How to install an inner tube in a lawn mower tire


How to Put an Innertube in a Lawn Mower Tire

by Emily Patterson

When a lawnmower tire has plenty of tread left yet has a puncture or leak, it may be less expensive to put an inner tube in the tire to extend the life of the tire. To purchase an inner tube for a lawnmower tire, get the numbers on the side of the tire and call local tire shops for price and availability. Check for any glass, nails or other debris and remove before inserting the inner tube in the tire.

Step 1

Put a jack, jack stand, concrete block or other stable wedge under the lawnmower to support the lawnmower.

Step 2

Remove the tire and rim from the lawnmower. Lay the wheel on a solid surface.

Step 3

Wedge a crowbar and hammer between the rim and tire. Hit the crowbar with the hammer to push the tire away from the rim to break the bead. Go all the way around the rim with the crowbar and hammer to push the tire totally away from the rim. Be careful not to damage the edge of the tire or the rim.

Step 4

Push the tire down where the valve stem is protruding through the rim. Use a pair of sharp snips to cut the valve stem and remove.

Step 5

Use the crowbar as a wedge to carefully slide the tire, one small section at a time, over the rim so the rim is under the lip of the tire.

Step 6

Sprinkle cornstarch into the tire. This will help the inner tube move freely in the tire and make it easier to maneuver into position.

Step 7

Lay the inner tube on the top and position it so that the valve stem on the inner tube is in the same position as the hole for the valve stem on the rim. Push the inner tube into the the tire and push the valve stem through the hole in the rim. Use a pair of vise grips to clamp the valve stem on the outside of the rim.

Step 8

Push the inner tube onto the rim with your hands and move it into position in the tire. Make sure that the inner tube is not twisted in the tire.

Step 9

Wash the edge of the tire and inner edge of the rim with hot, soapy water. Do not saturate. It is easier to reseat the bead when both the tire and rim are clean.

Step 10

Lay the crowbar across the rim horizontally so that the hooked end can be inserted between the tire and the rim. Hook the end of the crowbar onto the rim under the edge of the tire that was removed from the rim. Be careful that you do not pinch the inner tube. Lift the end of the crowbar so the tire moves back into position on the inner side of the rim. Follow this procedure all the way around the rim, in small increments, until the entire tire has been moved back into position on the rim.

Step 11

Remove vise grips from the valve stem and inflate the inner tube until the tire pushes against the rim. When the tire pushes against the rim, pour liquid dish soap between the edge of the tire and the rim. Wrap a heavy rope around the center of the perimeter of the tire and pull it tight. You can also use a clothing belt for this. The purpose of this is to push the edge of the tire as tight against the edge of the rim as possible with equal distribution all the way around. Pour more dish liquid all the way around the rim between the tire and the inner tube.

Step 12

Continue inflating the inner tube until the tire is completely tight against the rim and there is no space between the edge of the tire and the rim. Deflate the inner tube and push on the tire where it meets the rim. If it pushes away from the rim, reinflate the inner tube. Repeat this process until the tire cannot move away from the rim when pressed.

Step 13

Deflate the inner tube until it is inflated to the manufacturer's recommended pressure. Replace the rim on the lawnmower.

References

  • Gempler's: Changing a Tractor Tire

Tips

  • There are special tools called spoons that you can use to remove the tire from the rim and replace the tire back over the rim. Using spoons can make the job a little easier.

Things You'll Need

  • Jack, jack stand or concrete block
  • Crowbar
  • Hammer
  • Snips
  • Dish soap
  • Cornstarch
  • Vise grips
  • Heavy rope or belt

Warnings

  • When inflating the inner tube, stand away from the tire in case the tube ruptures. Inflate the tire only to the manufacturer's recommendation before replacing on the tire. Overinflating can cause the tire to burst.

Writer Bio

Emily Patterson has been creating content for websites since 1996. She specializes in home improvement, natural body care and natural cleaning articles. Patterson holds a computing certificate from Penn State University.

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How To Put A Tube In A Lawn Mower Tire? (Step-By-Step Guide)

There is no substitute for a lawn mower to make your lawn look nice and attractive. But a lawn mower is only effective when all of its parts are perfectly fine.

If the lawn mower is used regularly, then there is considerable pressure to fall on the wheels. As a result, the wheel is likely to be leaked or punctured. Like other vehicles, tubeless tires can not be used in lawn mowers. 

If the tire is leaking or getting punctured then it is absolutely necessary to repair it. And this can be solved by putting a tube inside the tire.

Are you in a dilemma on how to put a tube in a lawn mower tire? Throw out all your confusion as you are here!

Yes, we’re here to give you the right guideline.

In this article, we are going to bring up all the steps that you need to put a tube in a lawn mower tire.  

So, without panicking, Let’s see what is waiting for you.

In this content you’ll learn:

The Process To Put A Tube In A Lawn Mower Tire:

First things first, before putting a tube in a lawn mower tire, it is necessary to gather the required tools. You will easily find these effective tools.  Let’s have a look at the necessary tools.

Necessary tools: 

  • At first, you need a jack or wooden block to support the lawn mower.
  • A hammer and a crowbar are needed to bring out the tire from the rim.
  • A small amount of corn starch also helps you to bring out the tire.
  • To cut down the valve stem you need scissors. Take some liquid dish soap for cleaning purposes. This will also help you to set the tire with the rim.
  • Finally, an inner tube is required for the completion of the task.

Steps to follow: 

Step #1: Adjust The Jack

First of all,  take the lawn mower to a flat surface. Enter the jack under the lawn mower for the convenience of the task.

Step #2: Remove Tire and Rim

Now take out the tire and the rim from the lawn mower. Put the wheel on the ground horizontally.

Step #3: Remove The Rim From The Tire

Insert a crowbar between the rim and tire and gently hit the crowbar with a hammer. This will slowly remove the rim from the tire. Do the same thing around the tire. However, be careful that the edges of the tire and rim are not damaged.

Step #4: Cut Off The Valve Stem

Pull the tire down and find out where the valve stem is. Cut off the valve stem using scissors and bring out.

Step #5: Open The Tire

This time, try to open the tire carefully using the crowbar. But don’t try to open too many portions at once. It is likely to damage the tire. Notice that the lip of the tire is always at the bottom of the rim.

Step #6: Sprinkle Cornstarch

Sprinkle some cornstarch inside the tire. The tube will easily come out of the tire.

Step #7: Insert New Tube

Now it’s the turn to insert a new inner tube. Insert a new tube inside the tire. Notice whether the valve stem of the tire and the valve stem of the inner tube is in the same position.

Step #8: Insert The Tube Inside The Tire

Insert the tube inside the tire so that the valve stem can be easily inserted into the rim hole. A couple of vise grips allow you to band the valve stem on the outside of the rim. 

Step #9: Adjust The Tube

Push the inner tube within the tire and set it carefully in the inner portion of the tire. Try to ensure the tube within the tire doesn’t fold. Remove the vise grips at the outside.

Step #10: Wash The Tire and The Rim

Now wash the tire’s edge and the inner edge of the rim thoroughly with a mixture of hot water and soap. Installation is easier when the tire and rim are clean.

Step #11: Set Up The Tire and The Rim

When the tube is properly positioned, this is time to set up the tire and rim. To tighten the rim inside the tire, tighten a rope around the tire. The purpose of the rope is to tighten the rim so that it can be firmly attached to the tire.

Step #12: Apply Some Liquid Dish Soap

Rub some amount of liquid dish soap at the edge of the tire and at the rim’s edge. This will help attach the tire to the rim. Rub the dish soap around the rim and the edge of the tire and give some pressure to the tire to attach with the rim well. Apply pressure until the tire is fully tightened against the rim.

Step #13: Firmly Attach The Tire and Rim

Always make sure there is no gap between the tire and the rim. Finally, check around the tire well. 

Step #14: Reinstall The Wheel

Done. Now reinstall the wheel with a lawn mower. It will be re-usable when inflating the tube according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.

Special Tips: 

You can use a spoon to remove and attach the tire to the rim well. This will make your task easier.

Cautions: 
  • Carefully operate the hammer and the crowbar.
  • Stand away from the tire at the time of inflating the inner tube. 
  • Inflating the inner tube according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
  • Don’t try to over-inflate the tire. This can damage the tire and make the tire burst.
  • Try to keep your lawn free from small pieces of glass.

Final Verdict

Putting a tube in a lawn mower tire is an easy task if you have proper knowledge about it. But If you are a newbie, it can be a quite tough task for you. 

Following the above-stated process will make your task easier.  You can even try this at home. Nevertheless, always maintain the cautions for avoiding any kind of unforeseen accidents. 

Hopefully, this article has helped you to get the appropriate guidelines on how to put a tube in a lawn mower tire.

MowersTips

Todd L Miles

Lawn Mowers Enthusiast

I started "Landscape and Lawns Care" to provide clients with lawn care with better service, better products and, most importantly, better ethics. My promise to every customer is to give the greenest grass possible while controlling weeds, insects, and diseases! The most important thing is that I strive to always do the right thing for you, your lawn and your wallet!

Installation of a robot lawnmower on the site

Lawnmower robots operate exclusively autonomously and require the presence of a person only at the initial stage of operation. A few years ago, dozens of users owned such equipment, and now there are hundreds of users. This small and manoeuvrable machine works like a professional gardener on the lawn. It continuously mows the growing grass and the lawn at any moment looks like a brand new one. Disposal of cut residues is not required. Left in place of the cut, they rot and turn into the necessary fertilizer. Robotic lawnmowers allow you to process areas ranging from several hundred to several thousand square meters. This is perhaps the most important characteristic of the machine. The larger it is, the more possibilities this model has.

Plot. The surface of the area must be level and free from ridges. Water will always accumulate in the pits, and the tubercles will interfere with work and spoil the appearance. Therefore, you should fill in the recesses, cut off the tubercles and clean the surface of the lawn from foreign objects. The slope angle of the site should not exceed the allowable value specified in the passport of the machine. Before choosing a model, it is advisable to draw a diagram of the site and indicate its approximate dimensions. This will help to more conveniently locate the base station and determine the right amount of wire.

Base. The base charging station should be located approximately in the center of the perimeter of the treated area. The power cable connected to the base unit must be well protected against possible damage. The station must be protected from direct sunlight and water drops from sprinklers.

Accumulator. Place the mower on the base station and fully charge the battery before starting work. It may take 50-75 minutes to fully charge the battery.

Laying the boundary wire. Boundary wire (CB) defines the boundaries of the area to be mowed. It is secured to the ground with the plastic pegs supplied with the mower. From the wire, the robot lawnmower will receive information about the place of the turn. Ring loops should be made around flower beds and shrubs, thereby protecting them from damage by a lawn mower. The OP must not cross when connected to the charging station.

Laying the guide wire. The guide wire (GU) is connected to the base station at one end, and placed at the farthest end of the site with the other. There, the end of the NP is attached to a loop 20 cm long made of OP. The LR ensures that the robotic lawnmower finds its way back to the charging station and guides it to the outlying areas of the site. NP should not intersect with OP. The distance between the NP and the OP should be at least 30 cm. When laying the NP, right angles should be avoided, because this will make it difficult for the mower to find the base.

Parameter setting. Use the main menu to select and set parameters. It is quite extensive, but it is not difficult to understand it. Sometimes factory settings are enough to work. For more information on how to program parameters, please refer to the instruction manual for the specific model. The battery is charged, the parameters are entered. Now the "Start" command and enjoy your rest on the mowed lawn.

Blog RIVETS » Makita cordless lawn mowers. How to choose.

Last year (2020) battery lawnmowers became a real trend of the season, and this year we expect a further increase in interest in such models.

The advantages of cordless mowers are many. Unlike gasoline models, battery-powered models are much lighter and more maneuverable, they do not require complex manipulations for refueling, starting the engine, changing oil and filters. Women are especially pleased with such mowers. For them, the advantages of battery models cover all their shortcomings. And they also exist. For example, the power and performance of gasoline models is higher, and in the case of a heavily neglected lawn, a battery-powered model may not be able to cope. Or it will, but very slowly. Also often complain about the high cost of batteries and their natural gradual loss of capacity. However, we are talking about years, and in a few years a gasoline engine can wear out.

However, the purpose of this article is not to tell about the advantages of battery technology, but to help with the choice of a specific model, of which Makita currently has about a dozen.

  1. Working width (knife diameter).
    The first two digits after the letters DLM (the difference between all cordless lawnmowers) is the working width in one pass. The larger it is, the higher the performance of the mower and the faster you will process your site. In parallel with the increase in cutting width, the manufacturer also increases the volume of the grass catcher. For example, models with a width of 38cm have a 40l grass collector, and models with a width of 53cm have as much as 70l. More grass catcher - less interruptions to empty it, work goes faster. The flip side of the coin is that larger mowing widths require a more powerful engine and larger batteries. A small model is enough for 2 batteries of 3 Ah (better, of course, 4 Ah), but the 43 cm model comes with 5 Ah batteries. In addition, the larger the working width, the larger and heavier the mower itself.
  2. Complete set.
    An important point, obvious to those who are already actively using Makita cordless equipment, but often misleading to those who plan to purchase their first tool of this kind. The letter "Z" in the article of Makita battery technology means that this product is supplied without batteries and charger in the kit (Z=Zero). This is convenient for those who already have Makita 18-volt cordless appliances and have the ability to swap batteries between different tools. If you don’t have batteries and charger yet, it’s cheaper to buy a complete mower right away. The total cost when ordering separately a “Z” lawn mower and two batteries with charging will be up to 30% more expensive than buying a set at once!
  3. Type, number of batteries.
    All currently available (spring 2021) cordless lawnmowers in the Makita range are powered by two 18V batteries installed simultaneously. As already mentioned above, the larger / more powerful the mower, the higher its energy consumption. Therefore, it is recommended to use more capacious batteries for such models. For example, DLM382PM2 with a working width of 38cm is equipped with two 4 Ah batteries. According to user experience, a pair of such batteries is enough for 30-40 minutes of continuous operation (depending on the lawn care and other factors). The mower DLM432PT2 with 5Ah batteries, which it is equipped with, lasts for 35-45 minutes, because. more powerful motor and consumes more. Lawn mowers of the new Makita DLM530 series with an impressive working width of 53 cm (few petrol models have such indicators) have 4 battery slots. However, they work in pairs, and switching from one pair to another is carried out manually by turning the switch. The solution, in our opinion, is somewhat ambiguous, but if you are handing over the mower for use by a person "far from technology", this solution may come in handy.
  4. Charger type.
    Separately, a few words about the charger. All models except for models with the “Z” index are equipped with a dual charger that charges two batteries at the same time. By the way, it can also charge one battery. In most models, this charger is “fast”. Charging current up to 9A allows you to charge the battery at 5A in 40 minutes. However, the model with the index "CT" (DLM432CT2) is equipped with a "slow" dual charger. Such a charge charges a 5AH battery for almost 2 hours, which is of course a minus. But there are pluses: such equipment is cheaper, and charging the battery with a weaker current prolongs its service life.
  5. Mulching.
    All Makita cordless lawn mowers are equipped with a grass catcher and the main mode of operation for them is mowing with the collection of cut grass into the grass catcher. However, there are models with a mulching mode, in which chopped grass is evenly distributed over the treated surface for the purpose of fertilization, protection from drying out, etc. For example, the DLM382 and DLM432 ranges include a mulch plug (not included), while the DLM380 and DLM431 ranges do not.

For ease of comparison and selection, we have summarized all models of cordless lawn mowers in one table.

Working width, cm

Grass bag capacity, l

Battery type and number included

Charger type included

Mulching

Features

DLM380Z

38

40

no

no

no

DLM380PM2

38

40

2* 4AH,

fast charger

no

DLM382Z

38

40

no

no

option

Wheels on bearings

DLM382PM2

38

40

2* 4AH

quick charge

option

Wheels on bearings

DLM431Z

43

40

no

no

DLM431PT2

43

40

2* 5AH

fast charger

no

DLM432Z

43

50

no

no

option

Wheels on bearings

DLM432PT2

43

50

2* 5AH

fast charger

option

Wheels on bearings

DLM432CT2

43

50

2* 5AH

slow charging

option

Wheels on bearings

DLM460Z

46

60

no

no

yes

DLM462Z

46

60

no

no

yes

Steel housing, 4 battery slots

DLM530Z

53

70

no

no

yes

Steel housing, 4 battery slots

DLM532Z

53

70

no

no

yes

Self-propelled.


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