Changing your own tires plus tube costs..Just spent way too much$$$$

plasticweld · April 19, 2011, 04:50:26 PM

I just got done paying $546 to have a tired changed, flat in the tube. it cost me $230 for a Forstery Special tube and the difference was the service call. Kind of shocked me the last time it was about $275 to fix a tire. Anyone else changing their own tires? I have got start doing it myself at these prices. What do In need to do the job? the fronts loaded on both machines and where is the best place to get replacement tubes and needed tools to break down the tire and repair..Bob

bill m · April 19, 2011, 04:55:28 PM

Gemplers has tools, I'm not sure about tubes.

plasticweld · April 19, 2011, 05:03:08 PM

It looks like they have plenty of stuff for doing truck tires but I did not see anything that would take a skidder tire off the bead. I also have no idea which bars I should order as there are many to chose from

snowstorm · April 19, 2011, 05:18:00 PM

bought a new one last winter they mounted it for free. the tube was $150 600-55-26.5 one time i bought a new tube mounted the tire it leaked tube was weak pulled apart. took it back he gave me another one we blew that one up and i pulled that one apart. he wouldnt let me touch the trird one

Bobus2003 · April 19, 2011, 05:18:17 PM

I have a 10# Sledge, and a Pair of 6' Duckbill Bars, and a Little pump for the fluid (Can pump in/out of the tube, using a 5 gallon Bucket).. Then it just takes some time.. I have done my 440 tires many times, including when i bought new tires.

As for tubes, I just go to goodyear and they order them for me @ $125 each 18.4/26 tires

thecfarm · April 19, 2011, 05:38:09 PM

Find a differant tire changer? I only have a tractor but had trouble with both tires. Tube and they pumped out the fluid and service charge was $170 per tire. I realize the tubes are smaller but that still seems high for labor/sevice call. This is a small shop in a small town. Drive by the place it does not look like much. But they do good work.

timbuck2 · April 19, 2011, 07:00:13 PM

New Goodyear tube 16.9x30 tire broken down and all fixed up for $200, at the tire shop, in December.

sandhills · April 19, 2011, 09:50:22 PM

If you have access to a little used 7/8" sucker rod, a torch, and an anvil you can easily make your own irons and make them to the length/shape of your choice. Even the short tire irons will make you scream when you see the price. As far as fixing goes, I've never done it on a skidder but have on a lot of large tractor rears, which I'm sure are softer but if the repair shop can do it no reason you can't. Have good hydraulic jacks and use them and gravity as much as possible to your benefit, sounds contradictory but just pay close attention to someone who does this everyday, it takes a lot of the work out mounting and dismounting heavy tires. There are hydraulic bead breakers but they are pricey and if this is something you'd only do a few times a year (or less) you can get a mechanical version such as a "Bead Cheata" I don't know if that one would work on a harder forestry tire but I'm sure someone here does and will correct me if not. As far as the pump for the fluid I'm still working on that myself but think I have a good cheap solution, wanna try it first though

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Bobus2003 · April 19, 2011, 10:14:25 PM

If you have access to a Knuckle-boom loader, or a Skid-steer with grapple or bucket they can be used to help break the bead..

barbender · April 19, 2011, 11:51:50 PM

I've gotten two flats the little bit I ran my skidder this winter (forestry tires) I can't afford to run this thing for hobby use, I was quoted prices similar to plasticweld for repair. These are both slow leaks, air up in the morning and run all day, sometimes one or the other is flat in the morning. That's why I was wondering about Slime or some commercial sealant in another thread. All these slow leaks would kill me. The thing I don't understand is, another machine I was using before I got this one, I ran off and on for 3 winters and I never had a flat. :

thecfarm · April 20, 2011, 07:07:13 AM

Probaly different people have different ways of doing thing,but this guy kept the wheel-tire on the tractor the whole time.

Autocar · April 20, 2011, 08:40:46 AM

I change my own skidder tires [ 24.5 x 32, 16 or 20 ply ] I use my Prentice grapple to bust the bead then squeeze the tire togather and then jack her up a little more and the squeezed tire falls into the deepest cruve of the rim. Then I pry it off the bottom of the rim, keep the valve stim on top and back in the rim hole to put back togather. And I use alot of Palmolive dish washing liquid on the edge of the rim and the tire bead. As I air it up if it dosen't seat compleatly on the rim I drive it [ bang it ] up against a tree where it isn't seated and that has worked for me. Just a word to the wise [ It's still one H of a job my yourself ]

tyb525 · April 20, 2011, 09:04:55 AM

It's a good idea to coat the tube with talcum power before putting it in, helps prevent creases that could blow it. Also, when you go to inflate it, blow it up to about half the pressure you want, then let all the air out, and blow it up again. This also helps "seat" the tube and prevents stretching and creases.

tlandrum · April 21, 2011, 01:39:35 AM

Quote from: Autocar on April 20, 2011, 08:40:46 AM
I change my own skidder tires [ 24.5 x 32, 16 or 20 ply ] I use my Prentice grapple to bust the bead then squeeze the tire togather and then jack her up a little more and the squeezed tire falls into the deepest cruve of the rim. Then I pry it off the bottom of the rim, keep the valve stim on top and back in the rim hole to put back togather. And I use alot of Palmolive dish washing liquid on the edge of the rim and the tire bead. As I air it up if it dosen't seat compleatly on the rim I drive it [ bang it ] up against a tree where it isn't seated and that has worked for me. Just a word to the wise [ It's still one H of a job my yourself ]

i use this same method with the exact same size tire and brand of loader lol

quietrangr · April 23, 2011, 08:04:28 AM

I take my own 23.1x26 tires off by myself. I get the tire off, break the bead with my forwarder loader clam, then use a combination of two tire irons and the clam to get the tire and tube off. This usually involves lifting the tire a couple of feet off the ground and letting gravity help get the second side off, then it just falls on the ground. Then I load the whole works in my pickup and haul it to the tire place where they charge me about $50 to remount it. If I need a new tube, it's about $130 extra. I can go years without a flat tire.

Don_Papenburg · April 24, 2011, 09:25:55 AM

Plastic , you need a bunch of sizes depending on tire access . The one that you need to make has a tophat profile . Makes remounting go better also. get about two of each spoon in the sizes you need medium length to about 36" and a set of shorty spoons . The Bead Cheeta is a good tool but there are times I wish I had two of them also. A couple pair of Vice grips will be handy to hold the tire in possition . I was thinking that a 20# air hammer would be good for me ,with a wide spade bit . That way I could break the inside bead on the inside dual on my farm tractors.

I kinda like the way bobus does his tire changing , lays the skidder over on its side.