pcrh

Member
Hi:

Having some problems fixing my 18.4 x 34 tire on my 1750. Seems to want to go flat. The obvious would be a puncture in the tire but that is not the case.

Tube is getting a hole (almost like a cut rather than a puncture) on the rim side. I looked for the obvious, like rust flakes burrs, but nothing. The rim is actually in fairly good condition. Just to be safe I took a steel wheel brush and polished the rim surfaces. I also ran a wool rag around the rim face to see if it would snag but nothing. Patched the tube, put the tire back together and flat again. Same symptom.

It is almost like the tube is flexing or rubbing on the rim and nicks the tube.

Looking for thoughts or ideas on how to fix the problem.

Thanks
 
my neighbor had a similar problem. came to the conclusion that the chinese tubes were made with
poor quality material. The tire store told them no U.S. manufacturers are making tubes anymore.
Found some old used U.S. tubes and no more problems.
 
I had tube problems, same thing holes
show up after mounting. Turns out it
was me sticking the tire iron in to
far and catching the tube. This was a
smaller tire.
 

Hi:

Thanks for the thoughts.

I liked the thought of a cheap tube but after checking it is a new made in USA Firestone tube. I also thought of the tire iron going to deep but that was not the case.

One of my other contacts suggested painting the rim so that the tube would not stick to the rim as it flexes. Another suggested using duct tape over the rim area to also alow the tube to slide as the tire flexes. Do either of these ideas sound feasable?

Does the tube flex on the rim when using the tractor? The punctures are in line with the widest flat part of the rim just off the middle. No loose object were found in the tire. I just cannot see anything which would cut/tear the tube on the rim.
 
I owned a tire shop for 22 years and repaired/replaced thousands of farm tires over the years. Question 1,
how old is the tube?? If it is an old 1, replace it with a new heavy duty radial tube. About 15 years ago we
started having all kinds of problems with new tubes. When we went to the HD radials the problems stopped. I
don't see a picture of the problem. Is the rim still on the tractor when you are attempting to fix the tire??
That is by far the easiest way to repair 1. About the only way for this to happen, bar a bad tube, is to
pinch it in some way, either by the tire iron or the actual tire itself. Are you letting the air out of the
tube just as the tire is starting on the bead, then re airing it, getting it to seat? Most important, are you
using a good tire lube, NOT dish soap. Dish soap is NOT slick enough and repeated attempts to repair a tire
can accidently pinch a tube. My experience speaking here. Is the tube splitting from under your patch? If
so replace the tube. I wish I could see a clear picture of your tube, it would be far easier to advise you.
Good luck with it.
 

Hi hd6gtom:

Thanks for your thoughts. After 22 years I am sure you have seen a lot.

To answer some of your questions:

The tube is 14 months old.

I am not sure if it is a HD tube. Should there be a marking on the tube?

Tire is off the tractor for dismounting the tire and later for remounting.

I did let the air out of the tube just as the tire is starting on the bead, then re airing it, getting it to seat? Before I did this and before putting the last bead on I did a check to insure the tube was properly seated.

The slits are quite a ways in on the tube and would require a bar to catch the tube at least 6 inches in. The slits do not follow a pinch from a bar.

The tube is not splitting from under the patch but in the same line as the prvious slits.

Additional information.

The tubes a dry (no liquid).
 

Hi:

Still looking for thoughts.

I talked with a local retired tire guy who thought the tire might be slipping on the rim. The thinking went along this line.

No liquid balast in the tire so when pulling a heavy load the tractor will spin the rim and tube and the tire will slip on the rim (may only be a small amount) causing the tube to flex.

So should I put calcium back in?
 
There is much more contact area between the tube and the tire compared to the area between the tube and the rim, about 3 or 4 times as much area. If the tire was slipping on the rim, I would think the tube would spin with the tire and the valve stem would be ripped off the tube.
 

Hi;

I had more time to spend with the tube. I can see several slits beginning on the tube, all near the line of the slit. If you can imagine this, following the inner circumferance of the tube for a distance of about 4 inches there a four slits starting. Each slit is about 3/8 of an inch and is about half way thru the tube. The area with the slits in oposite the valve stem and below the valve stem. If I did not know better I would say there is an ant in there trying to slice the tube open.

This is definitely not a pinch issue. The tube moving on the rim seems ideal for what I see, but I agree with ss55 the tube flexing would rip the valve stem would be ripped off .
 
Easy to determine if the tire is slipping. Get a paint marker and make matching marks on the tire and the rim.

Sure sounds like the tube got pinched between the tire and rim right at that really tough spot when the tire is nearly all the way on the rim, and the forces are the highest.

Lately I've been having excellent luck with running more air in the tube than you think you should while mounting, AND a good dusting of talcum powder on the tube.
 
If it where me I would spray the inside of the rim with truck bed liner spray let it dry and then mount the tire and tube and I bet your problem will go away. Does not take much of a burr to cut a tube.
 

Hi:

It is very difficult to disprove a pinch of any kind unless you are present what the tube and tire are mounted. I do have enough experience to know how to avoid pinching the tube and I am 90% positive that is not the issue.

The paint idea to mark the tire and rim would have been a good idea before the tire went flat.

I did decide to polish the rime down to bare metal and then paint the rim with a high adhesive paint. I always use talcum powder (trick I learned when working in the service station) when reassembling a tube.

By the time I am ready to reassemble I will have implemented several changes to see if the problem persists. If is does not I will not know what change worked or if the combination was responsible. If it goes flat again then it will be back to square one.

Thanks for all the thoughts.
 

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