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Liquid laundry starch for tires

samss

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Aug 20, 2014
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Conway, AR
Has anyone else tried liquid laundry starch to keep tires from going flat? It's working on my riding mower tubeless tires but not the bicycle tubed tires.:dunno:
 
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samss

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Aug 20, 2014
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Conway, AR
Got the idea from a tractor forum. Apparently, the green tire slime is mostly starch.
 

Train

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Jul 20, 2010
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Alberta, Canada
I used it on my riding mower. Funny thing is they still go flat sitting over the winter, but I air them up in the spring and they're good for the season.
 

Falcon67

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Jun 11, 2009
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Location
Merkel, TX
We use Dawn dishwashing soap rubbed on the inside of slicks to help them retain air. I don't think that'd work well on mower tires. Also, you can shoot a mower tire with slime and it'll work. Then eventually you'll have to replace it and after dealing with the ensuing mess you'll never use slime again. I keep some, use it with a small brush on the rim only to help seal the rims. Other than that, I patch. If you were familiar with Mesquite tree needles, you'd understand that in west Texas the only way to keep a mower tire round is to fill it with concrete. :lol:
 

nes999

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Aug 1, 2014
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IL
I prefer to use tireject instead if slime. It is so much easier to clean up when you need to.

Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk
 

Mongo68

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Aug 28, 2009
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166
Somewhat common for paddle tires in the dunes- sand gets in the beads and they leak. I use Alumaseal and antifreeze. I know many people that prefer starch.
 
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Mikeske

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Apr 28, 2017
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Washington State
My garden tractor a John Deere X590 no nothing in the tires except for pressurized air. My John Deere 2305 TLB has rim guard in all the tires. FWIW Rim Guard is plasticized Beet Juice environimentally and organic. It will not kill the grass if it leaks out but boy does it stink.
 

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brewchief

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Sep 20, 2008
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Michigan
Somewhat common for paddle tires in the dunes- sand gets in the beads and they leak. I use Alumaseal and antifreeze. I know many people that prefer starch.

The alumaseal and antifreeze is pretty popular here for paddle tires as well.
 

xjfish

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Feb 22, 2014
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FWIW Rim Guard is plasticized Beet Juice environimentally and organic. It will not kill the grass if it leaks out but boy does it stink.

Interesting!

I have an old Simplicity with original tires that just get filled with air. Once in the spring and a couple times a summer? No big deal. Have not had much luck with "Slime"... Tire guys HATE it.
 

Kaizen

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Jan 9, 2015
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New England
If it's a riding mower, why not just put a tube in it?

My tires per the john deere dealer 5 years ago are too bad to put it no the machine and they pretty much said i'd need a new tire if they tried. x2 is a couple hundred bucks. So I used the slime in mine since. not super cheap but works. Last year I had to air them up every 2 weeks as they were half flat from sitting. Then over the winter they didn't lose any air. This year I was good for 2 months and last week had one flat. strange. wish harbor freight carried the ones I need
 

roc_on_the_rocks

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Mar 14, 2010
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South central Indiana
My tires per the john deere dealer 5 years ago are too bad to put it no the machine and they pretty much said i'd need a new tire if they tried. x2 is a couple hundred bucks. So I used the slime in mine since. not super cheap but works. Last year I had to air them up every 2 weeks as they were half flat from sitting. Then over the winter they didn't lose any air. This year I was good for 2 months and last week had one flat. strange. wish harbor freight carried the ones I need
I put slime in one of the front tires of my previous mower and the same happened. It sometimes leaked, sometimes didn't. I think it has to do with the position the tire is parked (meaning... if the leak path is up (uncovered by slime) it leaks, if it's in lower position, the slime plugs the leak path).

Does it make sense to you guys?
 

ambenz

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Dec 12, 2010
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Location
NW Chicago Suburbs
My tires on my truck don't leak at all if the ambient temperature remains constant.
But if we get temperature swings of 30 to 40F, usually in the 3 colder seasons, I'm refilling low, but not flat tires....aluminum rims.
I wonder if spray starch will stop this issue and if so, how would you actually get the stuff in the tubeless tire????
I don't want to use slime, as to not foul TPS sensors and to keep the tire guys happy.
 
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Kaizen

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New England
I put slime in one of the front tires of my previous mower and the same happened. It sometimes leaked, sometimes didn't. I think it has to do with the position the tire is parked (meaning... if the leak path is up (uncovered by slime) it leaks, if it's in lower position, the slime plugs the leak path).

Does it make sense to you guys?

That is what I was thinking too but then thought that's crazy. Why wouldn't it leak when driving? Maybe needs time to settle. Thought it was supposed to coat the inside not remain fluid. who the heck knows. all I know is i'll get a new mower before spending 200 bucks on 2 tires.
 

grommit

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Jul 12, 2010
Messages
39
If your tire has an intermittent leak, it's probably a thorn broken off in the tire. Depends on where the thorn is when parked.
 

roc_on_the_rocks

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Mar 14, 2010
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South central Indiana
That is what I was thinking too but then thought that's crazy. Why wouldn't it leak when driving? Maybe needs time to settle. Thought it was supposed to coat the inside not remain fluid. who the heck knows. all I know is i'll get a new mower before spending 200 bucks on 2 tires.
I didn't know that slime would settle.. I thought it would remain liquid, thinking that the centrifugal force at higher speeds would keep it spread it the tire (that would explain why slime isn't very effective in mowers, because of the low wheel speeds).

That's my theory.. but just a guess though.
 
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