Let me start by saying I've had a slow leak in the left rear tire of the tractor for years. It started when I ran a piece of barbed wire through the sidewall. That was probably in 2005 or 2006 somewhere around there. I took it in to Dad at the tire shop (Dad was in the tire business for 40+ years and knew his stuff) and since I had the washer fluid in it, he didn't want to break it down. He said we could plug it. So that is what we did, but it still always had a slow leak in it. In the summer time I could probably go 4-6 weeks between having to add air. In the winter, every couple of weeks. I just knew to keep an eye on it. Anyway, with the back story complete.....
I get a call from Monica. She sounded all worried. Since it was nice yesterday she was hauling some dirt into our new barn. She said that water started gushing from the back of the tractor and the tractor just started leaning over. She then saw the left rear tire was flat. I told her no big deal. So I go home last night, eat dinner, and set out to get the tractor back to the shop. I walk over to take a look at it. Yep, completely flat and the beads are completely unseeded. First thought was, can I drive it back to the shop. Hope, tire was flopping too much and I was afraid of hurting the sidewall. So I go back to the shop, get the gasoline air compressor, jack, a couple of rachet straps, and a flashlight.
You can see from the first picture how much the tire is off the rim. Take note of the rim. This is a 2003 tractor and the tires have been loaded with Windshield washer fluid since 2004 or 2005. There are no signs of any rust whatsoever.
I lower the rototiller to the ground and I use my little floor jack and raise the tractor up. First thing I try is just to put air into the tire. That didn't work. I then have my son hold the chuck and I tried pulling the tire forward. That wasn't working. So I throw the one strap around the middle of the tire. See second picture. Even with the pulling of the tire again. Still didn't work. So then I loosened the strap and moved it to the inside edge of the tire. I then put another strap around the outside edge of the tire. See the last picture. I then proceeded to crank those suckers down. Still wasn't working. I pulled and tugged on the tire. I then dropped the jack and drove the tractor forward just a bit and jack it up again. There I was able to pull what used to be the bottom of the tire up against the rim a bit better where it was "deformed" from sitting flat. I then actually also rotated the tire on the rim a bit. Hit it with the air chuck again. Finally it started taking air. I then proceeded to loosen the straps before I got too much air in it. Meant to get another picture, but by this time I was so muddy, I didn't want to touch the phone any more. So Keagan drove the tractor back to the shop and I drove the truck back to unload. I told Monica since we lost all of the fluid and will have to reload the tire, now would be the time to take it to get it fixed correctly. Then I will bring it home and reload it. I guess time to start watching who has winter formula windshield washer fluid on sale....
I get a call from Monica. She sounded all worried. Since it was nice yesterday she was hauling some dirt into our new barn. She said that water started gushing from the back of the tractor and the tractor just started leaning over. She then saw the left rear tire was flat. I told her no big deal. So I go home last night, eat dinner, and set out to get the tractor back to the shop. I walk over to take a look at it. Yep, completely flat and the beads are completely unseeded. First thought was, can I drive it back to the shop. Hope, tire was flopping too much and I was afraid of hurting the sidewall. So I go back to the shop, get the gasoline air compressor, jack, a couple of rachet straps, and a flashlight.
You can see from the first picture how much the tire is off the rim. Take note of the rim. This is a 2003 tractor and the tires have been loaded with Windshield washer fluid since 2004 or 2005. There are no signs of any rust whatsoever.
I lower the rototiller to the ground and I use my little floor jack and raise the tractor up. First thing I try is just to put air into the tire. That didn't work. I then have my son hold the chuck and I tried pulling the tire forward. That wasn't working. So I throw the one strap around the middle of the tire. See second picture. Even with the pulling of the tire again. Still didn't work. So then I loosened the strap and moved it to the inside edge of the tire. I then put another strap around the outside edge of the tire. See the last picture. I then proceeded to crank those suckers down. Still wasn't working. I pulled and tugged on the tire. I then dropped the jack and drove the tractor forward just a bit and jack it up again. There I was able to pull what used to be the bottom of the tire up against the rim a bit better where it was "deformed" from sitting flat. I then actually also rotated the tire on the rim a bit. Hit it with the air chuck again. Finally it started taking air. I then proceeded to loosen the straps before I got too much air in it. Meant to get another picture, but by this time I was so muddy, I didn't want to touch the phone any more. So Keagan drove the tractor back to the shop and I drove the truck back to unload. I told Monica since we lost all of the fluid and will have to reload the tire, now would be the time to take it to get it fixed correctly. Then I will bring it home and reload it. I guess time to start watching who has winter formula windshield washer fluid on sale....