Foam filled tires

[oil pan 4]

These riding lawnmower front tires keep going flat. So I'm going to try and fill them with foam or get burned by dangerous chemicals. Maybe both.
I've got a left over bag of AB fence post foam. 1 bag makes about 20L of foam, since a front mower tire is maybe 2L of internal volume, something should happen.
I've got odd wider sized tires on a Craftsman 48 inch 24hp mower that are dry rotted out and standard size front tires for my 18hp 46 inch mower that go flat in a day if that.
The extra wide tires on the larger mower are hold air for a few minutes, activity hiss out the air from at least 8 different spots per tire, they're preventilated, probably just dump 4 total ounces in, mix, hammer a wooden plug into the valve stem hole and run. Hope they don't splode. And hopefully they're not to hard.

 

[Speedbird001]

I am seeing these airless tires more and more. Even on a Bobcat down the street at a constriction site. Don't know if they have your size or $$$, but I'd look into it if it was me.

About 10 years ago, guy I knew had his trailer and home tractor tires foam filled (At a Cat/Equipment company) IIRC it was not cheap, like the same cost as the tires themselves. (That fence post foam is dope, worked great on my mailbox... Doing my own foam fill... Tempting, but >90% chance it would end in failure and I would regret the time and money wasted on it).

 

[joegreen]

What about tire tubes. Cheap and will hold air

 

[leeharvey418]

Yeah, considering the potential downsides of foam fill, I’d definitely look into the tweel.

 

[Owen Lucas]

I don't think the fence post foam is designed to undergo the rotational forced and beating inside a tire. Is it springy? I'd be concerned that it will slowly turn into dust as it degrades from impacts and weight.

 

[Cujet]

You can try polyurethane 2 part rubber. The durometer (say 30) mimics the tire pressure (say 30 PSI). It is very heavy as it is a solid rubber fill, but it will work and hold up for years.

Solid tires for low-speed vehicles (e.g., forklifts, carts) often use polyurethane or rubber with Shore A hardness (durometer) between 20 and 40 to achieve a balance of load-bearing capacity and cushioning similar to pneumatic tires at 20–40 PSI.

It is not particularly hard to pour this stuff into a tire, just remove the valve stem and use a funnel. But it is somewhat more challenging to get all the air out, so that when it hardens you have a smooth riding tire. I think I ended up spinning the tires horizontally to sling the rubber to the outside. Then fill some more until no air remains. Then plug the valve stem hole before the rubber cures. This method is not foam and holds up well.

https://silpak.com/products/polyurethane/ru-320-25a-flexible-polyurethane/

 

[Sumboodie]

Expanda foam isn't what is in "foam" filled tires.

 

[oil pan 4]

What about tire tubes. Cheap and will hold air

Same problem. I stick a tube in them and run over a nail or something. The idiot that had the land before me did renovations. Instead of dumping everything in a pile he just when out and shoveled it out in the field trying to spread it out. One of the dumbest moves I've ever seen.

 

[oil pan 4]

I am seeing these airless tires more and more. Even on a Bobcat down the street at a constriction site. Don't know if they have your size or $$$, but I'd look into it if it was me.

About 10 years ago, guy I knew had his trailer and home tractor tires foam filled (At a Cat/Equipment company) IIRC it was not cheap, like the same cost as the tires themselves. (That fence post foam is dope, worked great on my mailbox... Doing my own foam fill... Tempting, but >90% chance it would end in failure and I would regret the time and money wasted on it).

I figure I'll have to buy new tires anyway. This foam is $15 and it will probably do 2 front tires. It does not expand to 20L of volume. Maybe half that.

 

[oil pan 4]

Expanda foam isn't what is in "foam" filled tires.

It's what I had laying around.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Same problem. I stick a tube in them and run over a nail or something. The idiot that had the land before me did renovations. Instead of dumping everything in a pile he just when out and shoveled it out in the field trying to spread it out. One of the dumbest moves I've ever seen.

Have you tried a magnet?
https://www.bluestreakequipment.com...LvvTh-yjhHq4F1mBJEjbhM7tKe01Byw--HwHHymPsW3hY

 

[CapriRacer]

If I had to guess, the fence post foam will turn to dust when it is flexed - if it flexes at all. If you're willing to clean everything, or buy a complete tire and wheel assembly, why not try it and let us know the result.

 

[sw99]

Haha I tried that a few years ago with some great stuff. Absolute fail. Ended up buying a set of these flat free type front tires https://www.amazon.com/Lawn-Mower-T...&sprefix=flat+free+mower,aps,216&sr=8-14&th=1

and they have been great. For the rear's, I just run the recommended amount of the slime and it's kept me going for years.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Can't you use slime?

 

[oil pan 4]

Have you tried a magnet?
https://www.bluestreakequipment.com...LvvTh-yjhHq4F1mBJEjbhM7tKe01Byw--HwHHymPsW3hY

Ueah I tried that in like 2018.

 

[oil pan 4]

Can't you use slime?

BEein using tire slime for years. It works great in the back tires. Those will stay tire slime. The front tires slime works ok but for some reason eventually fails.

 

[oil pan 4]

Haha I tried that a few years ago with some great stuff. Absolute fail. Ended up buying a set of these flat free type front tires https://www.amazon.com/Lawn-Mower-Tires-Flat-Replacement/dp/B0D5HJRQ7R/ref=sr_1_14?crid=39HUCL0NLVJM9&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gB8PfZ2mGdanfGBAxg-_MJOOxcBQaVZn0NuBcytwo9M8wAFuJIVLpSzJhXnX_4Rf_tJLnyEKfSFi_JU7ncpB_BvaTvNIfmtX9-uc--AcdufD3YSu4AQirPpUMH-jNOABcFRbFRbC2CoVcnOXIlHeUdBfi8ceMDMBg35dIXsg5xwTgqwSADw_bkO62AGntjybqHQpr_1ECcZZDLZfMxdzcA6G1Nq-_YutmdSIVld2rg0.FaYRbR5fhCqIBmOABd8gQZnD7EjJvzntIb-jyfFTCEE&dib_tag=se&keywords=flat+free+mower+tires&qid=1752413128&sprefix=flat+free+mower,aps,216&sr=8-14&th=1

and they have been great. For the rear's, I just run the recommended amount of the slime and it's kept me going for years.

I found a broken tee post with a back tire, it ripped the side wall open. Otherwise it's been great for rear tires. When I get another blown out side wall I'll foam them, probably with the proper stuff.

 

[oil pan 4]

If I had to guess, the fence post foam will turn to dust when it is flexed - if it flexes at all. If you're willing to clean everything, or buy a complete tire and wheel assembly, why not try it and let us know the result.

2 of the tires are about to turn to dust anyways they're so old and cracked out.

 

[oil pan 4]

I don't know any other way to get 2 front tires up for $15 for at least long enough to tell if the mower is going to be any good.
This is kinda like filling the engine with reclamed oil, do I put new tires or spend about $10 per tire to fight the tube into the tire to find out it's a junker?

 

[50yr Street Mech]

I've had great luck putting tubes inside my wheel barrow tires. They are hysterical as they roll. The rubber tires are so dry rotted, the tires wobble as they roll. Waiting for the tube inside to just jump out one day, but, I can still crank them up to 30 PSI