Some lawn mowers come with flat free tires which is great but a lot come with pneumatic tires which can end up going flat. If you’ve got a lawn mower flat tire then you’ll need to know how to replace this and, generally speaking, it’s something you’ll have to do every couple of seasons.
But don’t worry, this isn’t a mammoth task that requires a lot of special knowledge. If you’ve taken the tire off and are wondering how to get a lawn mower tire back on the rim, you’re in the right place. This step by step guide makes it quick and easy.
Whether you have a flat or your lawn mower tire keeps coming off the rim, knowing how to put it back on is imperative. This step by step guide shows you how to successfully remove the tire and put it back on when you’re done.
1. Remove The Tire From The Lawn Mower
If you are going to replace a flat lawn mower tire or fix it then the first thing you need to do is to take it off. Follow these steps to get it off.
- Start by removing the plastic boot of the rim which can be found in the center of the tire rim. You can take hold of this using a pair of pliers and then remove it. Do be careful as this part will hold some grease and this can cause it to break easily if you aren’t gentle.
- Next, you will need to remove the C clip from the rim. You’ll find this behind the plastic boot and again, this can be easily removed with some pliers.
- Now remove the washer which you’ll see as soon as you take out the C clip. Take this out of the rim.
- Finally, to remove the tire from the lawn mower, you will need to draw it out of the axle. This should happen pretty easily if you have followed the previous steps closely and the rim and tire will come off as one.
2. Remove The Tire From The Rim
In order to work on the tire, you’re going to need to take it off of the rim. The following steps will help you to do this without any hassle.
- Begin by peeling the tire from one side of the rim. You will have to do this in order to remove the old nozzle and you’ll remove the tire using a flat head screwdriver and a hammer. Knock the screwdriver into the tire junction where it meets the tube using your hammer. When you’ve got it inside, push it and then attempt to peel the tire off. Once you have done this, you can repeat the process on the other side of the tire.
- Now it’s time to remove the nozzle from the rim. This is best done by taking hold of the small circular piece of rubber located at the back of the nozzle. This piece of rubber is used to keep the nozzle in place but you can use a pair of pliers to hold it while you cut it away. When you have cut it, you can use the pliers to hold the head of the nozzle and pull it upwards.
- Next, you will need to bring the tire off the rim. This is quite technical and you’ll need a couple more tools here if you want to get it right. Using screwdrivers is the best option but if you prefer, you can buy a special tool for this. Put your screwdrivers into several positions around the tire. Pull each one up which will cause the tire to lift off the rim. As you work your way around the tire, you’ll get to a point where you can simply lift the whole thing away.
3. Check The Tire For Damage
If you have a lawn mower flat tire then something will have caused this so now is a good time to inspect the tire for damage. You’ll want to look for things like sharp objects sticking into the tire or obvious holes.
It’s best to inspect the tire all around and to make this easier, you can mark it with chalk so you can simply turn it around and when you get back to the chalk mark, you’ll know you’ve checked the whole thing.
It could be the case that you aren’t able to find any damage. In this case, you may wish to reinstall it and inflate it in the hope that it will perform as expected. However, if there is an obvious puncture, rip or the tire just isn’t in good condition anymore, you’ll have to replace it.
4. Install The Tire On The Rim
You are now at the halfway point and the next part of the job involves installing a new tire onto the rim. Follow the steps below.
- The first thing you’ll need to do is to install a new tube. Not all tires have a tube so this may or may not apply. Insert your new tube and make sure that the valve is in line with the fill valve hole which sits inside the rim. Then put the fill valve into its hole.
- You can now reinstall the tire to the rim and again, your screwdrivers are going to come in handy.
- Start by putting transmission fluid around the inner edges of the tire as this will soften them so it’s easier to put the tire on the rim. If you don’t have transmission fluid, you can just as easily use oil to lubricate it.
- Next, you will have to push the tire back in and this might require a little effort on your part. You’ll need to apply pressure to one side of the tire while you use screwdrivers to tuck it back on inside the rim.
- Now it’s time to inflate the tire with air but be sure to stick to the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure.
5. Put The Tire Back On The Lawn Mower
The final step is to install your rim, with the tire on, back onto your lawn mower. You can do this by following these steps.
- Start by putting the tire back onto the axle. You can do this by reversing the process you did to take it off.
- Next, put the washers back on to the rim.
- You’ll then need to replace the C Clip into its previous positions. You will likely need to use a pair of pliers for this.
- Next, reinstall the plastic boot and you’re all done!
What Causes A Flat Tire?
There are several things that could cause a lawn mower flat tire. One of these could be that air is slowly leaking out of the tire and, over time, it will simply deflate. In this case, you may be able to inflate the tire again and get more use out of it.
However, sometimes, flat tires are caused by sharp objects penetrating the tire and putting a hole into it. In some cases, these flat tires will force the tire to come away from the rim and this can be difficult to fix. The worst case? You’ll need to buy a replacement.
How Do You Make Sure The Tire Is Sealed?
The last thing you want is to inflate your tire only to find that the air leaks out all over again. There may be instances that you inflate the tire and you notice that some air still escapes out of the sides, making it impossible to fully re-inflate the tire.
Before you add any air, you should apply some pressure to the tire, pushing against the sidewalls to see how solid things are. If you can feel that the bead is solid then you’re OK to go ahead and add some air.
However, if, once you add the air, you notice that there isn’t a seal, you may need to ratchet the strap a couple of times and try again. Once a seal has formed, you’ll be able to take the strap off. Make sure that, after this, you reinsert the valve core.
How Much Air Pressure Should I Use?
Each lawn mower is different so it would be impossible for us to tell you exactly how much air pressure you personally need to use for your tool. The same can be said for a variety of other mower parts such as fuel filters and the engine; each one is different and will have different recommendations.
It is essential to use the correct air pressure and you will normally find details on this within your owner’s manual. If you no longer have the manual, there should be an online version if you Google your mower model. Moreover, the correct air pressure will be printed on the tire.
Before you start filling your tires with air, it’s also important that you understand how air pressure is measured. This is done in pounds per square inch, which is often shortened to PSI. Normally, lawn mowers that have 20 inch tires at the back and 15 inch tires at the front would have 14 PSI and 10 PSI respectively. Again, it’s vital to check your owner’s manual as this is an example only.
Final Thoughts
Making sure that your lawn mower performs at its best will ensure that you are easily able to maintain your yard. While much of your mower maintenance will be to do with internal parts, you’ll also have to keep an eye on the tires.
If you have noticed that your lawn mower tire keeps coming off the rim, this could be because of a lack of air. When this happens, you will need to remove the tire from the rim and inspect it for damage.
Getting the tire on and off isn’t a hugely tricky job but you may need a little force and a few choice tools to get it done.
