How to fill a lawn mower tire with foam


Foam Filled Tires for a Riding Lawn Mower: Changing the mower game

Can you really use foam filled tires for a mower? If you are searching for an accurate answer to this question, you have come to the right place. The short answer to this question is Yes. But it’s crucial for you to understand the many factors that will go into the process required for you to achieve this feat. In the following sections, you will find everything that you need to know in order for you to successfully foam fill mower tires for your best mower!

Understanding the Importance of Tire Maintenance

Mowers are the true epitome of convenience, power & efficiency. Bringing you the ultimate comfort in your work, these mowers are indeed a boon to the people who cannot spend hours cutting their yards or banks. But all is not a bed of roses with mowers. If taken care of being maintained, they can serve you for a long time. However, this maintenance has been known to be neglected by the people. This needs to be changed, and it is not that much difficult either.

Mower tires need to be checked regularly to see if they are in proper shape and condition. Prone to being punctured often as a result of stones on the yard, need to be taken care of. Contrary to their belief, maintenance of mower tires is not a tiresome job. It can be done with ease, and your mower will be back in action and serving you at its best – if you know how to correct the job yourself.

One of the most efficient but rarely known DIY techniques is that of foam-fill mower tires. This will not only ensure that your mower tires are restored to their original condition and give it a charm that will last long. It will also ensure durability, increase efficiency, and longevity.

However, before you pursue this method, you need to know every minute detail involved in the method. To assist you in your undertaking, we have taken it upon ourselves to research all about it, so you can just read this informative article and get to work.

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200x50 Tire Solid Tire(Foam Filled Tires) For Razor E100 E150 E175 E200 fits Gas Scooter Electric Scooter 2-wheel Smart Self Balancing Scooter By TOPEMAI

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FYIYI New solid/foam filled 200x50 (8 X 2) Tire For Razor 200 X 50 (8 X 2) E100 E150 E175 E200

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260x 85 (10x3) Primo Power Trax Foam Filled Tire for Scooters, Power Chairs and Electric Wheelchairs. Price is for 1 Tire

Check Price on Amazon

Are Foam Filled Mower Tires Best for You?

Foam filled tires may not be the right choice for everyone. In fact, the majority of people, including “experts,” will recommend using tires with solid rubber cores. The truth is, for most people, foam filled tires are better suited for the task, especially for riding lawn mowers. Foam filled tires are harder, more durable, and can easily handle the rigors of a mechanical riding mower.

And because the tires are now inflated with foam instead of air, they will not deflate over time as the foam will not leak out. Meaning if your tires deflate every time you pull out of the garage, this might be the perfect solution for you. This is especially true if you have any type of riding lawn mower, whether it is a lawn tractor or a zero-turn.

Another key difference between foam filled and solid tires is that foam filled tires are more durable. There is very little reason to replace foam filled tires even if you only use them seasonally. Replace solid rubber tires every 1-2 years to protect yourself from an unexpected flat tire or blowout.

Another defining factor between solid rubber tires and foam filled tires is the cost. A new set of solid rubber tires will cost you well over $100 for each wheel. Adding up the cost of four tires to the cost of a new lawnmower is almost a deal-breaker for many people. A simple (albeit more labor-intensive) process of adding foam filled tires to existing solid tires will cost you no more than $40 for each tire. Adding just $15.49 in tire foam and another hour in labor can double your mower tire’s life. You can expect your new foam filled tires to last 3-5 years before you will need to do it again.

Pros & Cons of Foam Filled Mower Tires

Pros:

  1. The extra weight added due to foam will improve the stability of the unit.
  2. The foam will not leak out, and the tires will remain solid for three years at least.
  3. These tires will provide the best possible safety for your mower.
  4. The mower will be free from wheel wobble and will be much more stable while rolling.
  5. No more flat tires before you mow.

Cons:

  1. The foam may increase the wheel vibrations at higher speed, making the mower uncomfortable to drive.
  2. Less traction is a possibility.

Foam-filled tires are not flexible. Hence, less rubber comes into contact with the lawn, which leads to degraded traction. Most riding mowers weigh several hundred pounds, and you need traction to prevent wheel slippage. All traction comes from the tires themselves. If you lose traction, you could bottom out the mower, which could damage the frame or, even worse, cause a serious accident. So, you should be careful with the reduction of traction.

Are Foam Filled Tires Dangerous?

Foam-filled tires are similar to air-filled tires in a lot of ways. As long as you adhere to the proper filling procedure highlighted in this article, you should be fine. The key ingredient you need to keep in mind is bead sealer. Bead sealers are used to seal the tires from the outside elements. If you use any kind of tire sealer, please be sure to read the directions carefully.

You should also use foam-filled tires in cooler conditions. The heat will cause the rubber-based foam to expand and then contract as it is reheated. This will lead to cracking of the foam, causing your tire to become unsealed. As long as you use these tires under the proper conditions listed in your instructions, you should be fine.

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FYIYI New solid/foam filled 200x50 (8 X 2) Tire For Razor 200 X 50 (8 X 2) E100 E150 E175 E200

260x 85 (10x3) Primo Power Trax Foam Filled Tire for Scooters, Power Chairs and Electric Wheelchairs. Price is for 1 Tire

Check Price on Amazon

Check Price on Amazon

Check Price on Amazon

200x50 Tire Solid Tire(Foam Filled Tires) For Razor E100 E150 E175 E200 fits Gas Scooter Electric Scooter 2-wheel Smart Self Balancing Scooter By TOPEMAI

Check Price on Amazon

FYIYI New solid/foam filled 200x50 (8 X 2) Tire For Razor 200 X 50 (8 X 2) E100 E150 E175 E200

Check Price on Amazon

260x 85 (10x3) Primo Power Trax Foam Filled Tire for Scooters, Power Chairs and Electric Wheelchairs. Price is for 1 Tire

Check Price on Amazon

Foam filling tires are easy to install and will rarely if ever blow out on you. They are a great choice if you are tired of your solid rubber tires leaking air & needing to be replaced every year. Pair these tires with a strong bead sealer & your riding mower tires will have a long service life about which you will be pleased.

How to Foam fill Mower Tires – 5 Important Steps

Foam-fill mower tires are easy to implement, but there are steps you need to follow to get the job done right. In the following sections, you will find these five important steps to ensure that your foam-fill mower tires go smoothly. But before we drive into the steps, let’s discuss the tools you’ll need.

Tools You’ll Need:

  1. Mower (obvious, I know, but good to mention)
  2. A valve stem tool
  3. A drill with a 3/8″ bit
  4. Premium quality, high density, minimally expanding tire foam sealant
  5. A hose tap (a hose-end or air chuck will do)

Note: Low-density foam is not as effective and will not inflate as much as a high-density foam sealant. Consider the fact that because of the weight added, foam-filled tires tend to make the wheel assembly heavier. Low-Density foam will not be able to handle the increased weight, and your tires will get damaged in a comparatively shorter amount of time.

Once you have assembled all necessary tools, be reminded that the foaming process should take between 20 minutes and 30 minutes and will involve four tires, so expect a total of four times that period. It is best to wear some goggles when filling tires with foam; secondly, get some rubber or nitrile gloves to protect your hands while you are doing this project. The following steps will outline exactly how to foam your lawnmower’s tires.

Step 1:

Since you want to ensure the longevity of the wheel/tire, you need to remove the valve from the wheel and throw it away because you’re not going to need it anymore. To remove this valve, you need to use the valve stem tool. Then attach the valve stem cap or air chuck, whichever you have, onto the valve stem.

Step 2:

With the foam can connected and the mask placed, the next step is to start drilling holes in your tire near the rim. Use a drill bit of the same measurement as the straw coming out of the foam can; I used a 3/8″ drill bit. It is best to keep the holes in the center of the tire as much as possible. The more even the holes are, the better.

Step 3:

Now it’s time to inject the foam. Make sure the tire is resting back against a solid object, such as an unmovable post. Then, insert the straw as far as it will go into the hole of the tire, pull the trigger, and hold the plunger for around 4–5 seconds. After waiting for four to five seconds, release the trigger and start over after five seconds. You need to repeat the process until you see some foam leaking from the tip of the hole. The foam should go in freely without sticking on the rim.

Step 4:

When you are finished filling the tires, it is important to let them “rest” for at least 24 to 48 hours to ensure that they are completely dry. You will know this happens when you take the cover off, and it won’t smell. Once this process happens, remove the sections that dried while in the bottom of the hole, and it should just flake or fall out. This is a good test that the tire has completely dried.

Step 5:

Now you can go ahead and put the wheels back on the mower. You may start mowing right away if you want to do so.

What If You Want to Revert Back to The Original Tires?

The difficulty of trying to reverse or convert the foam fill tires back to the old standard is that you’ve already ruined the tire’s natural tissue of rubber and inner material. It is best to take these tires to a reputable tire center for a re-inflate or to have new tires placed on the rims. They can handle this difficult conversion for you.

200x50 Tire Solid Tire(Foam Filled Tires) For Razor E100 E150 E175 E200 fits Gas Scooter Electric Scooter 2-wheel Smart Self Balancing Scooter By TOPEMAI

FYIYI New solid/foam filled 200x50 (8 X 2) Tire For Razor 200 X 50 (8 X 2) E100 E150 E175 E200

260x 85 (10x3) Primo Power Trax Foam Filled Tire for Scooters, Power Chairs and Electric Wheelchairs. Price is for 1 Tire

Check Price on Amazon

Check Price on Amazon

Check Price on Amazon

200x50 Tire Solid Tire(Foam Filled Tires) For Razor E100 E150 E175 E200 fits Gas Scooter Electric Scooter 2-wheel Smart Self Balancing Scooter By TOPEMAI

Check Price on Amazon

FYIYI New solid/foam filled 200x50 (8 X 2) Tire For Razor 200 X 50 (8 X 2) E100 E150 E175 E200

Check Price on Amazon

260x 85 (10x3) Primo Power Trax Foam Filled Tire for Scooters, Power Chairs and Electric Wheelchairs. Price is for 1 Tire

Check Price on Amazon

Conclusion

Foam-filling tires is not a hard process, and you can easily do this for yourself. However, taking great care and ensuring that the tires are properly dried are both important steps, both of which will determine the success of your tire projects. Thus, by following the steps listed above, you are sure to have a hassle-free foam-filling endeavor.

Read More: Lawn Mower Oil Change Guide

How To Foam Fill Tires on a Skid Steer (2022 Guide)

Foam-filling skid steer tires is considered a safe option as doing so gives more durability, traction, and strength to the tires.   To fill foam in the tires, you can either take the DIY approach or get a mechanic to do it for you. 

The better option is to go to a mechanic. But if you want to do it yourself, pay attention to the tire and closely observe till the point foam starts to leak out from the valve stem portion.

What's In This Guide?

  • How to Foam Fill Tires on a Skid Steer
  • What Kind Of Foam Do You Use To Fill Tires?
  • How Much Do Foam Filled Tires Weigh?
  • Should I Foam Fill Tires Myself?
  • Is Foam Bad For Tires?
  • Frequently Asked Questions

How to Foam Fill Tires on a Skid Steer

  • Step 1: Remove the tires from the skid steer and set them aside. You can take out two times at a time or if you have the appropriate support system, take out all four tires at once. It will only allow us to get things done faster. 
  • Step 2: Place the tire on the floor; make sure there is a large piece of wood or cloth underneath the tire. The wood or cloth is for the mess created with the foam filling. 
  • Step 3: Drill three holes in the tire sidewall and remote the stem valve. The holes need to be of the same diameter as the foam filling straw. 
  • Step 4: Inject the foam inside the tire from one of the holes in the sidewall. Remember that you need at least 520 lbs of foam. 
  • Step 5: Keep on filling until the foam starts to come out of the other two holes and the valve stem. Once done, set the tire aside for 24 hours. 
  • Step 6: Come back the next day, clean the mess around the tires and the floor. Fit the tire back onto the skid steer, and you are good to go. 

What Are Foam Filled Skid-steer Tires?

Foam-filled tires are a type of pneumatic tires that were introduced to replace air-filled tires. Because the air-filled tires run the risk of going flat due to a wide gamut of reasons, the foam-filled tires do not go flat. They also provide the same benefits as air tires in terms of traction, performance, and mileage without the part where the tires can get punctured. 

Plus, the foam fill tires will also not lose air pressure. We use foam filled tires on skid steers due to their ability to perform well even in harsh conditions. Skid steers will majorly run on rough roads filled with pebbles, rocks, dirt, etc. 

So, we prevent changing and repairing any damage caused to the tires due to such terrains using foam fill tires. In addition to these benefits, the foam-filled tires are better at maneuvering, and they bring efficiency into the operations, especially in the kind of work done by the skid steers. 

Foam-filled tires give more stability to the skid steer, which is good. But some might argue that they also provide the extra weight, which can lead to mileage issues. Additional vehicle stability offers better control in rough terrains, which is difficult to obtain with air-filled tires. Hence foam-filled tires provide better footing to the vehicle.  

However, the same extra weight on the tires reduces their lifespan relative to the air-filled skid steer tires. Added to this, if the vehicle is working in rough terrains continuously for a longer period with foam fill tires, the speed of tires losing their grooves and tread increases. 

To sum it up, foam fill tires bring extra stability that contributes to the driver’s safety, reducing the tire’s lifespan. 

What Kind Of Foam Do You Use To Fill Tires?

Polyurethane is used to create the foam that takes up space inside the tires. Thus, giving the tire puncture resistance plus more stability along with the weight. Due to the usage of polyurethane, foam fill is also called polyfill. 

How Much Do Foam Filled Tires Weigh?

The weight of foam-filled tires depends on the volume of foam added to the tire, which further depends on the size of the skid steer tire. Two of the most common skid steer tires have the following dimensions;

  • 10×16. 5
  • 12×16.5

Based on these dimensions, the weight of one foam-filled 10×16.5 tire will be 130 pounds. So for four tires, the total weight added to the skid steer is 520 pounds, just for the tires. The same for a 12×16.5 tire will be 205 lbs, and for four tires, the total volume of foam required will be 820 lbs. This is what gives extra stability to the vehicle and makes it a better choice for rough terrains. 

Should I Foam Fill Tires Myself?

The short answer would be no. For one, the skid steer tires are nothing like car tires. These are the big boys we are talking about, and handling them is easier said than. We understand that taking the skid steer to the mechanic is also a task, but going to the mechanic is the safer route. 

Is Foam Bad For Tires?

Foam is not bad for tires per se. Yes, it makes the tires heavier, and it won’t bulge or bend under pressure. In some situations, this can cause some trouble with driving due to gripping issues.  

The only downside to filling foam in the tires is that they are practically junk after they wear out. You cannot use them in other places, at least not easily. Plus, the tires will be heavier than other bald tires, which may be used in other places. 

But performance-wise, foam is not bad for tires. If anything, it improves the tire’s life span as there won’t be any puncture issues. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to fill foam in the tires myself?

Yes, the process is safe. As long as you are following the proper process, things will go smoothly. However, the problem may arise after replacing the tire on the vehicle because we have heard cases when tires went flat right after bringing the vehicle down. 

How much does foam fill costs?

It depends on the tire and the cost of the container, and its capacity. As discussed above, one 10×16.5 tire requires 130 lbs, and one 12×16.5 tire requires 205 lbs of foam. Depending on the volume required (approximately 24. 5 gallons for one 12×16.5 tire), you can calculate the cost. 

Is it legal to fill foam in tires?

Yes, the US FMCSA regulations Section 393.75 mandates that the tire can be filled with materials other than air including silicone and polyurethane. 

Inflating the wheels with foam |

Over time, any villager and summer resident gets a lot of various wheeled vehicles that require constant attention and care, including the repair of pneumatic tires and their regular inflation. And it often happens that at the most necessary moment the wheels of turn out to be flat. And as technology ages, this happens more and more often. For example, these troubles began to haunt me constantly, and especially often in winter, in the most severe frost. And that's even worse.

To fill the wheel tire with foam, you first need to drill several holes in the rim with a diameter of 10 mm ...

Finally, I got tired of it, and I solved the problem radically - I “pumped up” the tire not with air, but with polyurethane foam. I first tried filling the tire with foam through the nipple hole. It turned out, but not entirely successful - in some places, due to traffic jams, air sacs remained unfilled with foam. In addition, a significant part of the foam from the hole of the nipple squeezed back.

But the trouble is the beginning! After trying several different options, I eventually found a way to fill the tire with foam without plugs or air pockets. To do this, I drilled several holes 010 mm around the circumference of the wheel disk in such a way that the tube from the foam can freely enter into them. Before starting to fill the tire with foam, it is necessary to prepare several wooden plugs-pegs (according to the number of drilled holes in the disk), which should fit tightly into these holes and prevent the foam from breaking free.

Insert the canister tube into any of the holes drilled in the disk and start the foam supply.

As soon as the first traces of foam that have reached it appear in the adjacent hole, we stop the supply from the can and immediately plug the first hole of the plugs tightly with a peg. After that, you can start feeding foam into the next hole. Then to the next...

In the same way, you can fill the tires of any other wheeled equipment, such as a garden cart, with foam.

Fill the tire with foam as follows. We insert the tube of the can into any of the holes drilled in the disk and start the flow of foam. As soon as the first traces of the foam that has reached it appear in the adjacent hole, we stop the supply from the can and immediately plug the first hole tightly with a peg. After that, you can start feeding foam into the next hole. Then to the next. The last hole, as a rule, no longer needs to be foamed, and as soon as foam appears from it, you just need to plug it with a peg plug. With this sequence of filling, air sacs usually do not remain.

The process of self-vulcanization of the foam inside the tire - in a closed volume without air access - takes a little longer than under normal conditions. The operation of foam-filled wheels can be started no earlier than in a day. And with a large volume of tires, it is better to wait at least two days.

I have been using this technology for filling tires with foam for more than 10 years, and the first foamed tire is still working properly today, although I use it without any discounts both in winter and in summer. For several years, one of the wheels of my old truck was filled with foam. It no longer made sense to repair this wheel in the traditional way, and after filling it with foam, I drove it for quite some time, however, at low speed and for short distances, mainly in the village. The motorcycle that I use for trips to the forest for mushrooms has been running on foam tires for many years.

Initially, I had doubts about the durability of tires filled with foam, but over the years I have become convinced that without air access, the foam does not break down at all and serves reliably, especially where high speeds are not needed. It is also noteworthy that lugs can be easily fixed on foamed wheels, and using the most common screws with nuts or screws for this. This is especially true when operating equipment in winter for driving on snow-covered roads or off-road.

Author; Vladimir Mikhailovich Legostaev0009

  • Author: Pavel