Repairing long-flat tubeless tires

lkjhG1948LMF

Member
Joined
May 18, 2019
Threads
8
Messages
14
This 15x6.00-6 tubeless tire has been flat for years. I removed the tire, sanded the rim, and painted the rim. I cleaned all the rust and dirt from the tire bead. The tire bead is not circular as it should be. The bead is not circular where the tractor weight rested on the flat tire. I placed dawn-brand dish soap and water on the rim, removed the valve-stem core, wrapped the center of the tire with a ratchet strap to push the tire bead into the rim, and attached the Dill high flow air chuck to the valve stem. My compressor tank showed 150 p.s.i. when I began to air the tire. I cannot get the tire bead to seat on the rim so I cannot properly inflate the tire. Do you think I can do something without using an inner tube to salvage this tire? Please post any suggestions.
 

bertsmobile1

Lawn Royalty
Joined
Nov 29, 2014
Threads
64
Messages
24,647
You will need an inner tube, but not in the way you think.
Take the tyre off the rim , put the inner tube in the tyre & over inflate it.
Put some tyre dressing on the tyre & leave it in the sun for a couple of days so it returns to sort of round.

When you refit it , remove the valve core and use an air duster with a big hole in it to allow the maximum amount of air flow .
It is a speed thing rather than a pressure thing .
Support the wheel on another wheel or some bricks so you can bounce the hub in & out.
Try to get one side ( back is better ) on the rim then sort of bounce the hub in & out while blowing in the air.

You can use the explosion technique, lots of you tube videos on it because it appeals to the moron crowd .
Take care because you are using explosive force to inflate the tyre so can seriously injure yourself, others or set a fire or multiple fires if done carelessly.
Tyres flipping over the rim or splitting when being inflated have seriously injured professional tyre fitters and down here we generally get 1 or 2 deaths each year , just using air.
Eye damage & ear damage comes in in the hundreds.
 

mikebarber

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
30
When I do tire work and have problems getting bead to seat sometimes I will put a ratchet strap around the middle of the tread all the way around and tighten it down When you do tighten it down you will dee the beads expand outward ( time for a safety disclaimer BE READY TO RELEASE THE RATCHET RIGHT AWAY AS SOON AS THE AIR SEATS THE BEAD DO NOT INFLATE BEYOND 1 OR 2 PSI BEFORE YOU RELEASE THE STRAP AND KEEP YOUR HAND OUT OF THE WAY) Then when the ratchet is released air up the tire I use this procedure on tires ranging from lawnmower tires to road grader tires on my forklift
 

slomo

Lawn Addict
Joined
Jul 14, 2019
Threads
76
Messages
4,677
You can buy a set of tires on ebay for stinking cheap these days. They even come with new rims and bearings with the tires installed. What's not to like?

slomo
 

tom3

Lawn Addict
Joined
Apr 9, 2018
Threads
25
Messages
1,579
Seems like the OP knows what he's doing. But that old tire probably won't hold air anyway, put a tube in it and go. Or as suggested get a new tire, small tires are a pain to work with too, do it once if possible.
 

slomo

Lawn Addict
Joined
Jul 14, 2019
Threads
76
Messages
4,677
Seems like the OP knows what he's doing. But that old tire probably won't hold air anyway, put a tube in it and go. Or as suggested get a new tire, small tires are a pain to work with too, do it once if possible.

Like you said, these old tires are a pain. I tried it once. Later went to a car tire shop. New tubes lasted for a while in these old dry rotted tires. Eventually your tubes will get pinched. Time for a new tire then.

slomo
 
Top