Wheelbarrows make tons of jobs easier! Moving rocks, mixing soils and materials, building a sand pit, you name it.

They’re easy to grab and get going unless one of the tires is flat.

Today, we will be talking about repairing a wheelbarrow tire.

REPAIRING YOUR WHEELBARROW TIRE

If your flat tire will no longer hold air the tube could be the issue.

This is the cheapest fix to get you up and rolling again. A new inner tube will run around $10.

Make sure to check the rim and outer tire for any damage first. Replacing the tube will not help with these issues.

Replacing/repairing the tube can be completed in a few simple steps.

TOOLS YOU WILL NEED

• Soapy Water
• Repair Kit
• Air Pump

CLEAN THE TIRE

Spray down the tire to remove any caked on dirt and grime.

While you’re cleaning the tire inspect it for nails, tacks, etc.

If you discover any major damage to the sidewalls or splintering you may have to change the whole tire to avoid blowing it out.

BUY THE RIGHT TUBE

Your tire has a number and it must match the new tube. If you have a 480-8 tire then the tube must be 480-8.

If your tire doesn’t have a tube you can still repair the tire. This requires a couple of extra steps:

Remove the tubeless regulator stem from the edge of the tire with a knife. Lubricate the bead with soap Close any holes or leaks with a tubeless tire substance

INFLATE THE TIRE

Fill the tire with air and find the hole or puncture by pouring soapy water over the tire.

Bubbles should appear where the hole is.

USING THE NEEDLE TOOL AND THE PLUG

You’ll find a needle tool and plug in your repair kit.

You’re going to thread a strip of the plug into the needle and coat the entire area to be plugged with cement.

Push the needle and an end of the plug into the hole in your wheelbarrow tire.

Make sure to leave about a 1/4 inch of the plug above the surface of the tire and remove the needle by twisting slightly. Leave the plug in place.

CHECK FOR LEAKS

Cut off the additional plug to make it about a 1/8 inch long over the tread of the tire.

Fill the tire again and check for leaks using the soapy water.

If no bubbles then you’re good to go. If you still have leaks you’ll need to replace the tire.

KNOWING WHEN TO REPLACE

If the tire is also damaged and you cannot repair it you need to replace the whole tire.

You will not need to source the exact tire your wheelbarrow already has. You can use a universal wheelbarrow tire to make the replacement.

While this is more costly that repairing the original tire with a new tube (about $40) it will still save you about half of the cost of a new wheelbarrow.

You’ll only need a few additional tools to replace the tire:

• Universal Wheelbarrow Tire
• Hammer
• Screwdriver
• Pliers
• Removing the old tire and putting on the new one is pretty self-explanatory. Lots of - tutorials are available online.

The most important step will be measuring your hub to match up the new tire.

Don’t always run to the store to buy something new. In just a few steps you can repair your wheelbarrow to be as good as new.

If during the repair you do notice some big damage you can research which new wheelbarrows to buy at WheelbarrowGuide.Com.