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jimrac

Craftsman hand truck flat tire

jimrac
14 years ago

Hello all,

Not sure if you can help or have any insight that can lend a hand.

But my hand truck's tire has lost air several times recently and is flat.

Tire company told me to get a tube which will elimate the constant loss of air problem, which I have done.

I have tried my best to get the tube inside the tire somehow,,but boy is this a bear of a job.. I asked around if tire shops have an easier way, most wont touch it for one reason or another..

Any ideas??

I am able to get one side of the tire off the wheel,, and have pried out the valve. but it seems impossible to insert the tube into the tire and wheel..

Does anyone else have these problems? Can I put another tire on theer that wont lose air???

Thansk in advance for your experience.

JIm

Comments (8)

  • rcmoser
    14 years ago

    How big are these tires? I had similar problem with front tires on my LT 15x8.00x6's. Any smaller or narrower would be a bear. I had hard enough time getting tubes in these. I too long punch, put it in my vise. put the tire and rim onto the punch sticking up, then using vise grips clamped the rim so it couldn't come off. Now I could pry the tire out and work the tube inside the tire starting at the valve stem and watching the valve stem cause it will want to work it way around or out of the hole in the rim.

    You might be better off and just get hard rubber tires that require no air if you think you will get your money back for them, kind of pricey last time I looked at them a TSC.

    One other thought why didn't you try the green slim? alot tubeless tires comes with green slim in them.

  • fruitjarfla
    14 years ago

    I recently had to add a tube to my wheelbarrow because of repeated loss of air. At the same time I added Green Slime to the new tube and on two other pieces of equipment - hand truck and portable generator - both air losers that did have tubes. All seem to be holding air. Loosen one side of the tire away from the rim. If the stem goes to one side, that is the side to loosen. Before attempting to insert the tube, make sure you remove all of the air. Line up the stem into the opening and keep watch that it stays there during the process. After the tube is inserted, lube the rim a little with soap and go for the difficult part -- getting the tire back on the rim. I found it necessary to use a couple of screwdrivers to assist with this part. A second person would be helpful. Be careful using the screwdrivers so as not to pinch the tube. I had to get another one after pinching a hole in the first attempt.

  • jimc_vt
    14 years ago

    I change these all the time 410/350x4 magliner handtruck tires,I use a bench vise and 1/2 bolt & nut to hold the rim stationary .....break the bead on both sides of the rim with the jaws of the vise...FIRST!!! ,use a little grease on the rim to help slide the rubber tire over the rim (this won't hurt a thing).......I can put a tube in a tire in 5 mintues ....Once the tire is over the rim install the tube w/o twisting it in the tire ,reinstall the tire carefully back on the rim,to be sure the tube shrader valve does not fall back inside the rim....blow up the tire .Jim

  • dodge42
    14 years ago

    A tip on changing tires: If you try to lever the tire back over the rim when the bead on the other side is already seated against the edge of the rim, you are going to have a very difficult time. The secret to changing any tire is to have the beads in the center of the rim,in the deep 'well' of the rim. I use several C-clamps to keep the beads away from the edges of the rim,and levering a tire on is not too hard of a job. I sure don't recommend screwdrivers,though-I use two 9" tire irons on everything from small tires like these to vintage tube-type car tires.

  • jimrac
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks all,

    I gave up,, my hands arent what they used to be. I found a lawn equip repair shop to hopefully take care of it. They did mention the process acn be annoying.

    Best left to someone that has experienced it.

    Thanks

  • jimrac
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hello,

    Just posting a folow-up,, I have finally got the tube inserted into my tire..Lawn equipment repair shop did it..

    At $15,,,boy what a deal....

  • haskel
    13 years ago

    You can see a very good article about changing hand truck tires here. Sometimes it is worth it just to buy a new hand truck

  • Remodeller
    9 years ago

    I was fighting with a handtruck tire today. One side came off the rim easy like the original poster wrote but the other did not, and of course the other side was where the valve hole is. I finally gave up an decided to cut a notch in the tire (using a tube) when i discovered the tire has a metal wire loop hidden in the part of rubber that rests against the rim on the valve side but on on the opposite side and that is why the opposite side is easy to pry off the rim. After brainstorming I realized the rim has four bolts on the face of the wheel so maybe the rim is actually two halves sandwiched together, so i removed the four bolts and i was right! I lifted out the two pieces of the rim, put the tube into the wheel-less tire (wheel = rim) then bolted the wheel back together while it was seated in place over the tire with the tube seated in the tire. Its way easier to remove the wheel off the handtruck when you do this, my wheel just had one cotter pin holding it on the rod so it was very easy to remove and put back on, you may want to use a new cotter pin, they are cheap at autozone etc. My wheel was similar to the ones Harbor Freight sells so I don't know if this method would work on a craftsman, see pic

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