Flat Tires

[fixyurdivot]

I have an early generation Sun Mountain cart that has the 12.5 x 2.25 inflatable tires.  Last week, two of us in the group limped back to 18 with a flat tire.  Seems they have some nasty,  low growing weeds with thorns here in Yuma.  We had both helped out looking for another players ball, in an area we'd not been before.  Anyway, new tubes purchased and installed and we're good... for now.  Someone mentioned the use of a product "Slime" that is a protector/sheath between the tube and tire inside wall.  Anyone familiar with and use this (or like) product?  I also see that a new set of "no flat" tires can be purchased, but they were $80.  This option might be the better long term solution, but some say they do not roll as well?

[Kenny B]

Ah... goatheads, tackweeds, other names I can't type.  Very common around here as well.  Nobody has inflatable tires on carts here for that reason. They aren't a problem on the nicer courses, but I always stay out of the weedy regions anyway.  It's also a big problem on roads for bicyclists.  I have driven my car on gravel roads and had them stuck all over my tires.  

I haven't tried the "Slime" stuff; no reason to.   I'd get a new cart.

[tony@CIC]

I have an early generation Sun Mountain cart that has the 12.5 x 2.25 inflatable tires.  Last week, two of us in the group limped back to 18 with a flat tire.  Seems they have some nasty,  low growing weeds with thorns here in Yuma.  We had both helped out looking for another players ball, in an area we'd not been before.  Anyway, new tubes purchased and installed and we're good... for now.  Someone mentioned the use of a product "Slime" that is a protector/sheath between the tube and tire inside wall.  Anyone familiar with and use this (or like) product?  I also see that a new set of "no flat" tires can be purchased, but they were $80.  This option might be the better long term solution, but some say they do not roll as well?

Slime is an emergency inflator - not intended to be a buffer between the tube and the tire. Since you already have new tubes installed why not just stay out of the prickly stuff?


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[GB13]

1 hour ago, fixyurdivot said:

I have an early generation Sun Mountain cart that has the 12.5 x 2.25 inflatable tires.  Last week, two of us in the group limped back to 18 with a flat tire.  Seems they have some nasty,  low growing weeds with thorns here in Yuma.  We had both helped out looking for another players ball, in an area we'd not been before.  Anyway, new tubes purchased and installed and we're good... for now.  Someone mentioned the use of a product "Slime" that is a protector/sheath between the tube and tire inside wall.  Anyone familiar with and use this (or like) product?  I also see that a new set of "no flat" tires can be purchased, but they were $80.  This option might be the better long term solution, but some say they do not roll as well?

If you're going to help your buddy find his ball, just leave the cart outside the weed patch. But if the problem persists, the solid rubber tires are the best solution. 

[Kenny B]

15 minutes ago, tony@CIC said:

Slime is an emergency inflator - not intended to be a buffer between the tube and the tire. Since you already have new tubes installed why not just stay out of the prickly stuff?
 

 

11 minutes ago, GB13 said:

If you're going to help your buddy find his ball, just leave the cart outside the weed patch. But if the problem persists, the solid rubber tires are the best solution. 

You guys in the midwest aren't familiar with these desert weeds.  These weeds also grow in normal golf course rough if the rough is thin, so it's not just areas off the normal course.  I have them growing in parts of my lawn.  They are attracted to irrigated areas, and the only way to really get rid of them is to choke them out with grass.  It's a never ending battle, because my irrigation water comes from ditches where they grow, so seeds come in with the water.  

[PING Apologist #9]

I've tried the "slime" as a mitigation tool with new tires and tubes with my daughter's bikes over the years and yeah...it just doesn't work that way. As stated before, it was meant for an emergency situation I suppose. We have those nasty goat heads here too and going off-road is pure death. Solid tires are the way to go IMHO.

[fixyurdivot]

1 hour ago, tony@CIC said:

Slime is an emergency inflator - not intended to be a buffer between the tube and the tire. Since you already have new tubes installed why not just stay out of the prickly stuff?


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I try but to be honest these stickers are tough to spot. Slime also makes a tube protector, but the few reviews I'm now finding aren't favorable.  

 

[fixyurdivot]

13 minutes ago, PING Apologist #9 said:

We have those nasty goat heads here too and going off-road is pure death

Yes, that's what they were calling them; and they are nasty little buggers.  

[PING Apologist #9]

20 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Yes, that's what they were calling them; and they are nasty little buggers.  

Man and God help ya if one those evil buggers ever wonders inside and gets one stuck directly in yer foot! OUCH! I actually had one penetrate my rubber-soled moccasin shearling slippers one year and it was a painful, bloody mess! Bad stuff that..!

[BigtazzGolf]

Can you swap out tires for hard plastic ones like this on clicgear or similar?


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[tony@CIC]

8 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

I try but to be honest these stickers are tough to spot. Slime also makes a tube protector, but the few reviews I'm now finding aren't favorable.  

 

Well that's an interesting product. I see the regular tire fix product all the time and often wondered if I should have a can in my emergency car kit. I've never seen the tube tire protector on the shelf. I would have noticed it since my old MGA  car has tubed tires. Thanks for the heads up I'll have to keep an eye out for it. 

[PlaidJacket]

11 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

I also see that a new set of "no flat" tires can be purchased, but they were $80

This is your best and permanent option. I ditched my SM inflatable tires several years ago for a retrofit set of solid tires. Haven't had a flat since.

[fixyurdivot]

1 hour ago, BigtazzGolf said:

Can you swap out tires for hard plastic ones like this on clicgear or similar?


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Yes, but as I mentioned, the set was north of $80 which is more than I paid for the cart.  Now that I know heading too far off the fairways can be hell on tires, I'll be more cautious and see how things go the rest of the season.  Meanwhile, I'll keep and eye out for a set of the later generation Sun Mountain tires.

33 minutes ago, PlaidJacket said:

This is your best and permanent option. I ditched my SM inflatable tires several years ago for a retrofit set of solid tires. Haven't had a flat since.

Do you notice much/any difference in how they roll?  

[PlaidJacket]

Just now, fixyurdivot said:

Yes, but as I mentioned, the set was north of $80 which is more than I paid for the cart.  Now that I know heading too far off the fairways can be hell on tires, I'll be more cautious and see how things go the rest of the season.  Meanwhile, I'll keep and eye out for a set of the later generation Sun Mountain tires.

Do you notice much/any difference in how they roll?  

Maybe some. But not enough to be a deal killer IMO. Tires that don't deflate outweighs any rolling concerns. 

[Har in the Hat]

I have the first generation Sunmountsin cart as well that has the inner tubes. If you go on Sunmountain's website, they offer replacement solid rubber tires.

 

I see this was already mentioned

 Sorry

Edited January 9, 2019 by Har in the Hat
Editing

[TR1PTIK]

There are probably a couple options you could try for your application. Slime is simply an emergency sealant that will stop small leaks as they occur. There are a few reasons why this would be a wasted effort on a push cart though. #1 The stuff available at Walmart is not what you want. You'd have to track down and purchase the bicycle specific Slime (not that it's actually hard to do. Just stop at your LBS or go online). #2 Slime tends to work best on tubeless tires. #3 Slime requires centrifugal force to form a good seal. The stop and go nature of a push cart coupled with a low RPM makes Slime relatively ineffective for this application.

If you aren't concerned about making a mess, a good DIY solution is to fill your tires with spray foam. A quick Google search will lead you to some good tutorials, but basically you drill a small hole in the tire, and fill with a urethane foam. 

Another option, is to line the inside of the tire with some sort of heavy-duty material. It almost wouldn't matter what the material is either as long as the tire can still form a good bead on the rim and the material won't puncture the tube.

Whatever you decide to experiment with, you're not worried about ride comfort necessarily so the door is pretty wide open. The only major concerns are weight, cost, and ease-of-use if/when you do need to replace the tire.

[fixyurdivot]

1 hour ago, TR1PTIK said:

There are probably a couple options you could try for your application. Slime is simply an emergency sealant that will stop small leaks as they occur. There are a few reasons why this would be a wasted effort on a push cart though. #1 The stuff available at Walmart is not what you want. You'd have to track down and purchase the bicycle specific Slime (not that it's actually hard to do. Just stop at your LBS or go online). #2 Slime tends to work best on tubeless tires. #3 Slime requires centrifugal force to form a good seal. The stop and go nature of a push cart coupled with a low RPM makes Slime relatively ineffective for this application.

If you aren't concerned about making a mess, a good DIY solution is to fill your tires with spray foam. A quick Google search will lead you to some good tutorials, but basically you drill a small hole in the tire, and fill with a urethane foam. 

Another option, is to line the inside of the tire with some sort of heavy-duty material. It almost wouldn't matter what the material is either as long as the tire can still form a good bead on the rim and the material won't puncture the tube.

Whatever you decide to experiment with, you're not worried about ride comfort necessarily so the door is pretty wide open. The only major concerns are weight, cost, and ease-of-use if/when you do need to replace the tire.

The urethane foam fill is an interesting option. Another in our Saturday's groups said they cut up an old truck tire tube into strips to wrap around the existing tube. The tire mfg's should offer a more puncture proof inflatable.

[JohnSmalls]

What are these devilish weeds y'all have out west?!

[Kenny B]

@JohnSmalls  I call them tackweeds because the are sharp as a tack.  Also called goatheads.  It's a weed that grows in dry desert regions.  They love irrigation and will grow anywhere, but are choked out by thick grass.  Seeds come in by irrigation water or by wind.

When the weed is growing the tackweeds are green and soft,

 

but when they dry out the goatheads are very hard and sharp.  They stick to tires, shoes, anything soft.  It's another way they travel to another location.

 

[JohnSmalls]

@Kenny B whoa those are some nasty looking things.  They look way worse than the sand spurs we get around the coast.  

[Kenny B]

3 minutes ago, JohnSmalls said:

@Kenny B whoa those are some nasty looking things.  They look way worse than the sand spurs we get around the coast.  

I have them growing around the edges of my yard near the road; can't get rid of them!  My sprinklers water out into the gravel area and they grow... well, like weeds!

[JohnSmalls]

6 minutes ago, Kenny B said:

I have them growing around the edges of my yard near the road; can't get rid of them!  My sprinklers water out into the gravel area and they grow... well, like weeds!

Those things just look and now act like nightmares.  I could think of a few herbicidal remedies to try, but I wouldn't be telling you guys anything new.  Just remind me to keep my shoes on the next time I am west of the Mississippi! 

[Kenny B]

6 minutes ago, JohnSmalls said:

Those things just look and now act like nightmares.  I could think of a few herbicidal remedies to try, but I wouldn't be telling you guys anything new.  Just remind me to keep my shoes on the next time I am west of the Mississippi! 

I use Roundup in the gravel areas two or three times a year.  They just keep coming back though.

The more "dog track" the course, the more tackweeds you'll find.

[BIG STU]

On 1/10/2019 at 11:49 AM, JohnSmalls said:

@Kenny B whoa those are some nasty looking things.  They look way worse than the sand spurs we get around the coast.  

Yeah you darn sure do not want to walk in my yard in the spring and summer. Those sand spurs are everywhere. I have been out west and know exactly what the guys are talking about

[fixyurdivot]

They pack a punch!

 

[HardcoreLooper]

1 hour ago, fixyurdivot said:

They pack a punch!

 

Those are nasty b!tches.  The course I play on vacation on the Outer Banks of NC each spring has way too much of that stuff.  My score is inversely proportional to how many of those I'm pulling out of my legs at the end of the round.

[GB13]

18 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

They pack a punch!

 

Well, at least I don't have to deal with those. I mean, at least not for the 3 months we can play. 

[JohnSmalls]

Can we rename this the Flat Tires and Nightmares thread?

[Big John]

I use old leather belts to line my tires if the tubes are good and it seems to work very well

[mhdena]

I was looking into replacing my air tires on my 1st gen Speed Cart from, the solid tires are $52.50 and you need a fork kit $15 both from Sun Mountain.

I haven't had any flats only the annoying leakage and used to go to cart barn to top off the air. 

I hadn't used it in 10 yrs or more as most of the guys I played with rode, and now I have a portable air compressor that fills each tire in 1 minute .

Instead of getting the solid tires for now, I got some of this 'Flat Out'  from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PWBFTRJ?pf_rd_r=71STE9873Q0GWZWFSBXV&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8&pd_rd_r=39cb2c72-f7b6-467d-92af-e3a728cffc2d&pd_rd_w=3zj4s&pd_rd_wg=iZTsQ&ref_=pd_gw_unk

 

I'm in So Cal and won't be going through any thick weeds, I hope