Tires Bobcat CT 235

[Fred Barbour]

Just wondering what tire pressures you folks are running for a Bobcat CT 235 Ag tires for winter plowing. The manual states 63 psi for front tires (Ag) with a loader and 26 psi for the rears. I followed the specs but the tires seem very hard, not much tread on the ground, is this too much for winter plowing?

My tires are not loaded and I am plowing with a Bobcat 5 ft. Box blade, weight about 400 lbs. I'm thinking I should drop the psi a bit. Comments!

Fred

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Just wondering what tire pressures you folks are running for a Bobcat CT 235 Ag tires for winter plowing. The manual states 63 psi for front tires (Ag) with a loader and 26 psi for the rears. I followed the specs but the tires seem very hard, not much tread on the ground, is this too much for winter plowing?

My tires are not loaded and I am plowing with a Bobcat 5 ft. Box blade, weight about 400 lbs. I'm thinking I should drop the psi a bit. Comments!

Fred

Fred, what size are your AG tires? I don't have a Bobcat, but my Mahindra 3215 should have the same size tires and my owners manual calls for a max of 36psi on the fronts that are 7-16 and the rears are 11.2-24 with a max psi of 18 lbs. Please double check this, because those pressures that you have listed sound waaaaaaaaaaay to high to me. :shocked: Are there any psi ratings on the side wall of the tire?

 

[milkman636]

I have larger tractor with 9.5" wide fronts and an 18 cu.ft. bucket. It takes about 35 psi in the fronts to keep the sidewalls from buckling in a little when I'm driving and turning with a heaped bucket full of dirt. The 6 ply rears are liquid filled, and runing about 15-16 psi with nothing on the hitch. This setup works good on my particular tractor for all the stuff that I do with it.

 

[Fred Barbour]

Brian;

I have 7-14 on the front and the same as yours on the back. Just checked the tire itself and it says max 48psi in the front and max 26 psi for the back. I just followed the manual so I should have checked the tires themselves. It seems strange to me the manual would would recommend these pressures if they are excessive. In addition, the manual states the max pressurre, 48psi in the fronts without a loader and this is the max on the tire.

In any event, I have already reduced the pressures to 45 for the front and 22 for the backs. I'll see how this works.

Tks, Fred

 

[Aaron_D]

I use a 5' blade mounted to the loader and i havent had any traction issues even without a ballast box. I have GP tires BTW.

But, my driveway is flat. If you have hills or very icy conditions, that may change things but with a BB you should have enough weight to be OK as specified.

 

[powerscol]

This may sound wrong, but what about just getting tire chains - that what I am doing even though I have my rear GP tires filled.

 

[dfkrug]

I have 7-14 on the front and the same as yours on the back. Just checked the tire itself and it says max 48psi in the front and max 26 psi for the back.

I got the Bobcat brand AGs for my CT230, too. I was very impressed
that they were 6-ply, instead of the usual 4-ply AG tires I had with my
various Kubotas and JDs. I did not see the pressure spec in the OM,
but I certainly would not and did not exceed what is written on the
tire sidewalls.

Bobcat is a construction equipment company, which explains why they
usually put IND tires on their tractors. They call them General Purpose
and they are 8 plies, I believe, which can handle 60 or more psi in the front.
I suspect that the OM is quoting pressure specs for the IND tires, not the
AG ("all purpose") tires.

When I ordered my CT, the salesman was stumped when I told him I
wanted AGs instead of the INDs that were standard on the tractor. I told
him what size AGs could be ordered, and he got them. Eventually. They
were cheaper than the INDs, too.

 

[Fred Barbour]

Thanks for all the response regarding the tire pressures. I did lower the pressures in my tires to 45psi in the fronts and 22psi in the rears.

Today I had to plow. About 10 inches of snow and the temp was around zero so the snow was sticky and heavy. I was going to wait until the temp dropped so the snow would not stick to the box blade.

However, I couldn't wait ( 1st year with my CT 235). I replaced my box blade with a 6 foot snow blade and forged ahead.

This puppy hauls "A--". I was worried about not loading the tires and thought it would be too light and start bogging down with the weight of the snow. Not to worry as the tractor did not hesitate whatsoever.

Did the job in second range, almost fell asleep! This tractor will push far more and if the long range forcast is correct (South Eastern B.C.) I will soon find out what this tractor will do.

I should point out that I have both a box blade and snow blade. Over the years and with my 16hp Kubota tractor ( since sold) I preferred the box blade because it did not kick the gravel on to the lawn and if I did the plowing below zero the snow would not stick inside the box when lifted.

Fred