[jermo]

Brand new 2038R; the first day out bush hogging and got a 1mm "stick" through the tread of the left front tire. It's plugged now; even with bubbles, it was hard to find/see. I was very surprised to get a flat from bush hogging.
Is that typical?

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Brand new 2038R; the first day out bush hogging and got a 1mm "stick" through the tread of the left front tire. It's plugged now; even with bubbles, it was hard to find/see. I was very surprised to get a flat from bush hogging.
Is that typical?

What tires do you have?

 

[cc1999]

I have found there tends to be a lot of crap sometimes hiding in the brush. I have had some large thorns puncture tires, I have seen all sorts of stuff, that can cause flats brush hogging, rebar, nails, boards with nails, concrete with rebar, rotted out steel t-post from old fence lines. Brush hogging can be rough on equipment in many ways.

 

[jermo]

What tires do you have?

I'm going to have to guess that they are R4. They don't look like AG tires.
here's a picture of my rig at James River in Rock Hill, SC before they delivered her.

 

[Big]

Those are R3+ Radials.

 

[PJR832]

Is that typical?

Honestly you can find stuff to puncture a tire doing almost anything. Last fall after brush hogging the corn down to plant winter rye I found a 1" spike in the middle of the corn field. It likely came from the farmer who puts manure on the field for us in the fall. The kicker was, I found this before he spread last fall, which means it was from the previous year. So we went through tillage that fall after he spread, planting the rye, packing it, spring tillage the following year, planting of the new corn, and like I said, I found it after brush hogging the corn down that fall.

Point is, you just never know.

 

[jermo]

I'll start budgeting for annual tire replacement

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

@cc1999 recently posted about using Slime Tire Sealant. My rears are filled but I did put some in my fronts just for peace of mind. My previous lawn and garden tractors have all had flats cause by the debris from the numerous white pines around my property. If the Slime helps keep the tires inflated so I can finish what I'm doing it will have paid for itself. There are also self-sealing additives for filled tires but I have not looked into them yet.

 

[jermo]

I've used slime before and it's good stuff. I was just surprised to get a flat the first time out. To be fair I was hogging and having a big-old time. I didn't have the bush hog adjusted correctly and damage the front rubber guard. I'll probably replace it with a chain guard and buy the chain guards for the back as well.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

I was just surprised to get a flat the first time out.

First time or hundredth time, flats suck!

 

[jermo]

First time or hundredth time, flats suck!

ROFL, comes with the territory (apparently). No worries. High Speed - Low Drag.

 

[TractorEd]

Black Locust thorns love tires and boots/shoes.

 

[farmer52]

Black Locust thorns love tires and boots/shoes.

Many a flat tire because of them. Also, many jambed thru my shoes and boots (and into foot) when cutting along fence rows. I think they are tougher than nails.

 

[myrna]

Black Locust thorns love tires and boots/shoes.

Locust Thorns, don't run over any, they will give you a flat tire every time because they are very sharp and as hard as nails. Avoid them at all costs! I always watch for them. They have given me many flat tires over the years. Your "stick" was most likely a locust thorn....

 

[ClydeLogan]

I found a 1" spike in the middle of the corn field. It likely came from the farmer who puts manure on the field for us in the fall.

If it's horse manure, the ends of the nails that are clipped off when shoeing, the old nails that have been pulled, and the occasional dropped new horseshoe nail have ways of making it into the manure disposal or composting pile.

They may get swept up from the barn aisle and dropped into the muck bucket. Horses occasionally poop while they are being shod, and nails on the ground can get scooped up with the fresh manure. I use a magnet in my barn aisle after the farrier leaves from shoeing my horses to try to get as many as possible, but the occasional nail will appear mysteriously weeks later. They seem to hide in the cracks between the rubber stall mats, and come out when I use a leaf blower to clean the aisle. The clipped off ends are between 1/2" and 1" long, and they are needle sharp.

 

[PJR832]

If it's horse manure, the ends of the nails that are clipped off when shoeing, the old nails that have been pulled, and the occasional dropped new horseshoe nail have ways of making it into the manure disposal or composting pile.

You're right, I'm familiar with that too. This was a 1" thick spike, like a leveling attachment spike harrow on the back of the farmers cultivator. I just can't believe that we did all of that field work and never saw it, or found it the hard way.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

I had my roof replaced 14 yrs ago and I still find roofing nails around the foundation.

 

[cc1999]

Many a flat tire because of them. Also, many jambed thru my shoes and boots (and into foot) when cutting along fence rows. I think they are tougher than nails.

Yep same here, I think my last 2 or 3 flats were all locust thorn related .
I buy tire slime by the barrel now. 😂
If locust trees are around , tire slime is a must.

 

[dixie460]

It's normal. Most people think that tires are made of rubber but actually they're made of a special compound that can attract ferrous and non-ferrous steel, aluminum, wood, plastic and any other material known to man, as long as said material is pointy and sharp.

 

[Treefarmer]

@cc1999 recently posted about using Slime Tire Sealant. My rears are filled but I did put some in my fronts just for peace of mind. My previous lawn and garden tractors have all had flats cause by the debris from the numerous white pines around my property. If the Slime helps keep the tires inflated so I can finish what I'm doing it will have paid for itself. There are also self-sealing additives for filled tires but I have not looked into them yet.

Liquitube has versions for both air and ballast filled tires. They also have an Extreme version that seals large holes but that must be inserted by breaking the bead as it's too thick to go through a valve.

It's very good stuff- non toxic, non-corrosive, washes off the rim if you change the tire and best of all will stay in the tire until needed and then it works to seal punctures.

Treefarmer