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Front ZT Tire Flat

#1

shurguywutt

shurguywutt

I inflate my front tires to about 22 psi and check them every few mows. I noticed the other day that the left front tire has been going flat and the other holds pressure. I have not seen any evidence of a puncture or hear hissing noise when I air it up. Could the seam be leaking? What should I do to fix this or is it even worth fixing if I can take 2 mins to air it before I mow. They are tubeless tires.


#2

ILENGINE

ILENGINE

The small front tires on Z turn are notorious for leaking around the beads. Sometimes the use of bead sealant can help but for long term the use of a tube is the best outcome.


#3

M

MParr

Take the wheel off. Air it up to operating pressure and dunk it in a bucket of water. You will find the leak. If it’s not leaking around the rim, you might be able to plug it. If it’s leaking around the bead area, put a tube in it.


#4

StarTech

StarTech

I prefer to use soapy water in a spray bottle here that way I don't expose the wheel bearing to excessive water. Now if no leak found and I know they are leaking down then it is a water dunk as I had a couple with rim weld leaks but this very rare.


#5

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

I know a few people who've put the Flat free hard tires on their front Z turn wheels, i don't like it as the front end is alot bouncier than with regular tires. Like IL said, i think a tube is the best long term solution.


#6

M

MParr

StarTech said:
I prefer to use soapy water in a spray bottle here that way I don't expose the wheel bearing to excessive water. Now if no leak found and I know they are leaking down then it is a water dunk as I had a couple with rim weld leaks but this very rare.
Click to expand...
I should have been more clear. He doesn’t need to submerge the entire wheel assembly. He only needs to submerge the rim edge and tire. Pay special attention to the valve stem.


#7

shurguywutt

shurguywutt

Scrubcadet10 said:
Like IL said, i think a tube is the best long term solution.
Click to expand...
I'd like to put a tube in it but I dont have a tire tool/stand to do it. I heard the front ZT tires are a bear.


#8

M

MParr

shurguywutt said:
I'd like to put a tube in it but I dont have a tire tool/stand to do it. I heard the front ZT tires are a bear.
Click to expand...
An independent tire shop, outdoor sports shop, or mower shop should be able to help you out. It will cost you less to have it done than to buy a new tire and have it mounted.


#9

shurguywutt

shurguywutt

Had a chance to examine it more. The front tires actually have tubes in them already. I sprayed it with soapy water and I did not see any bubbles. I know its not best practice but since it has a tube and it is a slow leak, I may just try to dose it up with some tire slime and see if that is an easy fix.


#10

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

shurguywutt said:
I'd like to put a tube in it but I dont have a tire tool/stand to do it. I heard the front ZT tires are a bear.
Click to expand...

You're local tire shop can help you with that. Most wouldn't charge more than $10 each to install a tube. (+ the price of the tube)


#11

shurguywutt

shurguywutt

PTmowerMech said:
You're local tire shop can help you with that. Most wouldn't charge more than $10 each to install a tube. (+ the price of the tube)
Click to expand...
I called the local mower shop and they wanted around $25 plus the price of parts. It would also take 2 days! Wowzers!


#12

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

shurguywutt said:
I called the local mower shop and they wanted around $25 plus the price of parts. It would also take 2 days! Wowzers!
Click to expand...

Take it to a tire shop. They're usually cheaper.


#13

N

nacl9163

Try some SLIME. No need to remove tire, just squeeze it in. If that doesn't work, then go to the tube. Have gone this route multiple times.


#14

Tiger Small Engine

Tiger Small Engine

nacl9163 said:
Try some SLIME. No need to remove tire, just squeeze it in. If that doesn't work, then go to the tube. Have gone this route multiple times.
Click to expand...
Bead sealer works great for leaks around the rim/bead, must break bead on both sides, clean and apply sealer.
Berryman’s tire sealer works great for dry rot.
Plugs when it is one or two punctures.
Tubes work fine until you hit a nail, etc., then you have a flat tire that needs to be plugged.
Removing and installing front zero turn tires is very difficult without a tire machine. $20-$25 per tire is about the current going rate.
I use a spray bottle with soapy water to find leaks in tires.


#15

F

Forest#2

The air is evaporating.


#16

B

barny57

shurguywutt said:
I inflate my front tires to about 22 psi and check them every few mows. I noticed the other day that the left front tire has been going flat and the other holds pressure. I have not seen any evidence of a puncture or hear hissing noise when I air it up. Could the seam be leaking? What should I do to fix this or is it even worth fixing if I can take 2 mins to air it before I mow. They are tubeless tires.
Click to expand...
If anything, put a tube in it


#17

S

szl3lm

Had the same issue with one of my front tires, resolved by replacing the valve in the valve stem. Very cheap. Give it a try


#18

shurguywutt

shurguywutt

Tiger Small Engine said:
Bead sealer works great for leaks around the rim/bead, must break bead on both sides, clean and apply sealer.
Berryman’s tire sealer works great for dry rot.
Plugs when it is one or two punctures.
Tubes work fine until you hit a nail, etc., then you have a flat tire that needs to be plugged.
Removing and installing front zero turn tires is very difficult without a tire machine. $20-$25 per tire is about the current going rate.
I use a spray bottle with soapy water to find leaks in tires.
Click to expand...
It was less about the price and more about the 1-2 business days.


#19

shurguywutt

shurguywutt

szl3lm said:
Had the same issue with one of my front tires, resolved by replacing the valve in the valve stem. Very cheap. Give it a try
Click to expand...
I did tighten the valve stem and it seems to be holding air longer now


#20

S

szl3lm

shurguywutt said:
I did tighten the valve stem and it seems to be holding air longer now
Click to expand...
I did the same thing, with no improvement. Sounds to me like you identified your issue?Replace it.


#21

B

Boomer49

I have a Toro 2013 4235 zero turn. The front tires are something like 7" with tubes. I use the following twice a year. I'm SW Fla. I never have flats and you don't have the mess that slime can sometimes make. It does require a removable vale stem. https://www.amazon.com/SStans-NoTub...&qid=1696082892&sprefix=Stan's,aps,109&sr=8-3 I use this injector tube for application. 2oz per tire. https://www.amazon.com/Miotorio-Tub...qid=1696082892&sprefix=Stan's,aps,109&sr=8-29 I also use this in my ebike tires and 🤞 never have flats. One time I hit something that cut my tube and tire. Needed to replace. No tire dunking required.


#22

F

flaing

shurguywutt said:
I inflate my front tires to about 22 psi and check them every few mows. I noticed the other day that the left front tire has been going flat and the other holds pressure. I have not seen any evidence of a puncture or hear hissing noise when I air it up. Could the seam be leaking? What should I do to fix this or is it even worth fixing if I can take 2 mins to air it before I mow. They are tubeless tires.
Click to expand...

Slime Products | Tire Sealant and Repair

Prevent and repair flat tires for up to two years with Slime's tire repair products. Slime offers the best tire sealant, inflators, repair accessories & more.
cf.slime.com cf.slime.com


#23

T

tschwarting

shurguywutt said:
I inflate my front tires to about 22 psi and check them every few mows. I noticed the other day that the left front tire has been going flat and the other holds pressure. I have not seen any evidence of a puncture or hear hissing noise when I air it up. Could the seam be leaking? What should I do to fix this or is it even worth fixing if I can take 2 mins to air it before I mow. They are tubeless tires.
Click to expand...


#24

M

MowManMow

By far the best sealer I found is right here. Slime says 2yrs, this states 10yrs.
I put slime in my original 1976 Wheel Horse AG tires a couple seasons & I kept having to air them up anyway.
I read up on tire sealers & found this "Flat Out". It's been a few yrs since I aired them up after using this. Now being nearly 50yrs old my tires have some big sidewall cracks as one can imagine...lol
I just have my blade/plow on this unit so unless I move snow/dirt/rock/sand it's rarely used. I bought a 32oz bottle and put some in each tire & it worked perfectly. So next season I bought another one for all my other tires, my yard carts China made tires needed air everytime I used it, Ive not aired them up since using flat out. This stuff works for the long run!

FlatOut Tire Sealant Outdoor Power Equipment Formula - with Valve Core Tool - Prevent Flat Tires, Seal Leaks, Contains Kevlar, 1 Gallon https://a.co/d/60cUzAw


#25

B

bertsmobile1

Boomer49 said:
I have a Toro 2013 4235 zero turn. The front tires are something like 7" with tubes. I use the following twice a year. I'm SW Fla. I never have flats and you don't have the mess that slime can sometimes make. It does require a removable vale stem. https://www.amazon.com/SStans-NoTubes-Sealant-Liquid-Ounces/dp/B00159O3NU/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3CQW71CJFGZ97&keywords=stan's+no+tubes+tire+sealant&qid=1696082892&sprefix=Stan's,aps,109&sr=8-3 I use this injector tube for application. 2oz per tire. https://www.amazon.com/Miotorio-Tubeless-Injector-Schrader-Sealants/dp/B08T5P6F31/ref=sr_1_29?crid=3CQW71CJFGZ97&keywords=stan's+no+tubes+tire+sealant&qid=1696082892&sprefix=Stan's,aps,109&sr=8-29 I also use this in my ebike tires and 🤞 never have flats. One time I hit something that cut my tube and tire. Needed to replace. No tire dunking required.
Click to expand...
"Contains Latex" = Slime = Stens tyre sealant = = = = = = =
All of them are water soluable and none of them work particularly well
So perhaps it has some thing in there to prevent rust but basically they are all the same
The only stuff that actually works long time is Tyre Mouse which costs about the same as the tyre
This fills the inside with a cell foam that remains semi flexiable so it covers over the holes
You remove the valve to let the air out then apply it to the tyre , leave it to form the foam the inflate the tyre
Works on sidewalls ( sort of ) if you put the hole up
A handyman customer actually used plumbers foam filler in his tyre that went during a job
Been in there for around 3 years
He had to replace the valve after cleaning the threads but seems to have done the job .


#26

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

flaing said:

Slime Products | Tire Sealant and Repair

Prevent and repair flat tires for up to two years with Slime's tire repair products. Slime offers the best tire sealant, inflators, repair accessories & more.
cf.slime.com cf.slime.com
Click to expand...

Slime is water based. So even if you put it in a tube, it's going to leak out onto the rim and start messing up the paint and causing rust.

It's always best to just fix or replace the tire or tube.


#27

G

gasjr4wd

PTmowerMech said:
You're local tire shop can help you with that. Most wouldn't charge more than $10 each to install a tube. (+ the price of the tube)
Click to expand...
LOL $10?!? Not around here.


#28

G

gasjr4wd

nacl9163 said:
Try some SLIME. No need to remove tire, just squeeze it in. If that doesn't work, then go to the tube. Have gone this route multiple times.
Click to expand...
Slime and the products like it only work with a leak in the tread area. The fluid only rides on the inside on the tread area. With any sidewall, valve stem, etc issues slime does nothing. I can't _get_ to the leak.


#29

G

gasjr4wd

shurguywutt said:
I did tighten the valve stem and it seems to be holding air longer now
Click to expand...
I thought I read it already had a tube in it. How do you "tighten the valve stem"? It's attached to the tube.


#30

shurguywutt

shurguywutt

gasjr4wd said:
I thought I read it already had a tube in it. How do you "tighten the valve stem"? It's attached to the tube.
Click to expand...
It does have a tube. Originally I thought it didn't but after I deflated it to inspect it I found that it did. So I tightened it up. Valve stem core.


#31

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

gasjr4wd said:
LOL $10?!? Not around here.
Click to expand...

That's what I've been paying for the last few. Before that it was $5 to install a tube or dismount & mount a tire.
The cost of living here in south central Arkansas in pretty good. That's one of the reasons I moved here.
It was either here or Mexico.


#32

1

1madmouse

Soapy water best bet. Tube or not, leak will show and you really only need one side off to replace or install a tube. Usually, in my experience, any shop that does motorcycle tires can do a mower wheel.


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