# Tubes or new tires?



## Paxonator (Sep 9, 2018)

*Tubes or new tires? *UPDATE**

My tires are in pretty rough shape and don't hold air. They are not aggressive but have chains. I was debating putting tubes in or just changing the tires but I'm having difficulty understanding tire sizes.

My current tires say: 13x5.00-6

I actually measure this:
12" total height
2.5" total sidewall from rim to edge of tire.
4.5" total width of tire.

are these or these tires the right size?

I searched the forum but am still struggling why my tires don't measure 13" like they say.

*UPDATE*

So I bought a new tube at a local tire shop. Picked up some tire spoons from amazon. With very little swearing and donyboy's video I got the tube into the new tire and blown up. The hardest part was getting the tire back on the rim. Probably took maybe 20-30 minutes including consulting the video. Thanks for all the help, I'll use the blower for the season and see how i like it. Then be on the search for a toro, ariens, or honda used for my upgrade.


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## vinnycom (Nov 6, 2017)

get new tires and put the chains on them, go by whats written on the old tire for correct size.
someone will def post the brand of tire as i cant remember off hand


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

Save your self a huge amount of work and take the old tires with the chains on them to the local tire shop after you have the new ones and the heavy tubes to match and let them install the tires and tubes as they have small tire jigs to mount them all quickly and it saves you hours of work and fighting with tires rusted to the rims.

Ask them to also mount the chains on the new tires with a smile and a donut bribe with a coffee box or a sheet pizza with sausage, green peppers and mushrooms as well and they will not grouse about the work. 

the pizza food and coffee bribes work.


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Just did the same except I have the HF small tire changer, Tire size is 13" high, 5" wide and 6" rim. The ones I did were the same but 4" wide but here is a good tire to replace it with.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Carlisle...X500-6-LRA-2-ply-Wheel-Not-Included/100141160


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## Paxonator (Sep 9, 2018)

leonz said:


> Save your self a huge amount of work and take the old tires with the chains on them to the local tire shop after you have the new ones and the heavy tubes to match and let them install the tires and tubes as they have small tire jigs to mount them all quickly and it saves you hours of work and fighting with tires rusted to the rims.
> 
> Ask them to also mount the chains on the new tires with a smile and a donut bribe with a coffee box or a sheet pizza with sausage, green peppers and mushrooms as well and they will not grouse about the work.
> 
> the pizza food and coffee bribes work.


Thanks for the tip! are the X-trac tires the ones to pick if you were replacing tires?


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Carlisle X-Trac are very popular, good tires, most on here don't use chains. I don't think they are necessary unless you have a hill to climb and the tires are slipping.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

Yes I would pick the X tracks and still use the snow chains. I think they are still made in PA. 
Just provide the appropriate food bribes-coffee donuts-pizza and ask them if they would be so kind as to remount the chains on the tires as well as you going to see about 2 hours of labor anyway so have them install the tires, tubes and chains for you so all you have to do is stuff them on the axle stubs and call it a night.

If they can get the Carlisle X Tracks for you great, just make sure they can get the heavy wall tubes for you if possible as they will help you keep your tires in good shape and with less risk of leaks just be sure to ask them to wire wheel any rubber that has been left on the rims; and use the graphite tire lube on the tire beads, inside the tire and coat the tubes with it to let the tubes stretch without folding and possibly creasing when they reassemble the tires and tubes on the wheels to seat the beads prior to installing the valve cores to get the final tire pressure before they mount the chains. 
"pretty please".

Call and ask about the X tracks and if the can get them great; pay for them over the phone or with a good check and then be ready to deliver the food and coffee bribes as prescribed above. They will remember you for that in a good way if you need help somewhere down the line.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

If you're getting new tires why would you tube them ?? To me it's tube or new tires not both. And in most cases if your tires are needing tubes they likely are needing to be replaced. If you have good tread and no cracks in the sidewalls then you can use "Slime" and it will give you an extra year or two maybe more. Worked for me when I actually had some rear 20x10x8s leaking through the sidewall. They were in bad shape but at the time I didn't want to replace them. They finally got so bad even the slime started to leak through :crying: 

13x5.00-6 The six at the end is the diameter of the wheel. The first two numbers aren't inch measurements, they are aspect ratios so you won't actually measure 13" or 5".

Two tires, shipped, 43 bucks. https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Carlisle...809278&hash=item4d7afce7ce:g:M0sAAOSwORRbfZiJ Best to search around for best price. If you're going to use chains I'd look into getting some "X" chains.

If you replace the tires remember to get the stems replaced when you have the tires done. I've always done my own tires and I finally broke down last year when I needed to do some trailer tires and bought a pair of the cheap Harbor Freight tire spoons. Makes it so much easier and safer since they don't have the sharp edged of big screwdrivers or pry bars. https://www.harborfreight.com/24-inch-general-purpose-tire-iron-93230.html


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## Paxonator (Sep 9, 2018)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> If you're getting new tires why would you tube them ?? To me it's tube or new tires not both. And in most cases if your tires are needing tubes they likely are needing to be replaced. If you have good tread and no cracks in the sidewalls then you can use "Slime" and it will give you an extra year or two maybe more. Worked for me when I actually had some rear 20x10x8s leaking through the sidewall. They were in bad shape but at the time I didn't want to replace them. They finally got so bad even the slime started to leak through
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sorry for the confusion but I am doing tires or tubes, not both. I actually just was looking a little closer and the one tire already has a tube in it. 

Nice price on those tires but I'm from Canada. By the time they add shipping and exchange rate they're more mo ey unfortunately. I picked up a tube today to fix the bad tire. 

I gotta order tire spoons at some point as well. Thanks for the suggestion. 

I'll report back once I get the tube in.


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## Paxonator (Sep 9, 2018)

*UPDATE*

So I bought a new tube at a local tire shop. Picked up some tire spoons from amazon. With very little swearing and donyboy's video I got the tube into the new tire and blown up. The hardest part was getting the tire back on the rim. Probably took maybe 20-30 minutes including consulting the video. Thanks for all the help, I'll use the blower for the season and see how i like it. Then be on the search for a toro, ariens, or honda used for my upgrade.


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

I found this thread too late to mention that you only need to break one bead to add tubes to those wheels. Remove the tubeless stem with a wood chisel then lube the bead/rim with silicone spray. With just a little TLC you can work the tube in, inflate and go.


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## Paxonator (Sep 9, 2018)

Spectrum said:


> I found this thread too late to mention that you only need to break one bead to add tubes to those wheels. Remove the tubeless stem with a wood chisel then lube the bead/rim with silicone spray. With just a little TLC you can work the tube in, inflate and go.


I honestly tried for a bit with only one bead broken and was struggling. Popped the other side off and it went much smoother after that. Keep in mind this is the first time I've ever done anything like this before.


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