Country Lore: Avoid Flat Mower Tires

These foam-filled tires will stay firm forever.

April/May 2009
By Michael Barkley 
foam tire
Image Gallery
Foam-filled mower tires resist punctures and stay inflated forever.
MICHAEL BARKLEY
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

I grew tired of having to air up the tires on my riding lawn mower each time I used it. I tried “Slime” tire sealant, but with all the holes these tires had in them, the tires still went flat.

RELATED CONTENT

Then, I had the hairbrained idea of “foaming” the tires. It worked great.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Purchase at least two cans of minimal expanding rigid foam.
  2. Jack up the mower.
  3. Drill a hole just large enough for the canned foam’s spray tube. I turned the tire/wheel assembly so the valve stem was at the top, and then drilled the hole in the center tread of the tire itself. I removed the valve stem insert as well.
  4. Insert the tube into the tire and spray the foam into the tire. Watch for foam to start exiting the valve stem area; the foam will just have about filled the tire by that time. This also allows any air in the tire to exit. Replace the valve stem insert and cap to keep the foam from exiting.
  5. Keep filling the tire. Do this until the foam starts to exit the hole you drilled.
  6. Allow the foam-filled tire to remain jacked up for a few days to make sure the foam has cured.

After a couple of mowings, the tire softened up some and started to get a flat spot when it sat for a few days. To remedy that, I filled the tire with more foam.

Even if I have to do this a few times, eventually I think the foam will be compressed to a certain point where it will not compress anymore.

If you don’t want to do all this, there are tire shops that will fill tires for you.

Michael Barkley
Calera, Oklahoma

Here’s more information regarding foam-filled tires from Ken Burner’s Small Tractor FAQ website. — Mother

“Urethane foam can be substituted for air in a tractor tire. Foam is available in several densities which approximate different inflation pressures. This is popular with construction equipment, but useful for small tractors, as well. It is expensive: $40 or more for a small tire. Foam-filled tires are several times heavier than air-filled tires. Foam-filled tires are harder on a tractor’s steering mechanism than air-filled tires, since there is less “give” to the foam. Finally, foam filling does not make a thin tire stronger; in fact, it may put more stress on a tire than it was designed to withstand — resulting in a shredded tire with nothing to support the foam. So, this process is recommended only for heavy-duty tires. Most industrial tire dealers provide this service.”

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

  • Michael 4/24/2009 4:52:05 PM

    Just fill them with water cant get any cheaper than that and most wholes are to small for the water to come through.
    I have used this in my mower tire for over two years I have to rewater them once a year but they wouldnt hold air at all when I started I us air to boost the pressure the las 2inchs in the tire.

  • J_R_S 4/22/2009 2:26:56 PM

    Places like Harbor Freight and the bigger hardware and feed stores sell *solid* tires that never go flat. They make them in many sizes to fit small mowers/tractors. They usually cost less than buying the foam to do it yourself.

  • r klaumann 4/22/2009 1:25:06 PM

    what type of foam ??? the spray kind as in insulation called aahhhh"greatstuff" ???

  • koibuff 3/31/2009 6:00:30 AM

    Certainly, installing a tube can repair the flat. In my case, tubes are punctured soon as well. The foam filled tires were the best option for me. For sure, weigh all your options, prior to implementing a solution.

  • Chuck 3/23/2009 7:32:34 PM

    Why not just put a tube in the tire.. I did and no more flats.

Add Your Comment

Please note that there is currently a problem with the comments function and your comment may or may not post successfully. We are working to correct the problem and thank you for your patience. 

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Mother Earth News readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Mother Earth News?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.