New tire appears thinner than size indicates. Will it inflate to proper size?

[Mac29]

Embarrassingly simply question: Bought a 15 x 6.00 - 6HNS tire (and wheel) for my Craftsman LT2000 and the replacement shows same size but it measures half an inch thinner. I presume it's not fully inflated. Will it inflate to be a true 6" wide? I ask b/c once I unwrap the plastic I'm uncertain I can return it. It's a Carlisle turf saver.

Thank you,

Mac

 

[MParr]

Normally, it's best to buy in pairs.
You will get it close to the correct size by inflating to maximum pressure printed on the sidewall, and setting it out in the sun for a few hours. After mounting it on the mower, lower the pressure to the recommended psi.

 

[Mac29]

Thanks very much MParr. Looked odd.

 

[jes_in_sac]

It sounds like you are going to mount it yourself. I would strongly suggest a mini-tire changer from Harbor Freight. You'd think that small tires would be easy, but they aren't. When I put some lugged snow-blower tires on my mower [I got tired of all the flats], I took them to a tire shop, and they charged me $10. It took them over an hour, lots of bad words, and was the hardest $10 they ever earned, because they didn't have the right tools for small tires. Since then, I bought the mini-tire changer, and it's fairly easy. I just clamp it in my big bench vise, and work on it there. And plan on plenty of tire lube... I use 50:50 dish soap and water in a spray bottle. With all the small tires on the farm, it's been well used.

 

[Freddie21]

I agree with Jes, it saves a lot of time and trouble, but still not that easy. I enlist the help of my wife to get the second bead on. She loves it. Last tires I ordered came in a box about 3" tall and they were smashed flat in the plastic. I ended up putting them in a WARM oven to soften and still could not get the beads to pop on. Took them to a repair shop where they had the blaster tank.

 

[jes_in_sac]

Yep... some of those beads don't want to seat enough to pop it up and over the rim. I've had a strap wrapped around a tire until it compressed the tread all the way down into the rim. I've clamped a piece of hose on the stem, going to a ball valve, feeding directly from the compressor tank, for the large volume quick blast to seat the bead. It's such a satisfying sound when it pops into place. Sometimes you need to find where it's leaking by, and temporarily stuff something into that gap to hinder the air flow enough for the bead to push out. Small tires can definitely be a challenge, and nearly impossible without the right tools.

 

[rhkraft]

I assume the tire is mounted on the wheel (rim). They squeeze out some air to reduce the volume of the package for storage and shipping. The squeezing results in the beads being close together and makes it more difficult to air them and seat the beads. I usually have wrap a ratchet tie-down arounfd the tread to force out the beads to the rim to make pressurizing easier. Once the beads seats, remove the tie-down strap and air to the inflation recommended on the tire side wall. If you get lots of flats due thorns, etc. , buy a 2 or 4 ply trailer tire of the same size. They are a bugger to mount, be you will never get another flat because the side wall is strong enough to hold the mower up. Unfortunately, only available for front wheels. I was the manager of a national wildlife refuge and we mowed trails through wooded areas with lots of thorns. I had my employees switch to trailer tires, it works!

 

[Mac29]

Ah, sorry for the late reply. I actually bought the tire on a wheel as I anticipated issues with mounting. Although I'm not bad at simple mechanical problems. Cost was negligible. You can count the tread things and see it is the same tire but even after mowing once it's not as flat as the left. Should eventually look like a match. Now I think I just need a fresh belt,unless you can adjust the tension coming from the deck.

That brake pedal on the left thought, wow. Long travel no matter where the seat is.

 

[Freddie21]

Belt tensioning on electric PTO mowers are usually spring loaded idler wheels with no adjustment. Manual PTO models the belts are loose until engaged and a spring loaded idler is brought into place, again, no adjustment. If belt is good, I would check\replace the idler spring. Also verify all pulleys are turning easily and quietly.

 

[Auto Doc's]

Embarrassingly simply question: Bought a 15 x 6.00 - 6HNS tire (and wheel) for my Craftsman LT2000 and the replacement shows same size but it measures half an inch thinner. I presume it's not fully inflated. Will it inflate to be a true 6" wide? I ask b/c once I unwrap the plastic I'm uncertain I can return it. It's a Carlisle turf saver.

Thank you,

Mac

Hello Mac29,

Mount the tire on the rim with a new valve stem, then put a ratchet strap around the tire in the middle of the tread, sinch it down a little. Pull the tire valve center stem out and apply slight air pressure to seat the bead. Tighten the strap down slowly until the bead seats. As the bead seats, release the strap and put the valve core in quickly. Pump the tire up to the correct pressure then check for leaks using soap water.

Why do the tires seem mashed thin?

The tires come in crates from the original manufacturers in mass quantities, stacked on their sides and they get flattened by weight over time the longer they sit. Then the seller individually boxes them to send them out.