# inflating old riding lawn mower tires



## aloneintexas (Apr 15, 2009)

Hello,

I have a riding lawn mower that has been sitting about 3 years. The tires are now flat and I think they are tubeless. I know that there is a technique for airing them up from flat with a broken bead, but I am not sure how to do it.

I would appreciate some instructions please.

Thanks


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## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

We run a belt or strap around the tread and pull that tight - then get air in as quickly as possible.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

You can tie a piece of toilet paper to a stick. Then give a brief squirt of ether starting fluid on the bead where tire is unseated. Lower the burning toilet paper to the area and poof, bead is sealed. Usually. I use toilet paper in case it gets trapped between the bead and tire during the explosion, it doesn't cause it to leak. 

Or you can tie a strap around the tire like mistletoad said. That works great, but there is no fire and no explosion, so it isn't as fun.


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## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

Ed's way sounds way more fun than mine!


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I take the tire off and take it to the gas station. 

A little fiddling will put the rubber tire SORT of where it needs to be on BOTH! sides, and then I run air into it and hope. It usually takes me 3-4 tries to get it right.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I wet the beads with soapy water 
If you don't take the wheel off the mower, at least take all the weight off the wheel.
A little wiggling while putting air in usually gets them started.
Let your compressor build up full pressure before you try to put air in


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## Ray (Dec 5, 2002)

put a tube in it and run it for several more years without any problem, using ether can be extremely dangerous, I've seen people hurt pretty bad trying this method. when it works it works well, but when it goes wrong, it can be bad, best wishes, ray


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

Well, if there's no danger, there's no fun. 

If you use the strap method, it really helps to take out the valve core. You can find a little tool for cheap to unscrew it. That lets in a lot more air in a hurry. Once the bead seats, you have plenty of time to get the core back in.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Tube or tubeless, really need to be sure inside of rim isnt rusted. Tubeless on rusty rim means instant multitude of little leaks. Tube will eventually perforate from rust and leak.

For at home repair, removing valve stem and using tube definitely way to go. Not sure why any low speed equipment is ever sold with tubeless tires. Well I do, its more profitable, but its not better for the end consumer. They even make wheelbarrows with paper thin tubeless tires anymore. Cant get more stupid than that, except if you pay bunch of money to buy such a thing. Only way to educate the manufacturer is to refuse to buy badly engineered products.


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## foxtrapper (Dec 23, 2003)

Start by just put air in them. As long as the bead is still seated on the rim, the tire inflates. Don't start trying games until you know the tire is broken free of the rim. And you will know this if when you add air it just hisses out and the tire does not inflate.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

foxtrapper said:


> Start by just put air in them. As long as the bead is still seated on the rim, the tire inflates. Don't start trying games until you know the tire is broken free of the rim. And you will know this if when you add air it just hisses out and the tire does not inflate.


Its a long shot that tire is flat just from setting, usually means rim is rusted causing a multitude of small bead leaks. If it is just from setting most likely tire will just be low after setting unused several months, it wont be totally flat. I have seen people just live with flat tire if tire on tractor or mower or whatever if it stays up long enough to use it, then they just keep refilling everytime they use it until it leaks so bad it wont hold air long enough to do the job. Over time this entails far more work than just properly fixing the tire. But humans tend to be short term thinkers, do whatever gets by for now, not what is best in the long term.

Putting tube in delays this some, but real solution is to remove the tire, clean off all rust and grind down any rough spots, and repaint the inside of the rim. Then clean the bead of the tire thoroughly and remount using appropriate tire lubricant. I still say on low speed equipment that putting in a tube if there isnt one, is way to go. Tubeless saves the factory money, its not the best way to go. Merchants and manufacturers are looking for last nickel of profit, they arent looking out for the interests of the end user except to the extent it might cost them a big settlement in court.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I use the strap method. The strap I use is one o' those racheting tie-down straps. If air leaks while I attempt to reinflate the tire, I just ratchet the strap a little tighter. Works every time.


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## aloneintexas (Apr 15, 2009)

OK Thanks everyone.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Ray
Please educate me on what happens when a tire is ethered to seat the tire to the rim. How are the users injured? Thanks


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

agmantoo said:


> Ray
> Please educate me on what happens when a tire is ethered to seat the tire to the rim. How are the users injured? Thanks


We used that method when we were racing dirt modifieds. 9 out of 10, perfect. But...just a few of the "oops" times; $200 tire shredded and was like rubber bullets. Tire wasn't set properly and at ignition, shot straight up and hit shop ceiling. Aluminum rims, especially if they have a stress crack, or heaven forbid, are bent, have been known to become shrapnel grenades. NEVER LEAVE THE VALVE STEM IN WHEN USING ETHER...IT IS A BULLET, and not a rubber one, this one has metal and shatterd a cinderblock in the wall.
Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the starting fluid now-a-days is not as potent as it was...I've seen kerosene burn faster sometimes.
Be safe, and good luck.
Matt
BTW, you were braver than us, we simply flicked matches from a distance.


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## blufford (Nov 23, 2004)

mistletoad said:


> We run a belt or strap around the tread and pull that tight - then get air in as quickly as possible.


We used to use a small innertube around the outside of the tire. When we filled it with air it would put pressure on the tire and make it possible to inflate.


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## Ray (Dec 5, 2002)

when using ether, the tire can be blown off the rim and cause extreme damage to your hand and arm. If an old tire explodes you can lose your sight, get rubber and steel cord in your body in places you don't want rubber and steel cord, its a hard job in the emergency room to dig all of it out so many pieces will work out later while festering. One young man in town lost nearly half of his face when an old rim came apart and hit him mid face vertically, left half is normal, rt half is just a grown back mess, with no eye, half a nose. Never the less if you want to live dangerous go ahead, just see that no one else is standing by you, unless you don't like them. you many think your good enough to get away with it, many thought that, and wish they had never herd of ether setting a tire bead, to inflate a tire. just looking out for your welfare, I've been around this business a while and safety is always better than serious injury for shortcuts. 

You can purchase special made tire inflating belts that go around tubeless tires to help seat the bead, but some old tires that have been flat a long time wont hardly seat, especially when cold due to being hardened in the flat position for so long, some of these are best if taken to a tire shop and have them inflate them, then if it starts loosing air again, get some truck tire fix a flat before it goes flat and that will usually keep them up a couple years. be safe, best wishes, ray


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## Daryll in NW FLA (May 10, 2002)

Handful of grease rub around both sides of the rim-add air and wipe off excess grease.


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## Wis Bang 2 (Jan 12, 2010)

'Tire Cheetah' an air tank w/ a large flat outlet and a valve. After filling the tank, the air hose is clipped onto the valve stem and the tank outlet is aimed at the unseated tire bead & the tank's air is released. the sudden rush of air expands the tire enough that the airhose can pop it on. Truck shops use them on big, stiff tubeless truck tires. I've seen home made ones using a 2" ball valve and a propane tank w/ a home made nozzle...


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