Help! Frustration with putting a tube in a tubeless tyre

[Muddy42]

Can someone help me with a very frustrating problem.  See attached photo of a rear mower wheel - size 23x10.50-12 .  The wheel was tubeless but is old and frayed and I think the chances of it remaining tubless are slim, so I was hoping to rescue it with an inner tube. So I bought a matching sized inner tube and fitting it with lots of detergent as lube around the rim. I got the tube on all fine, using vice grips to hold the valve in position.  I aired up the tube and left it for a few minutes to settle before removing the vice grips. 

 

Then whoosh the sodding valve got sucked into the wheel and vanished. I turned the air blue.  This has just happened for the second time now.  The first time I damaged the tube getting it off. Its very hard to remove an inner tube without damaging it when it has air in it.

 

Can I rescue the wheel in the photo?

 

Assuming not, how do I stop this happening for a third time?  Is there a type of valve stem that has a knurled metal ring to hold the valve in like on a bicycle? Would it help if I pumped the tyre up beyond the specified pressure for a few minutes? Should I leave the vice grips on for longer?

 

Thanks,

 

 

[GarethM]

Personally, I'd see if you can get a foam version.

 

What's it off, a ride on mower?.

[Muddy42]

9 minutes ago, GarethM said:

Personally, I'd see if you can get a foam version.

 

What's it off, a ride on mower?.

 

Yes its a ride on mower or a lawn tractor as the purists call it with the engine up front.  But its very old and beaten up and I am trying hard not to spend money on it other than my time.  Foam tyres sound too expensive.  The mower deck has been welded several times, but is getting to the stage where there is very little good metal left.  BUT this particular mower leaves an amazing finish in rough areas.

 

I've normally quite good with air filled tyres. Im looking for help with this valve issue. Thanks

 

 

[Deafhead]

If that outer casing is old I should be very wary of putting too much pressure in it. Is the valve offset on the tube or is it central. The other thing you could do is drill another hole for the valve, (blanking the old one off of course)

[GarethM]

Foam shouldn't be expensive, maybe £20 a tyre. Or at a push the green tyre goop.

 

But the valve is always the weakest point as they like to slice them off for fun if the pressure gets low or the weight gets too much.

 

Done many a wheelbarrow/sack truck and ride on including some retarded American trolley with bolt together half rims.

[Muddy42]

7 minutes ago, Deafhead said:

If that outer casing is old I should be very wary of putting too much pressure in it. Is the valve offset on the tube or is it central. The other thing you could do is drill another hole for the valve, (blanking the old one off of course)

Nice thought process that I hadn't thought of.  The inner tube valve is offset but maybe not enough.  The valve stem was quite a tight fit already.

 

The tyre is very low pressure already, practically run flat, I thinks its specified at 12 psi.

 

 

Edited Monday at 14:09 by Muddy42

[Muddy42]

4 minutes ago, GarethM said:

Foam shouldn't be expensive, maybe £20 a tyre. Or at a push the green tyre goop.

 

But the valve is always the weakest point as they like to slice them off for fun if the pressure gets low or the weight gets too much.

 

Done many a wheelbarrow/sack truck and ride on including some retarded American trolley with bolt together half rims.

 

Thanks.  Sorry what do you mean by foam, a foam you squirt in or a new run flat tyre made of foam?

 

I'm always warry of that quick fix goop stuff, I once had to throw away a tyre rather than repair it because of the solidified mess inside that I couldn't remove.

[GarethM]

New tyre with it in built, Google the tyre size and see what pops up.

 

As even a new inner tube is over a tenner these days.

[Muddy42]

48 minutes ago, GarethM said:

New tyre with it in built, Google the tyre size and see what pops up.

 

As even a new inner tube is over a tenner these days.

Thanks, having paid for this inner tube now, I think I'll just make it work.  I'll investigate the valve position and there is a mismatch between the rim and the inner tube, I'll see if I can move the hole. Maybe I could weld up the old hole in the rim. The pressure is off on grass cutting now so I have time.

[woody paul]

You put tube in upside down. 

Edited Monday at 15:26 by woody paul