Increasing width of rear

[WillBuc59]

Is there a way to increase the rear width for more stability in hilly country? Swapping rear tires?

I searched the forum and didn't come up with anything...

 

[Thomas]

Dealer should be able tell you if rear spacers can be added.

 

[newbury]

I increase my rear width with lots of bacon and pancakes. Oh, did you mean tractor rear wheel spacing?
On my M4700 I've got about 5 combos of rim and disc to adjust spacing.

 

[TractorNH]

Dealer should be able tell you if rear spacers can be added.

Wheel spacers CAN be added though the dealer may not have a source for them. Check out Bro-Tek. You can message Richard (the owner) through their website. They can generally make them for any tractor and they are reasonably priced.

Bro-Tek

 

[Warsign]

Is there a way to increase the rear width for more stability in hilly country? Swapping rear tires?

I searched the forum and didn't come up with anything...

You can move the center hub flange to the inside and gain about 4-6 inches on width.

 

[TomIre]

If it helpshelps visualize it, your rear tires can be mounted in different configurations to give you different spacing. Simplest is to look at the rim and see the "dish" in the center. If the dish is on the inside, the rim can be reversed so the dish is on the outside which gives you a good few inches. That's the simplest and cheapest way. Can you take a photo of your rims and post it fit us to look at?

 

[WillBuc59]

It looks as if I could swap sides with the tires and gain some width.

 

[WillBuc59]

It looks as if I could swap sides with the tires and gain some width.View attachment 565905View attachment 565906

Are there any reasons NOT to do this?

 

[LouNY]

Are there any reasons NOT to do this?

With your rims if you unbolt the outer section then rotate the inner and move the outer section out you will gain the width of the mounting which is usually 2-4 " on each tire,
which is what posts 4 and 5 mentioned.
If that is not enough adjustment then the rims can be flipped around as they are usually not centered with the mounting tabs.
Providing you with several optional spacings.

 

[IchabodCrayne]

Are there any reasons NOT to do this?

Check your owner's manual. Mine says not to do any of what's been suggested.
Aside from that.. Tractors are designed to carry, push, pull, lift..etc.
Axles, hubs, bearings n such are all designed to carry these loads within specified parameters.
Widening wheel/tire stance moves the applied loads outward on the axles increasing leverage, putting greater stress on vital parts. This means the user must reduce the workload to compensate or live with the expectation of parts failure.
Also note the ROPS is designed to protect you from compete rollover based to some extent on strength vs force applied from tipping point to ground contact. Widening stance increases the force applied to ROPS if tip over occurs due to increased distance from tipping point to ground contact.

 

[TomIre]

With your rims if you unbolt the outer section then rotate the inner and move the outer section out you will gain the width of the mounting which is usually 2-4 " on each tire,
which is what posts 4 and 5 mentioned.
If that is not enough adjustment then the rims can be flipped around as they are usually not centered with the mounting tabs.
Providing you with several optional spacings.

What he said! Lots of options before you need to buy anything!

 

[WillBuc59]

Thanks for all the input!

 

[newbury]

Check your owner's manual. Mine says not to do any of what's been suggested.
<snip>

Yup, definitely check your owners manual. Also a workshop manual if you can find one.

Like the page from my M4700 manual I posted

Where it shows the various stances that can be used.

I'm surprised Ich's manual says not to do any.

 

[oosik]

IchabodCrayne - hard to understand why your owner manual says - "don't do it" - if you have the wheels/rims and can make changes as shown by Newbury - post #13.

However - whether you do or do not have the rims/centers that allow this - the owner manual should be followed.

My M6040 Owners Manual has a diagram just like what Newbury has posted. My rears are filled with 1550 pounds of RimGuard. Thank goodness they are out there at the widest setting. I certainly could not handle the tires being they are filled.

I had filled tires on my first tractor - 26hp Ford 1710. I changed the center/rim configuration by myself and almost got the snot crushed outta me when the tire decided to lay down - - on me. Thank God - that was 35 years ago when I was somewhat quick and nimble. Now-a-days - - I'd probably just lie there - bellow and rot away. Ha, ha, ha Become coyote food.

 

[IchabodCrayne]

View attachment 566052View attachment 566053View attachment 566054

 

[Texasmark]

This worked for me on my 2400:

The spacer is a piece of 8" dia x 4" wide steel pipe welded onto a couple of flanges made from a piece of 0.25 inch steel plate. I took the plate to a local machine shop with a machine drawing I made of the mounting interface and had them cut out 4 adapter plates. The OEM bolts bolted the spacers to the axle hub (through the hole I deliberately left in the center) and the hardware store supplied the wheel to adapter hardware. Total cost about a hundred bucks for everything.

The width of 4" brought my outer rear tire width to be even with my 5', 3 pt. rotary mower.....could have been wider if I was doing it solely for stability purposes. Guarantee you this. 4" per side does matter.

Edit:

When you assemble (weld up) the units, ensure that you line up the holes in a straight line. To mount to the tractor hub, insert the bolts and the socket through the center hole and come through the outer stud mounting hole with the socket wrench extension for tightening.

Putting the wheel on the assy is obvious.....you can see a backing nut in the left picture.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Yup, definitely check your owners manual. Also a workshop manual if you can find one.

Like the page from my M4700 manual I posted

Where it shows the various stances that can be used.

I'm surprised Ich's manual says not to do any.

I expect someone bought a lawsuit after snapping an axle, etc. We just picked up a used 14K pound rate tilt trailer in part to get 82" between fenders since all three tractors are set up at 70 % of max width. I need all of the stability that I can get.

 

[FastEddieR]

View attachment 566052View attachment 566053View attachment 566054

This is a Branson forum, your tractor is a Kubota...different manufacturers, different specifications.

 

[Texasmark]

Check your owner's manual. Mine says not to do any of what's been suggested.
Aside from that.. Tractors are designed to carry, push, pull, lift..etc.
Axles, hubs, bearings n such are all designed to carry these loads within specified parameters.
Widening wheel/tire stance moves the applied loads outward on the axles increasing leverage, putting greater stress on vital parts. This means the user must reduce the workload to compensate or live with the expectation of parts failure.
Also note the ROPS is designed to protect you from compete rollover based to some extent on strength vs force applied from tipping point to ground contact. Widening stance increases the force applied to ROPS if tip over occurs due to increased distance from tipping point to ground contact.

Good thoughts but I have other thoughts.

OEMs have wheels made specifically for adjusting tread width to suit the application and wheel weights specifically designed for wheels to increase weight and improve traction on both front and rear tires or if not on front tires, on a rack on the front of the tractor. Common sense lends itself to a 6 ply tire of a size to suit the tractor, pumped up to 18 psig., max rating for a lot of F1s vs a steel axle of appropriate dimensions would be a no contest on who wins.

Any time somebody tells me don't do something, if they don't tell me why so that I can make up my own mind as to whether or not my application meets or even exceeds the requirements of the DON'T then it doesn't apply to me. Merely to say don't do something and not explain it is pure BS.

On the ROPS thing, I have a cab and rops on the 2400 and 3910. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to look at the materials chosen for the job and assembly method to see that to damage the rops to any extent one would have to drive the tractor off a cliff. Actually, by increasing the stability of the machine the need for the ROPS in the first place is negated to that extent.

 

[Cougsfan]

Are there any reasons NOT to do this?

The only reason I can think of why you may not wish to add to your rear tread width: Particularly using box blades and mowers it is very desirable to have the implement wider than the tread width so your implement will cover your tracks and so you can get closer to the edge of whatever real estate you are grooming.