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blueberrier1

Flat Free Tires...worth it?

blueberrier1
16 years ago

Am constructing a chicken coop and will be moving it (by hand) with two 12"-13" tires over a pasture once a day.

Weight of coop (about 150# or less) will only be on tires during move.

Attachable pen will be moved separately.

Any benefits for the flat free tires that justify the cost?

Any negatives?

Comments (7)

  • rrcrossing
    16 years ago

    Blueberrier,

    I think I've bought one because I couldn't find a tire that wasn't flat free. If memory serves, it contains "slime" or something similar. You can buy the slime and similar products and put them in yourself. Also, for most small tires that experience flats due to thorns and such, installing a tube is the first step to solving the problem.

    You probably don't have anything in that pasture thats going to bother those tires. So, my recommendation is don't spend the extra money on flat free tires.

    Bob
    Central Arizona

  • marlingardener
    16 years ago

    Bob is right about the "slime." We have mesquite here, and believe me those thorns are long and hard! However, we put slime in our tractor and shredder tires and have no trouble--just pull the thorns out and rotate the tires so the slime seals them up. Wal-Mart sells a comparable product (don't know the name) and almost any hardware or auto parts store will have slime. It has to be cheaper than the no-flat tires. That sounds like some chicken coop you have!

  • carmen_grower_2007
    16 years ago

    I think the 'flat free' tires you are talking about are the solid tires. They are more expensive, but we put them on the lawn tractor and our DR Brush mower and have never needed to replace them. Even with cans of slime, we were constantly getting flat tires before. We have locust trees here that have 'killer' thorns and plenty of multiflora rosa that constantly needs taking out.

  • henhilton
    16 years ago

    We have lots of problems with flats on our equipment, too. The "slime" is great stuff, but we have filled the tires on some of our trailers and wheelbarrows with spray foam, and THAT is forever!

  • presmudjo
    16 years ago

    henhilton, when you talk of filling wheelbarrow and trailer tires with foam spray, are you talking about that stuff in a can that you spray in cracks and it expands? I have a lawn trailer that has a bad tire, and the tube we put in got a hole. Of course when you buy at Tractor Supply, they don't carry the right stuff to replace, and everything there seems to be "proprietary" or however you spell that, and can't be replaced. We don't use the trailer much, but this foam stuff has sparked my interest. I don't buy anything from TSC anymore that has wheels! Thanks for your input. I'm in Central FL. I only have a 1 year old bull and heifer. No longer have all the other critters. When we moved, the other people kept our animals. Seems they made restrictions on pigs and chickens on this 5 acres. Didn't know they had done that. But you never know I may just get some other critters and plead ignorant of the zoning!
    presmudjo

  • blueberrier1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks to all.
    Like the idea of filling the tire with foam. What is your method? What foam do you use? What size are the tires?
    Tubed or tubeless?

    We do have osage orange with its wicked thorns in the fence rows...but not is the pasture area we will use.
    Will look for some SLIME for the tires on a dolly (bought from Costco-6" tires), that gets flat every 6-12 months and it is only used in the house and woodshop...go figure...would sure like to try the foam on that tire.

  • henhilton
    16 years ago

    Oops. Sorry Everybody! My bad.

    I didn't even realize that what I was talking about WAS Flat-Free Tires. When I asked DH about it, he said that any tire shop or tractor dealership can do it for you on a tubeless tire. They spray hard foam in it for about $40 per small tire. (I thought he was just taking them to work with him to perform his magic on them!) He's irritated that he figures the product probably costs about $5 per can, and labor even less, yet they charge $40 for it - and he hasn't found a way to buy the product himself. But, figuring lost time and annoyance when the equipment you need to use has a flat, he figures it's worth the cost.

    The down side is that the foamed tires weigh alot. (I wondered why that wheelbarrow is so heavy even when it's empty!)

    I promise I'll make sure I know the whole story before posting again. :-0

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