A Lousy Morning
May 23, 2017 10:12:03 #
I towed my old (1969) SkiDoo trailer to Lowe's to get some lumber. When I arrived, I saw that one of the trailer tires was totally flat. My electric tire pump didn't help because the tire had lost its seal with the wheel. Fortunately, I was able to fit the four 8' 2 x 4s, two 4 x 4s, and four concrete blocks into the Fit. I guess I didn't need the trailer, after all. I loaded my car with what I hope is everything I'll need to remove and repair the tire. I won't be able to go back till after 1:00, though. The tires and wheels are only a few years old, so it must have picked up a nail or something on the way in. In all my years of towing, I've never had a trailer tire go flat.
May 23, 2017 10:50:41 #
Tie a tourniquet around the circumference of the tire and tighten it until the tire engages the rim, then pump it up. Note that boat trailer tires may require up to 90 psig and if you only fill it to 25 or 30 psig, a good bump and knock it loose from the rim. Max pressure in the tire sidewall should be guide.
May 23, 2017 10:52:26 #
May 23, 2017 14:08:08 #
May 23, 2017 16:59:17 #
Popeye wrote:
Learn something new every day. Thank you!
Well, It's fixed, and I'm back home. I had a car full of tools, but I didn't need most of them. I got the wheel off and brought it to the local tire place. They reseated it on the rim and inflated it. No nail or leaks anywhere.
May 23, 2017 21:13:26 #
SS319 wrote:
Tie a tourniquet around the circumference of the tire and tighten it until the tire engages the rim, then pump it up. Note that boat trailer tires may require up to 90 psig and if you only fill it to 25 or 30 psig, a good bump and knock it loose from the rim. Max pressure in the tire sidewall should be guide.
Good advice!
May 24, 2017 07:21:42 #
Always one of my concerns when I use my trailer. No spare, no lug wrench. Been lucky so far.
May 24, 2017 07:26:12 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Well, It's fixed, and I'm back home. I had a car full of tools, but I didn't need most of them. I got the wheel off and brought it to the local tire place. They reseated it on the rim and inflated it. No nail or leaks anywhere.
Most tires leak air slowly over the years, so if it hadn't completely deflated this way, it was probably at very low pressure and you hit a bump, as SS319 suggested.
May 24, 2017 13:17:36 #
A way to set a tire is to wrap one of those ratchet straps around the tire and crank it tight till the tire seals. Make sure you have the tire off the ground. Put some air in it and release the strap before fully inflating the tire. Then again there is the trick of putting lighter fluid inside the tire and lighting it off. Puff! Tire expands and is partially inflated, finish inflating.
May 24, 2017 15:21:54 #
paulrph1
Loc: Washington, Utah
SS319 wrote:
Tie a tourniquet around the circumference of the tire and tighten it until the tire engages the rim, then pump it up. Note that boat trailer tires may require up to 90 psig and if you only fill it to 25 or 30 psig, a good bump and knock it loose from the rim. Max pressure in the tire sidewall should be guide.
For the tourniquet use a tie down strap like the ones used to tie a motorcycle to the trailer. MAKE SURE IT is the cinch type so you can cinch it against the rim. Works great and they use it in the tire shops.
May 24, 2017 18:29:07 #
Jerry, all you had to do was jack it up, turn the wheel so that the flat was on the top. All done, now you can drive away; the flat area on the top won't affect you. LOL (I better put that or someone will take me serious).
May 24, 2017 18:42:11 #
I just want to know if anyone has actually tried the lighter fluid inflation "trick" 🙀.
May 24, 2017 20:08:43 #
TriX wrote:
I just want to know if anyone has actually tried the lighter fluid inflation "trick" 🙀.
Never used lighter fluid, but carb cleaner, ether, even an acetylene torch. When your at the race track and can't get a tire on the rim this trick comes in very handy. Just be careful how much of the bang juice you put in before lighting it. And make a trail on the ground and light it from a distance.
May 24, 2017 20:23:49 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Well, It's fixed, and I'm back home. I had a car full of tools, but I didn't need most of them. I got the wheel off and brought it to the local tire place. They reseated it on the rim and inflated it. No nail or leaks anywhere.
That'll teach you to always check the air in your trailer tires because when pneumatic tires just sit for long periods of time they always loose air. Driving it under-inflated then causes the tire to break the bead making it difficult to air back up. Sometimes if you have a tie down ratchet strap you can squeeze it tight around the circumference and cause the bead to push against the rim and allow it to start airing back up. Remove the strap as soon as it starts to take air or it will become very tight and hard to remove. Another way is to use a portable welding or pipe sweating gas inside the tire and igniting it. Do a google search on this before attempting because it makes a loud boom and I suppose any explosion can be dangerous.
I know you already got it fixed, but this is just for future flats should you need an idea or two.
May 25, 2017 18:24:13 #
Ka2azman wrote:
A way to set a tire is to wrap one of those ratchet straps around the tire and crank it tight till the tire seals. Make sure you have the tire off the ground. Put some air in it and release the strap before fully inflating the tire. Then again there is the trick of putting lighter fluid inside the tire and lighting it off. Puff! Tire expands and is partially inflated, finish inflating.
My faux pas I didn't mean lighter fluid but starting fluid.
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