Keeping tyres round without air

**wally** · 12th January 2012, 10:36 PM

I have a question that's kind of technical, but doesn't relate necessarily to Land Rovers. Don't worry, I think about Land Rovers almost all of the time but every now and then I'm forced briefly to think about other things. You see I rescued this old trailer from down the paddock:

Attachment 42515

Isn't she beautiful? Now I want to put it to work on the farm. The trouble is that it only has one tyre out of four that holds air. The other three are beyond repair (at least as far as holding air is concerned), and it seems unlikely that I'll get the wheel nuts off without a struggle, and then separating tyre from rim would likewise not be straightforward. The thing is though, since all it's going to do is cart macadamia husk about 100m every few weeks at slow tractor speed, as long as the tyre stays roughly circular, it could be filled with anything. So I've been wondering whether there's a foam or something that would do the job. I note there are some tyre inflation foams on the market. Any experiences? Any ideas?

**abaddonxi** · 12th January 2012, 11:26 PM

On Bush Mechanics they filled a tyre with spinnifex grass, got them to where they were going.

**Blknight.aus** · 12th January 2012, 11:56 PM

if thats all its going to do why bother keeping air in them?

cut the rubber off and wrap them in rope then weld some sheet metal around the beads.

**rick130** · 13th January 2012, 05:28 AM

The 7.50/16's on Dad's old box trailer we have here don't even need air either, they stand up without it.

Dad used to say that Pop would pack his '27 Chev truck tyres with straw during the war, that was until a kindly QM took pity on him in one of the army camps he carted gear for and told him to look under a bush a few yards from the front gate.

**harry** · 13th January 2012, 05:50 AM

it would probably be cheaper to just put another wheel or tyre on it.

you get nothing for nothing in this world.

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 13th January 2012, 06:50 AM

How much weight is involved?
are there huge holes in the sidewalls?
just the sidewalls should provide some suspension--

after the first couple of trips the flat tyres may loosen their grip on the rim,,,

rusted nuts will still be your problem though,,

**wally** · 13th January 2012, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by abaddonxi

On Bush Mechanics they filled a tyre with spinnifex grass, got them to where they were going.

Yep, that would do.

**wally** · 13th January 2012, 07:48 AM

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

if thats all its going to do why bother keeping air in them?

cut the rubber off and wrap them in rope then weld some sheet metal around the beads.

Thanks for that. Only thing is I don't want to lose any height.

**wally** · 13th January 2012, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by rick130

The 7.50/16's on Dad's old box trailer we have here don't even need air either, they stand up without it.

Dad used to say that Pop would pack his '27 Chev truck tyres with straw during the war, that was until a kindly QM took pity on him in one of the army camps he carted gear for and told him to look under a bush a few yards from the front gate.

These ones stand up too, except for the flat bit where they have been on the ground for an unknown number of years. Maybe the flat bit will become less flat.

**wally** · 13th January 2012, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by harry

it would probably be cheaper to just put another wheel or tyre on it.

you get nothing for nothing in this world.

Considerably more effort though.

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