Adding Some Stability to a Small Yanmar Tractor

[Archoplites]

Can you flip the front tires on a smaller Yanmar tractor to add some stability? I have a F165D and I use this tractor in a hilly environment.

 

[California]

Can you flip the front tires on a smaller Yanmar tractor to add some stability? I have a F165D and I use this tractor in a hilly environment.

Steep hilly orchard here, I've given this some thought.

It looks to me the tractor is approaching critical tip angle before the front axle hits the chassis. And with most of the weight on the rear axle, what's going on at the front is irrelevant. Keep in mind there will be inertia from moving forward and likely, turning, as a factor leading to rollover. It's not just a static analysis.

Finally, for cars flipping the wheels moves the load to the outer wheel bearings, beyond what they were designed for. Dunno if this is a limitation for our Yanmars. Or if flipping makes it more likely for the steering wheel to be ripped out of your hands if a front tire hits something immovable.

I put a ROPS on my larger YM240, it's too big to jump off of if it started to go over. On the little YM186D, similar size to what you have, I mounted the rear wheels outboard of the hub flanges plus added wheel weights outboard of the wheels. Both tractors have dished rear wheels so reversing them wouldn't get wider.

In summary, I think all your effort should concentrate on the rear. Maybe spacers between wheel/hub, and wheel weights mounted as far out as possible. ROPS of course, unless your application is an orchard or something with no overhead clearance.

Rollovers are real, that's why Yanmar sued the gray market import dealers after they were held liable for a fatality on a model they had never sold in the US.


rScotty, what's the right answer?

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Wheel spacers (in the rear) can make a big difference.

It was scary to drive the little BX25D before putting them on, even though it's so small that tipping it over wouldn't be a big deal.

 

[careyo63]

This YM2000 was a true rice patty Tractor. My house the lands flat no hills. The rear tires are reversed on this one. Makes a huge difference in stabiliity. A muddy rice patty would be hard to roll over sideways. The narrow wheel base must have made a difference to be so narrow. Never considered turning them back. Not loaded or added weight since it my lawn mower. JD/Woods mower

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also.

 

[bmaverick]

Wheel spacers (in the rear) can make a big difference.

It was scary to drive the little BX25D before putting them on, even though it's so small that tipping it over wouldn't be a big deal.

In the Yanmar manuals, the maximum width wheel spacers is 100mm (aka 4-inches) per wheel. Measuring then from wheel to wheel, the tractor gains a maximum of 8-inches of width.

The Yanmar manuals also mention dually rear tires.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I think I used 3-inchers.

But it's odd that you could run duals, which should add a crap load of width and be much harder on the axles.

 

[ponytug]

I think I used 3-inchers.

But it's odd that you could run duals, which should add a crap load of width and be much harder on the axles.

In the figure above, it looks like the duals have a slightly different rim, bringing the inner tire in slightly and the outer tire a little bit out. Eyeballing it, I don't think it adds much width. My bet is that was (is?) for floatation in flooded paddies more than anything else. Just my $0.02...

Extending the width on any axle will load the outer bearings more, but how much is too much is going to depend on load, impacts, etc. On the idea that rollovers are not always survived by the operators, I could certainly see how it might be worth a lot to the operator, even if it resulted in frequent bearing and axle failures, right?

All the best,

Peter

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Well, I have laid many vehicles on their side, and lived through several rollovers.

Maybe I'm somewhat desensitized, but tractors and backhoes can make me much more nervous than other vehicles.

Either way, when in doubt throttle out usually works, and when on a sidehill with a tractor (or anything else), steer downhill quickly.

 

[Archoplites]

Thanks of all the replies. I did flip the front wheels, but after reading the replies sounds like I should really focus on the back wheels. I never rolled this tractor and don't plan to...but I've pushed it before during my "learning to drive a tractor period." To mow steeper terrain I only back down following the slope with my bucket almost on the ground. Not ideal riding over what you want to mow, but it is what it is.

Where do you pick up rear wheel spacers for the smaller Yanmars like mine?

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Where do you pick up rear wheel spacers for the smaller Yanmars like mine?

Any place that sells and/or makes good spacers.

It doesn't really matter what they're for, but the measurements do matter, so have the correct bolt circle ready, and pilot hole size if you can use hub centric ones, when you call.