Foam instead of glycol in tires?

[Ric Richardson]

Hello; After my 1967 International 2404 caught a stick in the side of the rear tire, it lost some fluid. A nephew of ours told me that, since I don't use it for heavy work, I should be able to replace the fluid with spray-in foam.

Has anyone tried this?
Ric

[midpw]

Interesting question..............I don't think you'd be happy with the result.

We operate a garbage transfer station and we "foam" the tires on our equipment. It makes for the hardest ride you can imagine and it's pricey.

As far as flat tires go, we don't have any; period. So it's worth the cost, but I'd never suggest it to a regular fellow. Up around here in northern Michigan, they're beginning to use beet juice for non-corrosive loading of tires.

[Dave R]

When I worked for the city we used rubber foam in tires of tractors used to mow vacant lots ect. Pricey to have done.If you dont punch the top of the tire with a big animal hyperdermic needle to vent air out during filling you may get a bubble in the foam and a soft spot in the result. Once foamed the tire is on the rim forever . The filled tire is kinda heavy but not as heavy as if loaded with calcium . I never heard of glycol in tires. Used to use calcium chlorice solution.

[Bill Wehrman]

I had the front tires on my backhoe filled. There are a couple different kinds available. The stuff I got looks like root beer colored silicone, it is pumped in as a liquid under the same pressure you normally run with air and it gives approximatly the same "bounce" as a normal tire. Mine were $250 per tire 6 or seven years ago, could not be happier with them, should have done a new set however. I had calcium in them before filling, after they are heavier.

[Ric Richardson]

Thank you all;

I may have been wrong about the glycol and mine may have calcium chloride in them. I'll check out the cost of the foam, since it may be cheaper than changing the tube and can possibly be done, at home.
Ric

[Bill Geyer]

We used 50/50 glycol antifreeze & water in the equipment tires for the school district I worked at. It worked perfectly and was friendly to the rubber. Worked there 23 years, as far as I know they are still using it.

[J.B. Castagnos]

Foam filling is usually done at commercial tire companies, don't know of any home kits. I have foam filled tires on my forklift, fine around the shop, but at times I drive it to other locations, it's punishing. Reminds me of hurricane Gustave. A friend called the evening after the hurricane, he works for the power company, asked where he could find a forklift in a hurry, had supplies coming in and no way to unload. I told him I would be over to help, had my teenage son follow with the flashers on as it was getting near dark. I saw a policeman on the way and asked him to escort me. I drive it backwards on the street as it handles better, the police car followed at 10mph with the lights flashing. My son called his older brother and told him "Dad's in a high speed chase on a forklift".