How to Fix a Flat Tire on a Garden Tractor

The exact process of fixing a flat tire on your tractor will vary slightly, depending on whether your tractor's tires are tubeless or have an inner tube. Regardless of the type of tire, the first repair step will be to remove one side of your tire from the rim. Because they are so small, the stiffness of the bead and sidewall can make this a little tricky.

Things You'll Need

• Stem valve wrench
• Ratcheting cargo strap
• 12-inch tire spoons or flat-blade screwdrivers
• Water and dish soap (optional)
• Tire patch kit for your type of tire

Instructions

1. Press down on the valve stem to allow any remaining air to escape.

2. Remove the valve from the stem with a valve wrench to allow air to move freely in and out of the tire.

3. Wrap a ratcheting cargo strap around the tire. This will force air out of the tire and also will help reduce the tension on the tire bead.

4. Slip a tire spoon or flat-blade screwdriver under the tire bead and pry it up and out away from the rim.

5. Slip another tire spoon or flat-blade screwdriver next to the first and slide it along the rim to pry the rest of the bead off the rim. If it sticks, apply a little water with dish soap as a lubricant.

6. Remove the cargo strap once you have freed one side of the tire from the rim.

7. Remove the inner tube if your tire has a tube. Put the valve back in the stem and partially inflate the tube. Place the tube in a bathtub or other pan of water. Look for bubbles to locate the puncture. Patch the tube as instructed by your particular patch kit. Once patched, remove the valve and place the tube back in the tire.

8. Look around the inside of a tubeless tire for signs of a puncture. In some cases, you may actually see the nail that caused the puncture. In other cases, you may have to look for a small area of a different color or for a slight deformation inside the tire. Patch the puncture as instructed on your patch kit.

9. Put the bead back on the rim using tire spoons or screwdrivers. Be very careful not to damage the tube if your tire uses an inner tube.

10. Put the valve back in the tire and inflate the patched tire.

References

• Ron Stultz: Small Tubeless Tires - Replacing