Cat Trax Wheel Replacement

Anyone know how to put a new wheel on a set of Cat Trax.
Evidently there is no inner tube so the wheel needs to seal somehow before it's pumped up.

Take it to an ATV store. You don't want to damage the tire or wheel.

Would an ATV store have different tooling than a normal tire store?

I have done this several times and there is a definite technique.

I could not find a auto tire or a motorcycle/ATV shop that could do it and I looked all over. I finally called the company and they told me what to do. It's an unpleasant process that involves much cursing. I recommend at least one beer before starting.

You will need two large sturdy buckets and an air compressor. Put the new tire out in the sun to heat it up and get it soft. Put the tire on the rim. The idea is to put one of the buckets on each side of the tire right in the middle of the tread. You push on the buckets which squeeze the middle of the tire pushing the sidewalls out close to the rim. Now your trusty assistant hooks up the air compressor and starts pumping.

You need to get a seal along the entire sidewall to get the tire to bead on the rim. Once you get the seal, it pops right on. Be careful the tire is only rated to 10 psi and much past that and it explodes.

Call me if that isn't clear.

BTW you can get the proper size tube for a cat trax tire at JC Whitney.

Rich

Bob,

I have no experience with a cat trax tire, but if it is anything like installing a wheelbarrow tire, there is one thing you may be able to do.

Find a length of rope that is several feet longer than the circumference of the tire. Once you have the tire on the rim, place the rope around the circumference and near the centerline of the tire and tie the ends together using an appropriate knot. Leave enough slack in the rope so you will be able to stick a long screwdriver, small bar or small strong wooden dowel. Slowly begin twisting the bar so it tightens the rope and begins to compress the sidewalls of the tire against the rim of the wheel all the while keeping the rope along the centerline of the tire. Think of it as a tourniquet for the tire. Keep twisting until the sidewalls seat against the rim all the way around and on both sides of the wheel. Then all that is left is to carefully begin adding air to the tire. Once the tire begins to seat well, release the pressure of the tourniquet and continue adding air until the correct pressure has been reached.

As I stated, I am not sure if this will work for cat trax tires, but it is about the only way I have been able to install wheelbarrow tires and buggy tires.

Rich is right on, I've never seen that before. Cool!
I seat one bead by standing on the tire while its laying on it's side. Then, after the first bead is seated, put the tire in it's rolling position and put weight on it in order to try to seat the other bead enough to get the air to start to fill it. First side is easy the second it the trick. When you get the second seated and are filling it with air both beads should pop into place. Good luck!

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I'm about to throw the tire in the trash. I can't believe someone has the audacity to sell this as a replacement tire. I wouldn't even feel good about giving this away.

Tire is in the trash.

It's basically an ATV tire and wheel. Nothing special needed.

I went to a Goodyear store in El Centro, CA on the way to San Felipe to have them install new valves as the old ones had died and would not hold air. The Goodyear guys needed to unseat the tire to place the valves. It took them five minutes. Go get the tires out of the trash, swallow your pride and take it to a professional. By the way, this cost me a six pack as the shop wouldn't take payment for such a small job.

If you're just going to throw it away maybe you should try some "on the edge" mounting proceedures. 1st drink a bunch of beer (lessons the pain if something goes wrong) put tire on rim, soak yourself down with the garden hose...real good. Spray some starting fluid in tire and drop a match on it. With any luck you'll hear a WOOFFF/POP. THIS IS A JOKE, PLEASE DON'T DO THAT!!!!If these tires are just ATV type tires, all you should have to do is put a ratchet strap around the outer circumference of the tire and with a good air compressor set the bead. On problem tires I sometimes remove the guts in the valve stem and "shoot" a blast of air with air pistol thing attachment just to set the bead, replace guts and fill. It sometimes takes a few...or many tries but I haven't been beaten yet.

ALSO I'm SURE you could find a innertube that size or close to it. Its cat trax, not an Indy car. Get an ATV innertube thats close tape over or sand down any inside sharp edges, and put it together! The only thing about tubless and tubed tires on road vehicles is ...You can't install a tube in a "tubless" radial because there is too much flex, flex creates heat and the tube fails. You CAN install a tube in a bias ply "tubless" tire...most every motorcycle with spoked wheels has this EXACT set up!

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1981 H16.
1993 Macgregor 26S