisted(maybe the operator too? j/k) and sucked in the stem. When I worked at a gas station way back when, we would put a bunch of air in the tube, let it back out and refilled it. It supposedly took the twist out....... At least with car tubes.....

That is the way I have always done. First remove the schrader valve, insert the tube and inflate it enough to just fill the tire. Let the air escape, and screw the 3 way valve wrench to the stem and finish mount the outside bead. Fill the tire enough to seat the beads and again let the air out. Insert schrader valve back into stem and fill to pressure. The first step not only makes certain the tube is not twisted but also eliminates the chance that the tube could get pinched between the tire and rim.

I think the days are gone when almost every 15 or 16 year old got a chance to work in a gas station. I earned 75 cents an hour at an Amoco station sixty years ago and probably learned more life skills there than in my first couple years in college.

 

[MTboatguy]

I learned a long time ago, to secure the valve stem once I have it in the tire, I normally wrap a piece of tape around it, or put a zip tie on it, so it can't pull back inside the tire. But that darn snow blower tire, I wish the stem going back in was the worst of my worries, I couldn't get the darn tire back on the rim!

 

[gm280]

I have to seriously wonder why small yard equipment tires are just not semi-solid tires. Then they would last basically forever and who really cares if they are a little solider then air tires. I mean you aren't going 50 MPH on them or on the road either. So just make a semi-solid version and forget the tubes, valves and such things...

 

[dolluper]

Yep for 3 bones you can buy the valve remover tool...which also screws on the tire valve so it doesn,t disappear...Tire bars are worth it too made out of 3inch by 2 feet{cut to foot lengths} flat stock 5 bones...grind one end dull no sharpeness and bend if you want.......

 

[MTboatguy]

The spoons I ended up using on my tire, were the ones I got for my ATV, cheap, work great and not to long.

 

[ezbtr]

Happened on my brand new boat trailer years back, on a 400 mi drive!! Glad I had a new spare, the new rim was defective and cut the stem, from sharp burrs on it!