With all the mesquite, I can't keep front tractor tires inflated to save my life...

Slime helps, but isn't foolproof.

Looking online, there's a couple of decent options:

1) Foam filled tires - Pros: no flats, heavy, lasts for-dangnear-ever. Cons: lousy ride, cut 'em off or replace the wheel and tire when they're worn, cannot change "pressure" for different operating conditions. If I went this route, I'd start with brand new tires, so it's quite the investment ($100+ each for tires plus $150 each to foam).

2) Aircraft tires - Pros: ???. Cons: ???. I don't know anything about them but I'm hoping that a few Ags are familiar with them since their website says "Much of Gensco's early business began helping farmers and ranchers in Texas combat mesquite and huisache thorns."

Thoughts on the aircraft tires? Other recommendations?

Tractor in question is a Deere 5055D (2wd) with a FEL. Recommended tire size is 7.50-16.

I had aircraft tires on the front of a Case 830 that I sold a while back. They worked great but I only had them for about a year.

My current method is one gallon of slime in each front tire in the spring and that lasts me through most of the summer. I do have to put air in the tires once in a while. Once I get too many holes I get new tires. This is every few years. Since a gallon of Slime is $26.00, there is a point where you can be spending too much on Slime.

I have rubber lugged front tires on a four wheel drive little tractor, so I cannot put aircraft tires on it, or I would.

^^Edit... It is not that I "cannot", it is that I would lose any grip my front tires get going up hills, which is a large part of the time. My tractor is a John Deere 990 that I use for spraying mesquites.

Those old aircraft tires are something ridiculous like 22 ply, so they will hold a lot of weight and resist punctures. On the down side, they are stiff as a board, and your tire guy will hate you. Also, they don't have deep grooves, so they may really suck as steering tires. Don't know if I'd like that on a loader.

We use some on an auger wagon. Basically a two wheel trailer that we load with up to 24,000 pounds of grain. Obviously, steering or traction is not a concern. They just have to roll and hold a crapton of weight.

We did kinda like gottaride except we put the liners INSIDE the tire. It seems to break the thorns as they try to go through.Need to go to a place that sells and repairs tractor tires, they should even know what you are talking about have them on my 4020 and no problems!!

Talked to Gensco. They do have an 18-ply aircraft tire that is capped with a traditional three-rib tread. They're steep at $218 each plus about $100 to get two shipped to my door.

Gensco rep told me to be cautious of foam filled tires. The foam is pretty dense and doesn't absorb impact well. Said he's seen where guys have hit stuff pretty hard and the load transfers into the hub and axle causing damage. Hadn't thought of that and don't know that it's much of a problem.

Another option is a 14-ply vehicle tire I can get locally for $140 and go the sealant route again.

Mesquites = Foam in my opinion. How often do you use the tractor for other applications?

It's the only tractor I own, so I use it for everything I need a tractor for.

I have used all of the methods mentioned. Aircraft tires work fine,but they don't absorb bounce any better than the foam filled ones do. There is a company in SA off of WW White that puts what they call "soft fill" foam. Still will bounce you around, but no worse than airplane tires. Also, when the airplane does,go flat, your tire,man will probably tell you to find someone else. I put "Multi Seal" in them, and it works well until the valve stem gets knocked off.

I use the 16 ply tires for the rear tires...so far, no problems with thorns--deer horns don't care how many plies you have. I'll post the name of the tire foam guy in a few...think he is an Ag, too.


And just like that, I called them and they are closed !

We've cleared a lot of land that consisted almost solely of mesquite. Used aircraft tires on the front of a 4440 to rake brush. Totally used up several sets. They are a good option. They come mounted on a rim already. We pulled the original tires off the tractor and simply bolted on the aircraft tires. Never had any flats, just simply used them until we would grind a set up driving over wood. Buy another tire and go again.

I use the aircraft tires, and they come with the wheel for your particular tractor. They lasted about 3 years before just wearing out.

Foam didn't work well for me. The tires wore off of the foam after about 2 years and I ended up running on the foam only. Rough ride either way.

You didn't mention it, but I started getting Rear Logging tires which are something like 14-18 ply and last much longer than the normal 10-12 ply.

Todd 02 said:

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It's the only tractor I own, so I use it for everything I need a tractor for.

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then i guess its what you hate more.....rough rides or fixing flats??

Todd 02 said:

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With all the mesquite, I can't keep front tractor tires inflated to save my life...

Slime helps, but isn't foolproof.

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Todd,

Been there, brother, and foamed tires seemed like the ticket to a damn hard ride on me and the tractor.

So, a buddy clued me in to this stuff:

Puncture Control Compound

I buy it by the gallon locally at Landscape Supply in Waco for about $40, but you can order it on the 'net, too. I've had a bunch of mesquite thorns in those tires, and this stuff seals them up very quickly.

Every several months I add a little, and that does the trick. It's advertised to seal up to 1/8", and I'd say that's about right.

I've also had my eye on this stuff:

UltraSeal XHD

which claims to seal punctures up to 1/2". How it can seal a puncture that big seems hard for me to believe, but that is the claim.

I've also looked at some steel-belted 12-ply tires I could mount on tractor rims, but they weren't ribbed, and I knew that steering would be negatively impacted so I passed.

Good luck. I'm just about done eradicating many acres of mesquite, and I don't miss those things one damn bit!

Brush Country Ag said:

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I have used all of the methods mentioned. Aircraft tires work fine,but they don't absorb bounce any better than the foam filled ones do. There is a company in SA off of WW White that puts what they call "soft fill" foam. Still will bounce you around, but no worse than airplane tires. Also, when the airplane does,go flat, your tire,man will probably tell you to find someone else. I put "Multi Seal" in them, and it works well until the valve stem gets knocked off.

I use the 16 ply tires for the rear tires...so far, no problems with thorns--deer horns don't care how many plies you have. I'll post the name of the tire foam guy in a few...think he is an Ag, too.


And just like that, I called them and they are closed !

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I have a hay buggy with tires filled from that place. O'Malleys if it is still called that.

When I bought the buggy, it came with the cheapest possible car tires on it. I had a flat on day ONE and dont feel like I even went near any mesquites. The stuff has lasted about 20 years. It definitely flattens out between hay feeding seasons. But when I start using the buggy, the flat spots reduce to a size that I can still use the buggy to haul round bales. They also warn you not to go over 40 mph.

Go across the street from O'Malleys for some decent Jalapeno Fried Chicken at Radickes Bluebonnet Grill.... all the utility folks go there.... CPS, telephone company, plumbers, electricians, etc.

And never go there at night.