I’ve got a set of Cat Trax that are 25 years old. They’re in decent shape but the tires no longer hold air.
Does anyone have experience with changing the tires themselves? I basically just have screwdrivers and prybars to work with, but I would prefer not to take the wheels to a shop if it can be avoided. Also, checking Murrays’ website, replacement tires are $100 vs. $30 for tubes, so I would probably go the tube route. Anyone have experience with using/installing innertubes?
sm
Replacing Cat Trax Tires
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Posted: Mar 15, 2021 - 10:19 AM
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Posted: Mar 15, 2021 - 10:58 AM
I have lots of experience changing motorcycle tires and tubes. You need a couple tire irons like the ones at Harbor Freight:
https://www.harborfreight…ml?_br_psugg_q=tire+iron
If you are putting tubes in you just need to pop one bead off. Put talcum powder on the tube so it will slide on the tire. Put the tube in, inflate & deflate it a couple of times to get the wrinkles out. Put the bead back on and inflate/deflate a couple more times. Lube the bead with soapy water or actual bead lube. Then fill it up to seat the bead and you are set.
I also have a tool that breaks the bead. I don't know how tightly these beach tires hold onto the bead.
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Posted: Mar 15, 2021 - 03:45 PM
These tires have really soft, flexible sidewalls and will not put up a lot of resistance to coming off the rim. You need to push the bead into the center of the wheel,then slip a pry-bar or tire iron under the bead an pull up. Keep the bead in the center of the wheel on the opposite side of where you are dismounting the tire and be sure to pad the rim with something like milk-bottle plastic to prevent scratching up the finish. You will need to cut off the tubeless valve stem to feed the inflation stem from the tubes When putting the tire back on the rim, just keep the tire bead in the center of the wheel, and you will have lots of slack to just push the tire onto the rim. I think the biggest problem with mounting Cat Trax is getting the tires to set the bead so they take air. That won't be a problem with tubes.
Edited by tominpa on Mar 15, 2021 - 04:50 PM.
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Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
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Posted: Mar 15, 2021 - 04:40 PM
I have always used a straight claw hammer, putting the claw between the tire and rim and moving the hammer side to side. It has always worked to break the bead. I reach in cut off the valve stem. I put the tube in remembering which side the valve stem hole is located on (very important) Follow Waiex191 instructions on inflating and deflating. -
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Posted: Mar 15, 2021 - 04:42 PM
I found that letting the tires sit out in the sun and heat up made the process very easy. Beyond a large screwdriver and pry-bar you should be able to do everything without special tools. These tires are far easier than a car or trailer tire. -
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Posted: Mar 16, 2021 - 12:17 AM
Changing the tire is not that big a deal, but takes patience and some physical effort. You can get brand new Nanking tires off Wally world.com for about 30 bucks each. Thats about what I spent. The problem is reinstating them to take a bead. Have to take to a tire shop and get them to use an air cannon. Dont use the flammable spray and lighter thing...didn't work well for me...
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Posted: Mar 17, 2021 - 07:02 AM
Thanks for the feedback. I got the bead popped off the first one without too much effort using a pry bar and large screwdriver. Placed the order for the tubes, so hopefully will be good to go in the next week or so.
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Posted: Mar 17, 2021 - 08:26 AM
Can one of you forgive my laziness and provide a link to the tubes? I've got a couple older tires I need to rehab.
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Jeff R
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NE IN / SE MI
cramsailing.com
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Posted: Mar 17, 2021 - 10:11 AM
Here you go https://www.walmart.com/i…co-N800-21-12-8/55346860
Here is a related BeachCats thread where "charlescarlis" posted about using these tires https://www.thebeachcats.…opic/topic/17793/start/0
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Tom
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Posted: Mar 17, 2021 - 01:00 PM
I really need to change my screen name...
Chuck
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Chuck C
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Posted: Mar 17, 2021 - 06:22 PM
Murrays tubes.
https://www.murrays.com/product/13-1401-9/
sm
Edited by Dogboy on Mar 17, 2021 - 06:26 PM. -
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Posted: Mar 17, 2021 - 11:41 PM
Thanks guys. On order. Appreciated.
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Jeff R
'88 H18 "Jolly Mon"
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NE IN / SE MI
cramsailing.com
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Posted: Mar 18, 2021 - 09:49 PM
Just a quick follow up, this turned out to be a pretty easy job. Tubes showed up today and installed in about 20 minutes each. Popping the bead off was just a matter of getting a prybar between the tire and rim and separating the two while pushing on the tire. Once the tire is separated, cut off the old stem. Then I put a healthy coating of talc on the tube and inside the tire and inserted the tube. I threaded the stem through the hole in the wheel and inflated the tire until it started to get firm. Then I coated the edge of the tire with dish soap and kept pumping (I used a bicycle pump). The bead seated itself 90% of the way around. Then I just bounced the tire on the un-seated side and it popped on the rest of the way. The sidewalls of the tires have some dry rot, but hopefully this gets me a few more leak-free years. Thanks for all who provided advice.
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Posted: Mar 18, 2021 - 11:06 PM
way easier than replacing the entire tire.... You should get several more years if you hide them from the sun.
Cool it worked so easily and probably what I should have done...
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Chuck C
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Posted: Aug 30, 2022 - 04:56 PM
I had damaged one of my cat trax tires in process of replacing it. Removing the old tire was a PITA!!!! I had tried prying the tire "into" the rim, but not much luck. Ended up saws-all-ing the tire down to the rim. Once I got down to the ID of the tire, I noticed there is a wire inside the inner part of the tire. Cut that with wire cutters and finally got one side off. Now that I know the inner-workings, I was able to pry and beat the other side off. Took wire cutters to get the tire off the rim. I was told by Danny at Cat Trax that going on was easy, they do it by hand. We shall see. I plan to soap the ID of the tire and use the shop air compressor to air it up. I'll give an update as I go.
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Scott
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Posted: Aug 30, 2022 - 06:21 PM
Yup- getting it to bead wasn't happening for me, so took it to an old fashioned tire shop with an air cannon. That and $20, cash all day long easier. Next time, the tires are going to shop to be changed.
BTW, I just changed the needle bearings in mine with some ultra-slippery, hard rod from McMaster-Carr. Seems a LOT smoother. I'll see if I can get stock number from order.
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Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
Hobie 21se (sold)
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Posted: Sep 03, 2022 - 09:17 AM
Here is an an album I made a few years ago, everything you need to know about CatTraxx.
The bearings are really easy to make.
https://www.thebeachcats.…1f0f1b995f96ebebbe1bfb6f
McMaster Carr sells the rod stock, for $5.50 for a 5’ length. You would need 4 of them, (almost 17’ required, & you’d have to allow for cutting loss), so about $22 + shipping.
https://www.mcmaster.com/…al-resin-rods-and-discs/
Florida Sailcraft sells them, enough for both wheels, already cut, for $38. The $16 difference makes cutting hardly worthwhile.
https://floridasailcraft.…/delrin-roller-bearings/
Personally, I would not order rod stock of super hard, long wearing material, especially if using on a beach. The bearings are sacrificial, & cheap. I want them to wear out, not the rims.
Edited by Edchris177 on Sep 03, 2022 - 09:19 AM.
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Posted: Sep 04, 2022 - 10:36 AM
I agree about the material hardness. Look at the Rockwell rating; that's your reference. The aluminum is already soft and you don't want to wear it out. I wanted something a bit more slippery, so upgraded the material. We Shall see
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Chuck C
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Posted: Sep 04, 2022 - 08:48 PM
I had to drive over the edge of the tire to break the old bead then use a ratchet strap and some silicone grease to set the new bead. -
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Posted: Sep 05, 2022 - 11:28 AM
~~ I bought a tube from Murrays and stuffed that in.. 49.00 bucks. No problem since !!
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