Filling a tire with "Great Stuff" expandable foam

[Paint...@unlisted.moo]

I wonder what would happen if someone took a small tire, such as the
ones on wheelbarrows or push carts (dollys) and just filled them with
Spray Foam (such as "Great Stuff" brand).

It would seem to me, that you could just remove the valve stem core,
insert the nozzle from the spray can into the valve stem, and fill the
tire. I guess the only concern would be to make sure the whole tire was
filled, and not leaving parts of it empty. The foam would expand and
make a solid tire.

Has anyone ever tried this?

[Frank]

I know it is an old concept. Air would still leak out as tire is under
pressure and air would still permeate rubber needing occasional
replenishment.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 4/28/2016 6:38 AM, Paint...@unlisted.moo wrote:

I've thought about it, but never tried it. I'd
be tempted to pull the valve core, and then
collapse the tire off the rim. Squirt the
expanding foam in under the edge of the tire.
Put the tire on a horizontal axle. Turn the
tire (by hand?) as the foam cures. Wear gloves,
and treat the wet foam like toxic waste. Takes
a long time to wear off hands, and never really
comes out of clothes.

The foam continues to expand about double size,
after it's dispensed.

--
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 4/28/2016 8:11 AM, Frank wrote:
> I know it is an old concept. Air would still leak out as tire is under
> pressure and air would still permeate rubber needing occasional
> replenishment.

The foam hardens when dry. As such, it seems like
it would fill the tire and be rigid. No inflating
needed, due to the rigid, hard foam.

[Frank]

On 4/28/2016 8:22 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
> On 4/28/2016 8:11 AM, Frank wrote:
>> I know it is an old concept. Air would still leak out as tire is under
>> pressure and air would still permeate rubber needing occasional
>> replenishment.
>
> The foam hardens when dry. As such, it seems like
> it would fill the tire and be rigid. No inflating
> needed, due to the rigid, hard foam.
>

Tires need to flex. Foams are not that ridged but would need to recover
from flexing. Stiffer foams would not recover as well.

[burfordTjustice]

Report the results after you give it a go.

[Stormin Mormon]

For a slow tire such as wheel barrow, might
not be an issue. Vehicle tires? I'm not sure.

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <jep3ib59im68thhkl...@4ax.com>,
Paint...@unlisted.moo says...

The trick would be to get enough in the tire to fill it, but not too
much. If too much is put in, it would probably push the tire off the
rim or bust it.

[rbowman]

On 04/28/2016 04:38 AM, Paint...@unlisted.moo wrote:
> Has anyone ever tried this?

Yeah. Is your google broken?

[gfre...@aol.com]

My bet is the foam collapses and you still end up with a flat tire.
These tires carry 40-50 PSI of air, Put 40 pounds of force on a 1x1
stick against that foam and it will disappear into the foam.

[Paint...@unlisted.moo]

Why does a tire need to flex? On a car, the flexing is desirable to
cushion the ride, which makes the ride more comfortable. But on a
wheelbarrow or push cart it does not matter. I have both a hand cart and
a wheelbarrow which have solid tires, and they work fine. I also have
both of these which have aired tires. All they do is waste space in my
garage or barn, because everytime I want to use them, the damn tires are
flat. There is no excuse for having to screw around with tires everytime
I want to move a load of dirt or move an appliance. I have never noticed
much difference in handling the ones with solid tires or aired tires.

[gfre...@aol.com]

Try it on soft ground.
... and the foam will crush giving you a "low" tire pretty quickly.

[Tekkie®]

Frank posted for all of us...

Frank, I know you are trying to be nice but take a look at some of the
pigmented bovines past postings.

--
Tekkie

[Tekkie®]

rbowman posted for all of us...

>
> On 04/28/2016 04:38 AM, Paint...@unlisted.moo wrote:
> > Has anyone ever tried this?
>
> Yeah. Is your google broken?

The pigmented bovine is not familiar with what you speak and lacks the
critical function of a brain.

--
Tekkie

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

I don't think it is physically possible for the foam to exert enough
force to demount the tire.

It'll work for a while. Eventually the foam may break down and turn
into powder, but it will take some time and some load.. It will ooze
out the valve stem long before the tire comes off!!!!

[Paint...@unlisted.moo]

If I could figure out how to inject it into the valve stem, I'd prefer
to fill them with concrete.

[gfre...@aol.com]

Just buy solid tires and be aware on soft ground, they suck. If you
are always running on a hard flat surface, they work great. Think rail
road wheels vs car tires

[Harry K]

Not all tires need to flex. I was having trouble with constant flats from thorns on the trailer for my garden tractor. Tire shop suggested replacing them with solid tires. Yep, they ahd them, I got them, they are great. For wheelbarrows, carts, and such use there is no need for "flex".

[Harry K]

???Why would the suck on soft ground? On carts, hand trucks, garden trailers, etc. regular tires don't flex enough to be noticeable...actually I suspect they don't flex at all.

[gfre...@aol.com]

On Sat, 30 Apr 2016 08:48:45 -0700 (PDT), Harry K <tur...@q.com>
wrote:

That is true if you are not running your wheelbarrow over uneven or
soft surfaces. I have one each (solid tire and pneumatic tire). If you
load them up and try to go out across the yard, the difference is
immediately apparent.

[gfre...@aol.com]

On Sat, 30 Apr 2016 08:54:45 -0700 (PDT), Harry K <tur...@q.com>
wrote:

You suspect wrong.

[Frank]

Can lead to interesting discussions. I don't mind. I'm an old retired
fibers and plastics R&D guy and know most of what is being talked about
here was stuff worked on a long time ago. Also as a home owner know
that I would not buy something at twice the cost even if trouble free.

[Dean Hoffman]

It never occurred to me. Forklifts and such use products like
this: http://www.americanindustrialtire.com/foamfilled.htm


--
Using Opera's mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

[gfre...@aol.com]

That looks like an answer but it is "a urethane rubber product" not
styrene foam

[rbowman]

On 04/30/2016 09:48 AM, Harry K wrote:
> Not all tires need to flex. I was having trouble with constant flats from thorns on the trailer for my garden tractor. Tire shop suggested replacing them with solid tires. Yep, they ahd them, I got them, they are great. For wheelbarrows, carts, and such use there is no need for "flex".

Ever try Slime? I've used it in bicycle tires in areas where goathead
thorns are prevalent and it worked well.

Mr. Tuffy lines also help a lot:

http://www.mrtuffy.com/

They don't have anything specifically for garden tires but I'd think the
fat tire version could be adapted.

[Uncle Monster]

When I first saw this thread I recalled a story I read about the Presidential limo which showed the tires filled with a foam that took the place of air making the tires flat proof. ^_^

[8~{} Uncle Foam Monster

[Stormin Mormon]

Why is this still on topic? I thought that
was prohibited on this list.

[gfre...@aol.com]

On Sat, 30 Apr 2016 13:20:55 -0600, rbowman <bow...@montana.com>
wrote:

I bought some time with slime in a lawn tractor tire but normal
running will not spread it around enough. The second time, I manually
rotated the wheel (dismounted) in all axis, trying to get an even coat
all over. That held for a year or two.

[Harry K]

Yes I have used it. In fact the tire I took in last time had it. That's when the tech suggested the solid tire.

[GTWarner]

replying to Paintedcow, GTWarner wrote:
I think even dispersion and an even way for air to escape during fill would
be first priorty. Then weight carrying and resillance. That stuff seems to
last a long time. I'm sure the formula could be modified for optimum results.
Experiments shall begin!

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/maintenance/filling-a-tire-with-great-stuff-expandable-foam-886148-.htm

[Ed Pawlowski]

On 2/21/2018 12:44 PM, GTWarner wrote:
> replying to Paintedcow, GTWarner wrote:
> I think even dispersion  and an even way for air to escape during fill
> would
> be first priorty. Then weight carrying and resillance. That stuff seems to
> last a long time. I'm sure the formula could be modified for optimum
> results.
> Experiments shall begin!

Solid tires have been around for decades and there are reasons they are
not often used. Great Stuff may work for a few miles, but won't work
well after it gets compacted.

[Oren]

I bought a 4-way lug wrench in case I need to change a tire. Works
wonders.
--
"People who worry about crocodiles are smart!" -Joe Machi