How to Replace Tires on Craftsman Lawn Tractors
The tires on your Craftsman lawn tractor are specifically designed to roll over anything and everything in your lawn without incurring punctures or flats. Unfortunately, when worn down or old, the tires will not be as puncture-resistant, resulting in an unusable lawn tractor and an ever-growing lawn. Get your Craftsman lawn tractor back in working order by fixing your flat tires at home. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Basic wrench set
- Basic socket set
- New tire
- New tube
- Air pump
- Tire lever
Instructions
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1
Remove the wheel with the flat tire from the tractor by loosening the lug nuts on the inside of the rim. There should be five or six of them, depending on your model of tractor. Place a jack beneath the tractor where the wheel will be removed.
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2
Set the lug nuts aside. Press the valve of the tire to release any air still inside the tube. This will make the tire much easier to remove.
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3
Wedge a tire lever between the rim and the tire bead. With a firm grip, and with as much force as you can, pull backward on the tire lever until the bead breaks or comes loose from the rim. If the tire does not come off, you may use bolt cutters to completely break the bead.
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4
Discard the flat tire and tube in a responsible manner. Many lawn maintenance repair shops will recycle old tires for you.
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5
Lay the rim on a flat surface. Line the new tire up over the rim and push down with as much force as possible until the first bead pops over the rim. If your tires are pneumatic, that is, use an inner tube to hold air, push a new tube into the tire and set the valve in place in the rim.
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6
Push as much of the second tire bead over the rim as you can with your bare hands. When you cannot seat any more of the tire, wedge a tire lever between the rim and the tire and push the tire upward over the rim until it seats.
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7
Pump air into the tire until it reaches the recommended tire pressure for the new tire. Most portable pumps should work fine. You may even use a hand pump in a pinch, but it will be a long and grueling process pumping that much air by hand.
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8
Reattach the wheel to the tractor with the lug nuts removed previously. Be sure to tighten them down to the specifications found in your owner's manual. A torque wrench may come in handy to ensure a tight fit.
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