Need help keeping tires inflated.

[SS MAYFLOAT]

I have 2 Cub Cadets. One is a 72 model made by International, the other is a 2000 model made by MTD. My new one which we use just to mow grass is just a piece of crap. To start it, you gotta crank and crank on it to get it fired up. Then you have to wait for about 5 minuets before engaging the mower so the engine dosen't stall out. The old cub may use oil big time, but it still starts on the first or second hit every time.<br /><br />My problem is with the tire/wheels. My old cub has no problem holding its air. But the new one tends to leak air out of all four. The rims are nicely painted, no chips, cracks, rust or any thing. I have soaped them down. No leaks around valve stem or bead. No punctures to the tires. After they are aired up, they will hold pressure for about a week and then they are flat again. For the first year there wasn't any problem with them loosing air. But now I gotta keep the thing up on blocks so that the bead dosen't break loose from the rim. <br /><br />I think that the rubber in the tires is at its bare minimum, and with them only being a couple of years old, the air is leaking through the tire itself. Is this possible?<br /><br />Has anyone else had this problem with MTD mowers?

 

[Reel Appeal]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

Mayfloat,<br /> I also have an older 10hp Cub Cadet rider(late70's).It has the origianl(highly dry rotted/cracked)tires.No leaks!Amazing..<br />You may not have enough tire pressure in all to hold inflation.Check the specs on the tires and inflate to max.recomended pressure.Any nails in the tires?Air leaking through relativly new tires is doubtful.Also,make sure the valve itself is not puntured where it meets the rim.Get a valve tool and snug the valves tight(available at bicycle shop/Wal-mart,hardware).<br />As far as the starting goes,make sure the choke lever is actually choking the motor.Make sure the fuel shut-off is on all the way.Clean/replace the air filter and fuel filter.Or,richen the mixture slighty at the carb(counter-clockwise 1/4 turn).Do this last if all else fails to help.Is the battery charged up?

 

[Bigfun]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

you might try that fix a flat goop they sell for atv's, might be able to find tubes for them also

 

[flashback]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

fill'em with foam!

 

[ob]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

flashbacks,got the ticket.Foam fill those muthas.I've got a Yazoo that I got real tired of messing with and had all four foam filled.Did the same to the two fronts on my Kubota tractor.Now I can drive over nails or whatever I like.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

Thats the ticket. Foam or the tractor filler they use for farm tractors.<br />OB, what kind of Kubota you got?<br />I got a B7100HST

 

[ob]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

Spinnerbaitnut,I've got a 2000 model 2500 27hp.We use it to maintain a piece of property we own and to do a few jobs brush-hogging lots.Seems like that little jewel will run forever on 4 gallons of petro.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

Yea ob, mine goes forever on 3 gal<br />Mine is 4wd and I use it to maintain about 10 acres of grass.

 

[derwood]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

Is there a chance that the tires are small enough to submerge in clear water.....I don't know what size tires ya got.<br /><br />Sometimes ya just got to dunk em all the way to find the problem....I've seen some strange things including a rim with a pinhole to small to see but leaked enough air to give me an ulser.<br /><br />I own a 1952 Harry Furgason T-30....I could sink the front tires but the back ones....no way.<br /><br />Maybe a can of fix-A-flat.<br /><br />Tractorwood

 

[norman158]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

as i see it you have 2 options #1 tubes or #2somthing called punmaseal.Your local mower shop can get you both

 

[clanton]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

Try this from NAPA pn 765-2699 AmerSeal premium heavy duty tire sealant.

 

[12Footer]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

I used to have the same problem . My brother is a landscaper by trade, and gave me a bottle of green stuff called "SLIME". It is a 16oz squeeze bottle, that comes with a valve remover in the cap.<br /> LINK TO SLIME.COM <br /><br />In the tire that gave me the most grief,I followed the destructions on the bottle, aired it up, and I'll be dipped if it didn't STAY up all season. I put the mower away for dormant season. <br />Last summer, when I went to crank her up and mow the lawn for the first time, and noticed 3 roofing nails in the tire! I had my roof redone about 4 years ago, and they did a lousey job of cleanup...So I'm used to pulling nails out of the tires. But the tire with the slime in it, was still up with 3 nails!! The other rear tire was flat, so I webnt to the lawnmower shop and got another bottle for that one. It costs around 7buks for the 16oz bottle.<br />Great stuff.

 

[one more cast]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

Can someone tell me more about this foam stuff?

 

[ob]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

one more cast,It's a polymer based product that is filled into tire that after curing sets up to make the tire more or less solid core.Flats?fuggetaboutit.<br />Any plce that services commercial tires and some tire shops will provide the service for filling.They charge according to the size of the tire and the weight of material needed to fill it.<br />Great for riding mowers, tractors,forklifts ect..Where an air filled cushy ride is not a factor.

 

[brent suzkui wyble j16]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

sell the piece of crap 2000 and buy a case of oil for the real cub.

 

[one more cast]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

Thanks ob,<br /> My snow blower tires leak and its a real pain filling them when the temp is below zero .<br />------------------------------------------------<br />OMC

 

[Admin5]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

Just stick a Viagra up the inflation tubes.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Need help keeping tires inflated.

Thanks for the replies. Haven't been able get on the ole keyboard for awhile. I'm gonna pick up some of that "Slime". Yard is bumpy now, so any shock absorbing ability of the tires I want to keep. <br /><br /> Just wish they had installed a better quality tire. Going to put Agracultural tires on in the spring. They don't spin like the turf tires do, but when they do, they tend to tear out the grass.