If it’s too tight to pull, wrap the stem tool’s cable around the handle of a socket breaker bar and use it as a leverage multiplier. Pull until the tractor tire valve stem seats in the rim. Make sure the neck of the stem finds the hole in the rim and pull the stem out by the handle of the puller tool. Remove the threaded cap from your new stem and thread it onto the puller dangling inside the tire. Changing a Tractor Tire Valve Stemįor a pull-through rubber tractor tire valve stem, feed the pulling tool into the wheel from the outside. You may additionally need a spoonbill tire tool, a piece of steel rod, or a long breaker bar to manipulate the tire to gain access to the inside of the rim. If you thought ahead and bought a spare OEM tractor tire stem, then you may not need a pulling tool, just a wrench and socket. Stem puller tools come in various shapes and sizes, but the most common and cheapest tool is a simple steel cable with a fitting on one end to thread onto the stem and a handle on the other. Thankfully, there are tools for pulling a tractor tire valve stem into a wheel. If you’re not sure which size it is, buy both and hold on to the other stem for another tire. Most valve stems are one of two standard hole sizes and any big box store with an automotive section or tractor equipment section should have them both. Bring the old stem with you to the parts store, or measure before you go. Picking a Stemįor those of us using an off-the-shelf generic rubber stem, be sure you get the correct size stem for the hole in your wheel. Just poke the end of the wire into the hole in the middle of the stem on the inside, unbolt the nut, and the stem should slide down the wire and into your hand. If you do have an impact wrench, I found that using a length of coat hanger wire to catch the remainder of the stem works out well. Avoid dropping the broken stem in the tire you don’t want to go fishing for it later. Be prepared to have someone hold the inside portion of the broken tractor tire valve stem with a set of vice grips or long reach pliers. I found that when trying to remove a stem with a ratchet wrench, the stem spins in the wheel. For the sake of sanity, a cordless impact tool with an appropriately sized socket will do the trick, but if you don’t have one, you’ll likely need help. Because of the design of these stems, we need to remove this outer nut so we can knock the rest of the stem inward to remove it. Most OEM tractor tire valve stems include a nut on the outside of the rim. If you have a flat rear tire and you are “lucky” enough to have a backhoe attachment on at the time, use the hydraulic feet to lift the rear tires. In either case, get the wheel turned so that you can access both the inside and outside of the stem hole at the same time. Usually, the best position for the stem will be at the 3 o’clock position or the 9 o’clock position, but the environment may dictate the orientation for you. Where is the stem? Your tire is likely already partially popped off the rim, so rotate your tire either by driving on it, or spinning it if you manage to lift the tractor. If all else fails, you may be able to avoid lifting your tractor completely. If you have a flat rear tire and you don’t have a backhoe attachment on at the time, then you may need to get creative with other farm implements or get a good old bottle jack. Hydraulics do fade, and bucket loaders will leak, so be sure you put something under the tractor to act as a jack stand of sorts for safety. If you have a bucket loader and a flat front tire, then you’re in luck! Using the edge of your bucket, it’s pretty easy to lift the entire front end of your tractor off the ground and out of whatever mess you’re mired in. Using the knife edge of your bucket, you should be able to raise your front tires right off the ground. Be it mud, snow, or brush it’ll be a challenge to your temperament and ingenuity at best. What’s more, it seems that you’re almost guaranteed that you’ll get a flat tractor tire in the worst of spots and the worst of times. It’s never fun to have a flat tire on anything, let alone your tractor. Being a thin metal part, one well-placed piece of wood is all it takes to shear the stem off, whereas a rubber stem may give, bend, and return to position. You might think this makes them sturdy and resilient, but they’re not. Most modern small farm tractors have tractor tire valve stems that include a metal body. Things get bent, broken, stabbed, and wrapped up when I’m in a mess of brush, which leaves me with some inconvenient breakdowns. We use our tractors in some pretty rough terrain, but I’ve found that dealing with brush and felled trees is my danger zone. A broken tractor tire valve stem can put a damper on your day.
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