Rear tire patching

I am feeling sad because my 300 got a flat rear tire. I ran over a somewhat rotten aspen branch in the woods today, about 4" in diameter and hidden under some weeds. It had a broken off branch stub that was not rotten at all and poked right through my old 6 ply 14.9/38 tire and punctured the tube. I parked it so the hole is on top and all of the fluid will not leak out, but I think I will drain the fluid out of both tires this fall. I need to get it back up and working soon and I want to wait and keep an eye out for a used tire or tires so I am thinking in the meantime about what I can do to patch this tire enough to get it back to work for a month or two, maybe. I have seen pictures where someone bolted a piece of another tire over the inside of a hole, and I would be willing to try that. Once I pulled the stick out the rubber closed back up and the hole is now only visible from the outside if I look closely. I haven't broken the tire down to look at the inside yet. I am wondering if I should be bolting something in or if for this type of puncture there would be a better way. I know this whole idea is pretty dumb but I need to get the tractor back to work as soon as I can since I am using it to bring logs out to finish the siding and the loft floor for the new building and I don't want to buy a brand new tire if I can help it, prices being what they are nowadays. I will be very thankful for any advice about how to proceed.
Zach

Using a 5/16" carriage bolt (round head with square shank under it) and a fender washer that fits the square, put it in through the hole from the inside with epoxy under the washer. Make sure the rubber is clean and buffed with 80 grit, and make the mating surface of the washer rough as well. On the outside put a roughed up fender washer on roughed up rubber again with epoxy. Tighten the nut (with epoxy on the threads)to squeeze the epoxy and depress the washer into the rubber about 1/2 washer thickness. Cut off the remaining bolt shank at the nut. wait 24 hrs and put it together. (probably a new tube) It can last for the remaining life of the tread. Jim

remove the fluid from the tire
break the tire down on the tractor
remove the tire all the way along with the tube
wash the rim, tube and inside of tire real good
put a boot inside the tire
patch the tube
reassemble everything
pump the fluid back in
GOOD LUCK
Ron

I fix many of those type problem on old tires. A simple boot that you glue in does a good job. Tech does make a 2 part stuff that you can also use but it is not cheap and has a short self life. Me I do a boot then use an old tune or 2 and line the inside of the tire then install a new tube

From what you describe I think you could use a large patch on the inside of the tire and patch the tube too if it isnt too bad. I have fixed a punctured rear tractor tire this way and it will hold up fine if there isnt much of an open hole where the branch went in. I have seen the large patches at TSC or you could try getting one from a farm tire dealer. Be sure to clean and smmoth the area well before you use the patches.

Thank you very much, that sounds great, I have epoxy that I use building canoes that is pretty good and should work for the purpose. I will get a new tube since I think the hole in the old one must be at least 1/2" across. I think I have everything else I'll need. It's great to know that it can last that long, too.
Zach

Thanks, that sounds like it would also be a good way to go. For some reason I have a hard time breaking down the tire with the rim still on the tractor but I can do it pretty easily flat on the floor. Maybe I need to work on my technique.
Zach

Thanks for the advice. I will try using the old tube as a liner if I can get it clean.
Zach

Thank you very much for your help. It seems like there isn't much of a hole anymore, and I had to yank on the branch to get it out of the hole. It came up with the tire as I was driving.
Zach

I have one tire on my Oliver 77 that has a boot due to a stub and one on the D-17 with the same problem and both have held up for 10 plus years. The key is making sure you clean the inside of the tire real good and ruff it up then apply the tire patch glue and let it sit and then apply a boot. After I put the boot on I take a good tube and put it in and air it up so it applies pressure on the boot so the glue holds good

This lasted over a year for me. Drilled holes and sewed it up with old boot lace. Then put a boot on inside. It did not fail. I replaced it with a tire I found. As you can see, it was a long split.
Redneck Richard in NW SC