Foam filled tires ??

[Bibbyman]

We are looking at getting a new loader for our sawmill.  One option we are considering is having the tires foam filled.

I like the idea of them being puncture proof.  But what other advantages (add weight??),  or disadvantages (rougher ride,  more likely to damage tire if you run up on something hard - like a chunk of blocking)?

[Bro. Noble]

Bibb,

Are you talking about fluid for weight or sealent to stop leaks.  with fluid you have a lot better traction and stability  but it has to be pumped out to change or repair the tire.  You would probably have a tire service come out to do this anyway so it wouldn't be a big problem.

The sealent is pretty expensive for enough to do any good on loader-sized tires.  Unless there is a product I don't know about,  you wouldn't be using enough to add enough weight to make a difference.  

Some of these tires are tubeless and use a big O-ring to seal them.  unless you use a sealer you might always have slow leaks.  Fluid filled tires would probably stop this kind of leaking too.

Noble

[Bibbyman]

Well,  no,  not fluid or sealant.  I'm talking solid fill with a rubber like material that would displace all the air in the tire.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

A guy at the farm show had a skid steer tire that was filled, Had it cut away so you could see the fill. It was not solid, more like firm foam rubber so it would still have some give.

He said you brought him the tires on rims and he sent them out for filling. I should have asked him how you change one when it wore out. Probably need a sawzall! I did not get pricing.

Hope this helps a little.

[Ron Wenrich]

We looked at having our tires foam filled.  $600/tire, if I recall.  The ride is rough.  You will lose the bouce that you have with the rubber tire.  OK for wet weather but a real gut wrencher in the winter.

When the tires wear out, they have to be cut off the rim.  

I'll have to ask the loader operator tomorrow on the details.  I know he didn't want them foam filled.  He was in on the pricing and such.

[Jeff]

Why Bib? do you have a lot of puncture hazards laying around your mill? We have 7 W-14 case loaders right now. None of those, or none of the previous loaders have ever had loaded tires. We have a flats, but not very often. Usually we plug them ourselves and they go another 5 thousand hours.

[dan-l-b]

Dedicated tracks--no flats, reasonable comfort, $2600 a set  My takeuchi 126 is a 7000lb skid steer on tracks with power and stability that is astonishing.  I will try to post a pic tomorrow.

[RMay]

Bibbyman it works on farm tractors of you have it in thorns . Look at doing the front tires a 750-16 tire is $100.00 but you can run it to the core with out a flat .

[Bibbyman]

The loader we are looking at only weights 10,000 lbs so the extra 600 lbs of weight down low may help make it less tipsy.   Plus we are planning to use it on the farm where we there are a lot of thorns and other hazards.

Terex TX51-19

[dan-l-b]

That's not a LOADER.  That's an All-Terrain fork lift with telescoping boom!!!! Super exciting.  Hey, Bibbyman, you may want to check with dealer and/or Terex.  These are a different animal and foam filled tires may change load ratings and stability.  Good luck.  DAN

[dan-l-b]

Hey Bibbyman, If you get the T-Rex, I have a general purpose bucket (new) that may work on that machine.  Would work you a reeeeallllly good deal.

[Don P]

Those things are sure handy . I've even used the out on the boom to unstick a semi when it was too greasy for either of us to get traction to do it any other way. Be careful, with boom out, they are most stable on their side. I put Michelle in a work basket down the day Big Blue got blown over at the Brewer's stadium. A roofer smashed my power planer by nosediving one, extending out overloaded . A neighbor with thorn problems filled his tractor fronts, it worked but I noticed he didn't rush off and do it on the new tractor. They do get torn up more by rocks and stuff they would otherwise deform over.

[dewwood]

Bibbyman,

I have foam filled tires on my 8000 lb. capacity forklift and they work great.  They are a little spongy so they have the feel of a tire with air not like the hard rubber tires on a lot of forklifts.  It will get around pretty good as long as you are on reasonably solid ground, but get it on grass or some other soft ground and it will go down.  The one you are looking at would not have that problem with the larger tires, it looks like a very nice outfit and I am sure would be real handy.

I don't know how it would run on the road, my forklift goes fine on the road but only about 8 to 10 miles an hour.  

Good luck with your decision.

Dewey

[Frank_Pender]

I have found that there is extra stress  put on the rim lugs when there is either fluid or foam in tires with loaders.  Careful b
Bib.  I have put cracks all the way around from hole to hole on two rims.   Just by good fortune, did I see the cracks.

[dan-l-b]

Here is the picture
omised.

[Bibbyman]

Frank,
You don't have to have the tires loaded to break out the rims.  We cracked the bolt pattern out of both front wheels on our AGCO-Allis 4660 with FWA twice and re-welded them.  

When they busted the third time we had new centers made up by a machine shop.  The old bolt centers were cut out and new centers welded in.  At twice the thinckness, they have been holding.  Just a clue that we are over using the farm tractor and loader.

[Tagerts_crossing]

  Bibbyman,  The only problem I have seen with the foam in tires is when they get a air pocket in them, after awile they will break down (not very often).  The foam will not stick to the rim if you ever wear the tire out.  We use a band saw to cut down to the bead and pry off, some bigger tires need to use sawzall on bead. We use on every thing from forklifts and yard trucks to golf carts. The tires on that lift look like 10-12 ply so they are tuff and may not need it, but if you have tire problems in your use don't be afraid to do it.  It works in my case.  John

[jokers]

I had the front tires on my 1720 Ford filled with urethane foam because they kept going flat from thorns. Cost was about $90 each everywhere I checked for a 7x14 tire and each wheel now weighs an extra 75 pounds. I use this little tractor for all kinds of stuff it probably wasn`t meant for and I haven`t had a problem with the foamed wheels or the tractor itself. I`ve had the foam in for a year and a half now. One thing is for sure though, it is rough on the lawn when I cross it, those tires don`t give at all, but it does give a more surefooted feel when travelling with the loader maxed out full. Russ

[Frank_Pender]

I learned fast too, Bibbyman.  I had a machinest friend of mine do the same sort of thing by placing a 3/8s ring and reset the bolt pattern after filling in the previous pattern.  ZIt never broke again.