# Tire Flat



## EnjoyLife (May 26, 2015)

I filled up my bathtub and found out that I have a sidewall crack in my tire. (Apparently, the guy who sold me the unit on craigslist pumped up the flat tire and sold it to me like this.)

It's 2 very small holes (cracks?). After pumping up the tire, it takes about a day for the tire to go flat again so the holes are small. Would it be possible to use silicone adhesive? Would it hold?

I guess I can get a tire patch kit but I wanted to know if this cheaper solution would work.


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

You could use a tube or that green slime stuff as well. If it is cracked from dry rot a normal patch won't do too much good as another spot will likely crack.


----------



## EnjoyLife (May 26, 2015)

This is perfect. Thanks!

Going to go get some. I was about to re-tube it but the slime seems the better way to go.




Shryp said:


> You could use a tube or that green slime stuff as well. If it is cracked from dry rot a normal patch won't do too much good as another spot will likely crack.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G_HQMbb5tU


----------



## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

id just go get a $10 tube and be done with it. if the goop doesnt fix it, and you end up putting a tube in anyway......you could be in for one messy job.


----------



## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

+1 get a tube and be done with it.


----------



## EnjoyLife (May 26, 2015)

Hate that you said that! The slime seems so easy and retubing seems so hard. =(

Thanks for the advice though. I'll have to think about this one.



nwcove said:


> id just go get a $10 tube and be done with it. if the goop doesnt fix it, and you end up putting a tube in anyway......you could be in for one messy job.


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

The green slime is suppose to be water soluble and easy to wash out. Though to clean it well you will most likely need to completely disassemble the wheel vs just breaking the bead on 1 side.


----------



## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

nwcove said:


> id just go get a $10 tube and be done with it. if the goop doesnt fix it, and you end up putting a tube in anyway......you could be in for one messy job.


I agree. You should check to see if Carlisle makes Snow hog tires that will fit on your rims. They are much better than the turf tires found on the older machines.


----------



## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

GustoGuy said:


> I agree. You should check to see if Carlisle makes Snow hog tires that will fit on your rims. They are much better than the turf tires found on the older machines.


Or check to see if Xtrac tires are available to match your snowblower tire size, which will be even better. :smiley-confused009: :smiley-confused009: :smiley-confused009:


----------



## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

i have to admit, i used slime on my toro 1232 rear tires on my lawn tractor and they have held their are for a little over a year now, but those only had minor cracking in the tread, not large sidewall cracks like your describing. i would just do it right and throw in some tubes. i have a feeling im going to regret using slime when i do finally have to put tubes in anyways, because i know slimes not going to work forever


----------



## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

just slap some new rubber in the corners and call it a day. cracks in the sidewall will compound bigger problems down that snowy road.:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

If you're going to keep it and it's going to be a "daily driver" for your snow removal needs I'd be looking at replacing them. I'd be looking for a craigslist free blower or a cheap one just for the tires or go new if the unit is in good shape and you think you'll get you're use out of them.


----------



## EnjoyLife (May 26, 2015)

I'm tending to use the slime. I'm kinda afraid of trying to replace the tube since I've never done it before. Watching the video, it looks like a lot of work.

And, since it's a snow blower, it's not like the tire is going to get a lot of use, right? Maybe 5 times a season?




Kiss4aFrog said:


> If you're going to keep it and it's going to be a "daily driver" for your snow removal needs I'd be looking at replacing them. I'd be looking for a craigslist free blower or a cheap one just for the tires or go new if the unit is in good shape and you think you'll get you're use out of them.


----------



## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

it really not a hard job. all you do is pop your bead, pull the tire bead over the rim with screwdriver, shove in your tube and pull your tire bead onto the rim. really its only a 10-15 minute job if you know what you are doing


----------



## RuthSwanson (Feb 18, 2017)

Get the other tube.


----------



## Vermont007 (Mar 29, 2015)

RuthSwanson said:


> Get the other tube.


Reminds me of that old saying . . . . *"If the shoe fits, then go back and buy the other one !"*
Meanwhile, if you just have a couple of pinhole leaks, a couple seconds worth of "Fix a Flat" squirted into the tire while its under inflated will seal it up from the inside. The latex in "Fix a Flat" will remain a liquid, and only seal when it finds the leak.

It's true that at high speeds, this latex can produce an out-of balance condition; but that's hardly a problem with a snowblower. I keep an aerosol can around for small tasks like this, and I've never had to use a whole can for any one tire; just a teaspoon or so will coat the inside of a snowblower tire.


----------



## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

You can try the slime but I'd bring it to a tire store and have them tube it. Fix a flat may work. You can also put a patch on the inside. Bike shops sell something called a boot. You can also get a bad tube from the bike shop, cut it, glue it with vulcanizing glue, tire shop should lather some on for you for free.


----------



## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

Cracks never seal good with slime...retube. I buy the tubes at Tractor Supply, and my local tire guy puts them in for 5 bucks


----------



## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

I love tire slime but it doesn't always work with dry rot cracks, I say use the tube and have a tire place put it in if it's a bit much for ya, should only be $5 or so.


----------



## Sid (Jan 31, 2014)

Don't these PITA jobs happen when your at the EOD, and it is so hard to drag it back to fix?
Ted Turner in a story he wrote some time back said "do it while you think about it.
Sid


----------



## JayzAuto1 (Jul 25, 2016)

+39 on the tube idea....If you think it's "tough" to install a tube, wait until you try to install a tube in a tire filled with vomit. If you don't have time to do it correctly, where will you find the time to do it AGAIN?? If it's a machine you just bought and intend to keep it, just throw tires on it. Treat it nice and it will treat you nice. Your last thought, before dragging the machine backwards, up the hill, to the garage, in a blinding snowstorm, After seeing a trail of what appears to green slime in the snow, will be, "Gee, I now wish I listened to the guys on SBF and did it correctly the first time........when I had time, it wasn't snowing, it was warm and the wheel would come off. Now it's frozen on the axle. Ooh Boy.

GLuck, Jay


----------

