I was bush hoggin' Saturday and Sunday and all I can say is like the title says, Thank goodness for R4s. A few years ago we had an excavator with a track hoe and dozer come in and clean some of the property up and clean out the ditch that runs through our property. Well at some time in the past there was an old fence that ran along the edge of the property. I have taken so much of this fence out it is unbelievable. After I finished hoggin' I decided to move some dirt that had been left pile by the excavator - it did have a bunch of trees and such that needed burned. Between the burning and time most of the trees are now dirt.
As I was moving it I found a bunch of that old fence. I used the loader to pull it out of the pile and called it done and headed back to the house. As I power washing the tractor (I always have to power wash after hoggin' because of the mud), I saw something on the inside of the left rear. I tried to grab it but I couldn't move it. I grabbed a pair of pliers out of the tool box. It was a piece of that fence. I got a big lump in my throat. I knew there was no going back. It had to come out. I grabbed and pulled hoping not to hear air or see fluid, because of where it is the tire would be ruined. It came out and I didn't see any fluid or hear air. Looks like it went in an eight to quarter of an inch and then turned. Had it been turfs or ags, I would've have been buying a tire as well as the tractor being out of commission for a day or to depending upon if Dad had one in stock.
As I was moving it I found a bunch of that old fence. I used the loader to pull it out of the pile and called it done and headed back to the house. As I power washing the tractor (I always have to power wash after hoggin' because of the mud), I saw something on the inside of the left rear. I tried to grab it but I couldn't move it. I grabbed a pair of pliers out of the tool box. It was a piece of that fence. I got a big lump in my throat. I knew there was no going back. It had to come out. I grabbed and pulled hoping not to hear air or see fluid, because of where it is the tire would be ruined. It came out and I didn't see any fluid or hear air. Looks like it went in an eight to quarter of an inch and then turned. Had it been turfs or ags, I would've have been buying a tire as well as the tractor being out of commission for a day or to depending upon if Dad had one in stock.
oster_oops: I spoke to soon. When I backed the tractor out of the garage it seemed to feel a little funny. I looked down and the tire was bulging at the bottom and fluid was leaking out around the rim. I hurried up and go the little portable air compressor and aired the tire back up to seal it back to the rim. Immediately called Dad and asked him what I should do. I asked if he wanted me to bring it in or wait until he got off. He said bring it in in case it can't be fixed. After looking at it, he said he would try a plug 
confused: I asked him about not plugging a sidewall - he won't plug a car tire and doesn't recommend it on a tractor w/ low PSI that does having pulling stretching the tire). So far it has held. I put it back on and I've used the box blade to clear the area for our pool.
