Oh boy, tractor tire is a mess

snafflekid · Apr 28, 2022

I am back at the farm after 2 years and I found the Ford 4600SU tractor has a flat tire. I am guessing the rims are bad also. I was not sure if there was ballast fluid in the tires but now I am sure.

Just wondering what all this will set me back to fix. Do people do this type of tire work on site? This is one part of tractor repair that I have never been involved with.

Geo-TH,In · Apr 28, 2022

My go to tractor tire place can replace the tire, tube and
repair the rim..
Sullivan tire caters to farmers and also sells car tires and
truck tires..

caterpillar guy · Apr 28, 2022

I'd wait till I had it apart to decide whether to replace or fix. Both could be done though looking at the outside I would probably replace if I could find a good power adjust rim.

rustred · Apr 28, 2022

replace that valve stem and pump it up and you should be good to go. it did not get punctured just from sitting for 2 years. either drive it
ahead or jack it up to get the valve to the top first. naturally u will be low on fluid but that can be a later problem
<video width=90% src=https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cvvideos/cvvideo124280.mov
controls>http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/cvvideos/cvvideo124280.mov</video>

casecollectorsc · Apr 28, 2022

I'm 30 miles from the tire shop...$450 to repair and pump fluid on a 18.4x34 tire. May be cheaper in your neck of the woods with a smaller
tire.

RM-MN · Apr 28, 2022

I agree with RustRed, replace the valve stem and pump it up but do yourself a favor and wash (wash, not just rinse) anywhere it looks rusty. Water with plenty of soap in it so you get all the fluid off where it is rusty. Then it is your choice, leave it rusty, use a chemical on it to turn the red rust to black, or paint it. Maybe a combination of the chemical first, then paint it.

super99 · Apr 28, 2022

Jack the wheel up and turn the valve stem to the top and replace the valve stem as suggested below and air it up. Simple things first.

Steve@Advance · Apr 28, 2022

The rim is repairable.

You might buy some time just airing it up, but when the time comes that it has
to come apart, that would be the time to repair the rim.

Pretty common repair, anyone handy with a welder and grinder can do it.

Probably make a deal with the tire shop, get the tire dismounted, take the
wheel and repair it, bring it back to remount the tire and new tube.

hd6gtom · Apr 28, 2022

It has a new style core housing. I'd try that first. Could be
as simple as a rotted out valve core. I always kept stainless
steel core housings and a box of stainless steel valve cores on
the service truck.

snafflekid · Apr 29, 2022

Thank you for the really good information. Now it seems likely that the valve failed.

I figured the rims were hopeless. I see bubbling rust on the rims in spots and I thought that maybe the rims had rusted inside out in places. It could be just surface rust. Clean the rust with Naval Jelly, or Rust-eez bumper ointment? :lol: I will have to test how deep the rust goes, I was afraid to start poking at it.

It would be useful to me to understand the anatomy of a tractor tire. There is a inner tube, right? And that tube is filled with air, water and calcium chloride, for added weight. How does the tube connect to the rim? I am guessing there is the nipple on the tube that fits through a hole in the rim, some type of nut that keeps the nipple in place and a valve that screws into the inside of the nipple?

If that is how the nipple fits into the rim, it seems like an "easy" fix to weld some new metal over any very rusty spots and drill a new hole there, or somewhere else along the rim.

snafflekid · Apr 30, 2022

and a followup question...

I mostly mow with a rotary mower attachment, and some light grading of the gravel road. Is the ballast fluid important?

I should also mention that I am sometimes mowing on hillsides with a 20% slope, but I usually attack the hill straight up and down.

This post was edited by snafflekid on 04/30/2022 at 05:49 am.

ptfarmer · Apr 30, 2022

For what you are using it for having the ballasted rear tires aren't really needed.

Oh boy, tractor tire is a mess

snafflekid

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Geo-TH,In

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caterpillar guy

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rustred

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casecollectorsc

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RM-MN

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super99

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Steve@Advance

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hd6gtom

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snafflekid

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snafflekid

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ptfarmer

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