Flat Tire Fix

    I'm getting my old tractor back in running shape after an extended period of being broke down. After getting it mobile I tackled the flat tire that it has had for about 8 years now. By nature I like to do things myself of course so I got an new inner tube shipped up on the bus. Tractor tires are usually filled with water and calcium for weight and traction. I figured it could weigh 1000 lbs. or more. 

 First thing is get out your big tools. Your big ratchet, sledge, and 20 ton jack for starters, and be prepared to use a 4 foot pipe over the ratchet handle for leverage.

 I got all the lug nuts off but it was stuck on there, I'm not sure if the wheel has ever been off, I figured a few well placed hits with the sledgehammer would do it.

 I got my hands on an old sign post and managed to pry the wheel off the studs. I got in there and tried to roll it towards the front of the machine. I was rather hoping I could just hold it upright and slowly roll it to the front of the machine and lift it with the bucket. It was all I could do to hold it upright and there was no shortage of odd noises emitting from both ends of me before it finally fell over with a ground shaking thud.

I managed to get the calcium siphoning out into a
pan and dumping it in buckets and a barrel, it was slow going as there was probably between 50 and 60 gallons in there.

Once I got it lightened up enough I could stand the wheel up with quad to drain the rest out.
 

 I went to work at breaking the bead with the loader bucket.

I even got a little creative, and spiced up the language, then spiced it up some more, but no way I could knock the bead down, there was 45 years of rust sticking it to the rim.

OK, I know when I'm beat, into town we go.

So when I go to fire up my pickup it won't start. It was my in tank electric fuel pump, about the last bloody thing I wanted to be doing now, or anytime for that matter.
If you have ever had to replace one yourself you know what kind of job that can be.
Of course it had all rusted on bolts and several broke off just to make things entertaining, and I had just filled the tank.

  I had one in stock, for just such an emergency.

OK, back to the flat tractor tire. Several days later I backed out of the shop and fired it in the back. I took it easy all the way in, I was afraid of the tire spreading my pickup box.

A couple hours later I arrived in Pemberton and let the tire shop deal with it in the end, saving myself further aggravation. In a few days I drove back in to get it and took it home and got it back on the machine without any major calamities.