PT425 60" mower wheels

[Gravy]

Hey all,

A year or so after I got my PT (so around 2007) I got tired of the front tires on the mower deck constantly going flat and breaking the beads loose, so I bought the foam-filled Carlisle tires from PT. They finally came apart at the end of the season last year which was a pretty amazing lifespan. Carlisle doesn't show them on their website, although they show the right size with an offset wheel that won't work. I'll call Keith and see what they have, but I was wondering if any of the guys here have found something that works well that might be less expensive.

 

[MossRoad]

Hey all,

A year or so after I got my PT (so around 2007) I got tired of the front tires on the mower deck constantly going flat and breaking the beads loose, so I bought the foam-filled Carlisle tires from PT. They finally came apart at the end of the season last year which was a pretty amazing lifespan. Carlisle doesn't show them on their website, although they show the right size with an offset wheel that won't work. I'll call Keith and see what they have, but I was wondering if any of the guys here have found something that works well that might be less expensive.

MANY years ago I got tired of blowing out the pneumatic tires on the 48" brush cutter. I went to a local caster/hand truck shop and bought solid tired on the correct rims with the bearing that goes all the way through. They finally disintegrated last year. So about 18 years or so, I believe. I liked them so much, that I would move them back and forth between the brush cutter, 60" finish mower, and my snow plow.

The company is no longer here. And everything I find has offset rims with bearings only on 1 side.

So I am watching this post with interest.

 

[ponytug]

Other than Power-Trac which would be my first choice, have you tried checking surpluscenter.com, or Tractor Supply?

All the best,

Peter

 

[Gravy]

Other than Power-Trac which would be my first choice, have you tried checking surpluscenter.com, or Tractor Supply?

All the best,

Peter

I haven't tried Surplus Center, but I will now. I believe TSC has solid polyurethane tires, which I suspect (without any solid evidence whatsoever) would be less durable than my old ones, which were regular tires filled with foam. I wouldn't be surprised if PT has them filled by whatever company foam fills mining equipment tires.

 

[Gravy]

PT has switched to solid polyurethane at $98 each. I'm going to look for suitable options. Carlisle makes a 9 inch smooth tire for mowers that looks like it would work pretty well, in place of the original 10 inch sawtooth tread tires. I wouldn't be surprised if they are what PT is using. As usual for commodity items from PT, they are available elsewhere for considerably less. And then there are other brands. I don't mind at all paying PT prices for the hard parts, especially the ones they make in-house, but I'll buy tires and filters and such from wherever I can get a good price on brands that I trust.

 

[ponytug]

PT has switched to solid polyurethane at $98 each. I'm going to look for suitable options. Carlisle makes a 9 inch smooth tire for mowers that looks like it would work pretty well, in place of the original 10 inch sawtooth tread tires. I wouldn't be surprised if they are what PT is using. As usual for commodity items from PT, they are available elsewhere for considerably less. And then there are other brands. I don't mind at all paying PT prices for the hard parts, especially the ones they make in-house, but I'll buy tires and filters and such from wherever I can get a good price on brands that I trust.

Would these work?

4.10/3.50-4 GRAY WHEEL AND TIRE ASSY w/AXLE PLATE | Pneumatic Wheels | Wheels & Tires | Wheels | www.surpluscenter.com

4.10/3.50-4 GRAY WHEEL AND TIRE ASSY w/AXLE PLATE, Pneumatic Wheels, 4.10/3.50-4 Gray Wheel And Tire Assy w/axle plate NEW, Pneumatic tire

www.surpluscenter.com

$5.95/ea, plus a can of foam from your local hardware store...

 

[Gravy]

Would these work?

4.10/3.50-4 GRAY WHEEL AND TIRE ASSY w/AXLE PLATE | Pneumatic Wheels | Wheels & Tires | Wheels | www.surpluscenter.com

4.10/3.50-4 GRAY WHEEL AND TIRE ASSY w/AXLE PLATE, Pneumatic Wheels, 4.10/3.50-4 Gray Wheel And Tire Assy w/axle plate NEW, Pneumatic tire

www.surpluscenter.com

$5.95/ea, plus a can of foam from your local hardware store...

I don't think construction spray foam is suitable. Tire foam seems to be a heavy, high density urethane foam.

 

[MossRoad]

That's the correct size. The rim is not correct.
At that price, I'd be tempted to buy 4 of them, and cannibalize one set of rims for this side with the outer offset. You need that offset on both sides, or really long spacers.

My luck with cheap wheels at local surplus stores has not gone well. But for $25 plus shipping for 4, I'd be tempted.

 

[Gravy]

That's the correct size. The rim is not correct.
At that price, I'd be tempted to buy 4 of them, and cannibalize one set of rims for this side with the outer offset. You need that offset on both sides, or really long spacers.

My luck with cheap wheels at local surplus stores has not gone well. But for $25 plus shipping for 4, I'd be tempted.

View attachment 796079

Also, those have a 1/2" bearing bore where we need 5/8". I wouldn't be confident that they could be converted successfully.

 

[MossRoad]

Also, those have a 1/2" bearing bore where we need 5/8". I wouldn't be confident that they could be converted successfully.

When I bought my solids from the local company, they put in the correct size for the shaft, as I recall. I'm not sure if I posted anything about that or not years ago.

 

[MossRoad]

Ha, searching for it, I found a reference in 2002 where I said the company put in a bushing sleeve in the rim to fit the PT stock axle bolt. So apparently the rim had larger bearings than the PT axle bolt.

I also found posts from some old TBN members that have since passed away. Great memories. RIP guys.

 

[MossRoad]

And I found a reference in 2003 where I went ice fishing and had to take a thermos of hot beverage for the first time in 35 years... in 2003.... when I was 42!

 

[Gravy]

Update: I bought these - Amazon.com

They are much heavier and more solid than anything I found locally. They have roller bearings instead of bronze bushings, and they are about an inch smaller in diameter, which adds up to one height spacer to get the deck back to the same height as with the originals. I've been beating them up for several months now and they are holding up fine.

 

[workinonit]

I just have mine foam filled at a local tire store. Or you can do it yourself. I don't have any pneumatic tires anymore. And my finish mower has 14 on it.

 

[Gravy]

I just have mine foam filled at a local tire store. Or you can do it yourself. I don't have any pneumatic tires anymore. And my finish mower has 14 on it.

If I had good pneumatic tires, that might have been an option, but they were the originals from 2004 and quite deteriorated. Also, I wanted to switch to a smooth tire with rounded shoulders that might not tear up the yard as much as the sawtooth treads with sharp shoulders.

 

[workinonit]