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Hi guys, I have 127e mower and the right left tire always needs to be inflated every week. I've done the soap test, and I don't see any punctures.

Anything else I should look for?

Check around the bead where it contact the rim. Common for smaller lawnmower tires to leak around the bead.

Will do.

Thanks!

Try some tire slim.

They are tubeless. Not sure if you can use slime, but I can try.

Jake in CT said:

They are tubeless. Not sure if you can use slime, but I can try.

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Tubeless tires are what tire slime is recommended for. Worth a try and the less amount of work. Don't know how handy you are at fixing your own tires? But as stated earlier it could be the tire bead in which you will have to break down the tire and reseal it or the stems will also leak. Then also another repair is seeing they are tubeless is to add a tube. Also the option of taking your tire to a tire shop and have it fixed by a pro.

The first thing I would do is remove the wheel from the unit and dunk it in a tube of water. I use a garbage can. This will tell you where the leak is. Just a word of caution on slime. If you use it, make sure that if you take the tire in later for a repair, inform the shop about the slime. We don't like surprises and some places will charge you extra when they find it. That stuff is a pure headache for tire changers.

Check the valve stem. I just had the same problem with my Kubota.

I had the same problem on the right front of my Scag Tiger Cub, finally just changed out the tire and saw a tiny puncture in the tread area on the inside of the tire.
Some of these small tires can be nasty to change, I have to cut them off with a knife, cut the bead wires with a die grinder and use my 20 ton press to hold the bead to get it started onto the rim.:confused2:

I've had several tires that got old and wouldn't hold air, I put a tube in them and that fixed them, you can get tubes at tractor supply, lowes Home Depot etc. just look tire over good to make sure nothing is in it that would poke hole in tube.
I've always been able to break bead on side valve stim is in pull out old stim and work tube up in tire and pull stim thru hole, make sure tube is all way in before you air it up or you will pinch hole in tube.

Depending on the ply rating and rim size and type, it can be impossible to install inner tubes on some.
I was barely able to get inner tubes in the front wheels on my Ingersoll GT, 16x6.5x8.
On my Scag, it was impossible to install an inner tube due to the ply rating of the tire.
Applying non scented talcum powder on the inner tube, the tire interior and the rim interior makes the job much easier. I ran out of the powder that I used on aircraft tires/wheels, but the non scented powder works fine. Then the inner tube can seek its position as it is inflated.

Mad Mackie said:

Depending on the ply rating and rim size and type, it can be impossible to install inner tubes on some.
I was barely able to get inner tubes in the front wheels on my Ingersoll GT, 16x6.5x8.
On my Scag, it was impossible to install an inner tube due to the ply rating of the tire.
Applying non scented talcum powder on the inner tube, the tire interior and the rim interior makes the job much easier. I ran out of the powder that I used on aircraft tires/wheels, but the non scented powder works fine. Then the inner tube can seek its position as it is inflated.

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No such thing as a rim you can not put a tube into, but you are right, some are a lot more difficult than others.
Ply rating makes no difference because all mower tyres are run at low pressures so you can not baloon out the side walls unless you are grossly over inflating the tyres.


back to the original prolem.
Pull the tyre off the rim and check the rim sealing flange for rust and foreign bodies like grass seeds ( amazing where thoes little buggers can get )
Have had some tyres that only leaked when there was side pressure on the tyre due to bad sealing surface on the rim.

The ply rating of a tire has a lot to do with the flexibility or lack thereof in the sidewall.
A stiff tire on a rim with a deep bead area will not have enough of a gap to push an inner tube thru, case in point, the front wheels on Scag Tiger Cubs/Cats!

Jake in CT said:

Hi guys, I have 127e mower and the right left tire always needs to be inflated every week. I've done the soap test, and I don't see any punctures.

Anything else I should look for?

Click to expand...

Mine did the same thing. On the side of the tire where there is a little nipple stamp, is where my tire leaked. I put a tube into it. I believe that it is covered under the warranty, but it is a hour ride to where I purchased it so I went with the tube. My Kohler 27 hp just blew too! The fan on top came loose, engine overheated and now I'm waiting (3weeks so far) for Kubota to replace it. Grass catcher is a P.O.S too!

Mad Mackie said:

The ply rating of a tire has a lot to do with the flexibility or lack thereof in the sidewall.
A stiff tire on a rim with a deep bead area will not have enough of a gap to push an inner tube thru, case in point, the front wheels on Scag Tiger Cubs/Cats!

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On new tyres yes.
On old tyres the age & exposure to UV rays will be far more significant.

OTOH both beads of the tyre on the outside of the rim, tube valve side first fully deflated inserted into tyre under rim then push valve through hole and screw in a keeper.
Push rimdown onto tube and insert the other side.
Blow up tube to locate it properly then deflate .
Work the beads back over the rim & inflate.
Agreed, not an easy job particularly on the front casters, but it can be done.