# inflating large rear tires?



## mckishen1

I just bought a new set of tires for my 112, the rear tires are 23/10.50x12's. I had no problem mounting them, but can't get them to inflate or seat. The tires are new, Cheng Shin brand, (the only ones I could find in the right tread pattern).

I tried the rope and bar method to expand them, tried several inflatable tubes, tried a Cheetah inflator and took them to 4 local tire dealers and none were able to get them to inflate. The tires are compressed from shipping and are about 2" shy of reaching both rim edges. A rope in the middle does little to expand the tires, even with a 4' bar and thick rope. They are the right size tire, the same size as what it came with new and what I took off. 

Any ideas? I contemplated using either but I think there's too much gap for it to work.


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## Live Oak

Not sure this will work much better but have you tried using a big cargo rachet strap? This might get a little better bite than the rope and bar. I was going to suggest the ether method. Just be careful and don't over do the ether.


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## HYDROGUARDIAN16

i use soap and water mixture to get big car tires to inflate. I would try this also.


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## poonstang90lx

> _Originally posted by TF Admin _
> *Not sure this will work much better but have you tried using a big cargo rachet strap? This might get a little better bite than the rope and bar. I was going to suggest the ether method. Just be careful and don't over do the ether. *


10-4 on the ratchet strap. I agree with admin on the either be careful not to over do it.


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## Upper5Percent

> _Originally posted by mckishen1 _
> *I just bought a new set of tires for my 112, the rear tires are 23/10.50x12's. I had no problem mounting them, but can't get them to inflate or seat. The tires are new, Cheng Shin brand, (the only ones I could find in the right tread pattern).
> 
> I tried the rope and bar method to expand them, tried several inflatable tubes, tried a Cheetah inflator and took them to 4 local tire dealers and none were able to get them to inflate. The tires are compressed from shipping and are about 2" shy of reaching both rim edges. A rope in the middle does little to expand the tires, even with a 4' bar and thick rope. They are the right size tire, the same size as what it came with new and what I took off.
> 
> Any ideas? I contemplated using either but I think there's too much gap for it to work. *


Well, the first mistake was to buy chinese junk...

If you are saying that even with an intertube the tire will NOT fill out to the rim...then you need to either get chinese junk rims that will fit these tires...OR

You need to return them and buy some Titans...
http://www.titan-intl.com/home

http://www.titanstore.com/search/size/23%2F10.50x12


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## MFreund

I would try taking to a semi tire or agriculture dealer, they have a large tank to blow a lot of air into the tire from between the tire and the rim. You cannot get enough air through the valve stem. The large amt of air will push the sidewalls out until they contact the rim and then fill from the valve stem. If you find the right tire dealer they won't have a problem, if you find the wrong one they will look at you funny!!!


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## rj'sbarn

*seating the bead*

have you considered a tube? Khumo or Dayton probably make a tube that will fit your rim and tread. Just a thought. Anyway.... good luck!


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## mckishen1

After about 4 hours of trying several ideas I took an old inner tube and stuffed it down around the inner bead and inflated it to seal the gap, this allowed me to seal the outer bead, I then was able to use a 2" ratchet strap to expand the tire to the outer bead.

I tried to find better tires but even the ones from JD here are Chinese. 
My choices of tires with the original tread pattern were either Cheng Shin or Deestone. The Titan branded tires look identical to the Deestone tires, even down to the lettering other than the name. Both are China made tires.
I looked at Titan tires, they were 5 times the price, and didn't come in the original tread pattern. I've had good luck with both brands, with a slight preference for the Deestone tires.
While I don't doubt that Titan is more likely a better tire, the price difference just isn't worth it for a machine that most likely won't get much use after restoration. The tires will dry rot before they wear out.


The problem was that the tire in it's relaxed, new state was about 4" shy of the rim's edge. Once they mounted and inflated they look great. 

I have my own tire machines, cheetah inflator, and just about anything any tire dealer would have in the shop here. The problem was that these tires were so stiff they wouldn't expand. Until I got one bead seated, all the ratchet strap did was buckle over a tread section or suck the sidewall inward. With one bead seated, I could push down and force the tire to expand outward.

I use Ruglide for tire lube. 

I prefer to not use tubes in any tire unless I have too for sealing reasons, it makes future repairs easier and if there is a puncture, it's not going to rapidly deflate all at once. (If you run over a nail, a tube will go down pretty quick, but a tubeless tire will only slowly leak as long as the nail is still in the tire).


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## Live Oak

Glad to hear you finally got the tire mounted. Some of these small tires can really be a bear to get a bead to set. How many new curse words did you invent doing this?


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## mckishen1

It wouldn't have been half as bad if it weren't 100 degrees in the shop. My tire machine is in a rear corner of the shop, along side two 10hp air compressors. Not only is there very little air flow back there, those compressors give off lots of heat. I put it near the air compressors to allow me to attach a 2" air line directly from the largest air tank to the tire machine so I can get maximum pressure and volume for big tires. It usually don't have much trouble even on tough tires, but these two were a first. If they were lighter or lesser ply tires they would have popped right on. 

The compressors drown out any cursing or shouting coming from that part of the shop.


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## Upper5Percent

> _Originally posted by mckishen1 _
> *
> I tried to find better tires but even the ones from JD here are Chinese.
> My choices of tires with the original tread pattern were either Cheng Shin or Deestone. The Titan branded tires look identical to the Deestone tires, even down to the lettering other than the name. Both are China made tires.
> I looked at Titan tires, they were 5 times the price, and didn't come in the original tread pattern. I've had good luck with both brands, with a slight preference for the Deestone tires.
> While I don't doubt that Titan is more likely a better tire, the price difference just isn't worth it for a machine that most likely won't get much use after restoration. The tires will dry rot before they wear out.
> *


Oh...this is a restoration effort...I missed that...I thought the tractor was going to be used...


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## MFreund

What a great idea!! Thanks for sharing the solution. Please post pictures when the restoration is done!!


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## mckishen1

> _Originally posted by PaulChristenson _
> *Oh...this is a restoration effort...I missed that...I thought the tractor was going to be used... *


More of a running/usable restoration effort. It will most likely be relegated to just jockeying boat trailers around the shop and yard. I have the deck for it and it's in good shape but don't have any grass to cut, at least no areas suited for such a tractor. My house has only a small lawn and the grass out back behind the shop gets cut with a full size JD with a rough cut mower.

This was the number one project as far as garden tractors go, but I found a slightly larger Bolens with a front end loader that took that spot. That will be the work horse of the bunch. 

I plan to mostly keep the JD 112 simple, I refinished the hood, fenders, side cover and all 4 wheels, put on new tires, a new battery, belts, and rebuilt the transaxle having to had replace both axle shafts, bearings, and reverse gears. I found a new old stock hood, complete decal kit and a spare fender pan and headlight panel at a yard sale, a few years back so I decided to clean this thing up a bit and make it look more presentable. It was actually a freebie that I picked up a few years back that just happened to run. The only thing missing was the deck belt tensioner spring and it had a tattered front edge on the hood. I used it for about 6 years like it was but the rear axles were sagging from wear, the bearings had worn deep grooves in them even though the bearings were still good. The tires were badly dry rotted and leaking so I also got it a set of tires. They actually didn't have much tread wear but running around on a crushed stone driveway was tearing them up fast. 

The driveway will wear any tire and maneuvering trailers indoors in tight quarters does a number on any tire, so brand makes little difference but it is why I went with the 6 ply Cheng Shin tires.

I doubt if it will ever see a deck on it as long as I have it again, but I will clean it and repaint it just to have. I'll most likely sell it after it's done I would like to have a rear hitch of some sort for it, but this one has no hydraulics. Which is part of the reason I favor the Bolens.


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## k1burner

Just out of curiosity where did you find those tires. I am looking for some for my tractor and would love to see some and get a price quote.


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## mckishen1

I got the set I have from an internet supplier, but I don't remember where exactly now, it's been a few years. I found them on eBay, they had similar tires listed, but I bought mine direct.
I did just get a set of Deestone tires from a seller on eBay for another tractor, they were the same deal when it came to mounting, they were so compressed from being banded for shipping they needed to be ratchet strapped and hit with the cheetah blaster to inflate them. They look great though, even better than the Cheng Shin tires on the 112.


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## KenBare

Live Oak said:


> Not sure this will work much better but have you tried using a big cargo rachet strap? This might get a little better bite than the rope and bar. I was going to suggest the ether method. Just be careful and don't over do the ether.


Had the same problem today actually. Ratchet straps don’t work. All the do when you apply pressure is creat an even larger gap on both sides of the tire for air to escape. Possibly the worst idea I’ve ever seen. I tried for 2 hours today to inflate my tire with no luck. Out of ideas


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## SidecarFlip

I never, never fool with tractor tires ever. One, mine are so heavy that if I dismounted a rim and tire to replace it and it fell over, it would crush me (and they aren't loaded either). When I need tractor tire work done, I call the farm tire dealer locally and he comes out with his truck, jib crane and proper tools and does all the work and I pay him. Much easier that way. Sometimes it's better to pay to have things done, especially tractor tires. Just had 4 new Titan R1 radials mounted with new tubes for $5000.00 on one tractor and my other will be needing new shoes this year as well. I farm with mine btw.


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