Lesson learned

[kspring61]

Well I was brush hogging my neighbors field (he lets us hunt his property so I cut about 30 acres for him each year) and there was a patch of briers that he wanted taken out so I left that until last. Got that patch cut by backing over it several times raising and lowering the brush hog, all went well. At least I thought it did.
I get done and head back to the house and as I am pulling into the driveway to back the tractor down and into my back garage I notice water or hydraulic fluid running out the bottom of the tractor. Stop real quick and find out the rear tire is going flat (I have filled rear tires). Upon further inspection I find a bent metal valve stem. Hmmmm....no way that brush caused that, nope. I lost a pin on that side where the adjustable sway arm connects up by the rear axle. Looks like once the arm came free it swung over and clipped the valve core on the inside of the tire. I had turned those pins around after reading about them being put in from the bottom with the clips at top. But the one thing I didn't do was replace those keeper clips with cotter pins. Looks like some of that brush caught the clip and pulled it right out and then the pin got pushed out.
Looks like I will be going through and replacing the keeper clips with cotter pins bent over on those pins I don't need to be pulling regularly.

Quick pic of the tractor at work, been 4 years and still love this tractor

 

[Coyote machine]

It's amazing how something like that happens. Such a tiny area to catch something on and cause a failure like you experienced. Bet one couldn't figure out a way to make it happen randomly if one tried to do so in a million years. I use the original pins but tie them to the item with cable ties so they can't disappear, but that doesn't solve the type of thing that happened to you. I don't really like using cotter pins, but this seems like a good use for them, for sure.
How much can you hunt to make it worthwhile to hog 30 acres?! Is your catch/yield worth the effort/time/fuel?

 

[kspring61]

It's amazing how something like that happens. Such a tiny area to catch something on and cause a failure like you experienced. Bet one couldn't figure out a way to make it happen randomly if one tried to do so in a million years.

I know, I had my other neighbor help me get the wheel/tire off the tractor and he said the same thing

How much can you hunt to make it worthwhile to hog 30 acres?! Is your catch/yield worth the effort/time/fuel?

I only burned just under 2 tanks of fuel so not a biggie and we have been archery hunting this land for 20 years now. He just started having me cut it a few years back. Finding places to hunt around here is a premium and a lot of my friends actually have to lease land, so to answer your question, it's well worth it to me. My neighbor right next to me hunts this land also so he splits the fuel cost.

 

[kspring61]

I do have a question for the folks on here. We were able to get the tire off using a skid loader with forks to slightly lift the tire and wiggle it off the tractor. Is that the best way to get it back on? or is there some other trick to putting a tire tractor on that weighs 500lbs?

 

[boggen]

generally you want to drain the fluid out of the tire first. and then dis mount tire. ((easier to jack up rear end of tractor turn tire, and let fluid out)), then fix tire, put it back on tractor, and then re-fill with fluid.

with above said. i use a *meh* forgot the name of it. little shop crane (cherry picker). runs 120 to 200 bucks pending on time of year. i toss a chain around through the rim. and up to the hook on the crane. i tend to have to let tire down, adjust chain, and lift it back up a couple times. so i do not have to "twist, pull" to get everything to align up correctly. vs just giving some nudging to get things lined up enough to get the nuts started. once nuts are on, it is a bit of a pain, but hit the nuts with air compressor gun, so it takes a couple threads, then go onto the next nut hit it for a few threads. etc.. etc.. so i back the rim slowly were it needs to be.

to also note it, since it is a shop crane that rolls across concrete, i tend to let down the tire, then adjust the shop crane around some, then lift tire backup. vs trying to keep the tire steady up in the air. and using extra force to push/pull the crane around.

i never needed to use any sort of long pry bars or anything on tire. if anything i might adjust the jack that is under tractor to help align the rim and holes / bolts / studs. but beyond that. i never really have to dig in with my feet planted on the ground and pull / push tire around. i just let the crane do the work for me. granted it gets old re-adjusting crane the 5th time around. but it is what it is. and i doubt i could get it done any other way working by myself.

 

[Oldoak]

And that's why I still put all my pins in from the top. If I ever lose the keeper pin, there is a better chance of the pin staying in place rather automatically dropping out. Although a draw bar hitch pin, even when inserted from the top, can still work it's way out without some sort of keeper pin in place.

 

[jabelding]

Just did mine this weekend in the garage so I could get at the side of the tractor to do some plumbing. Taking it off is easy just jack up the tractor so the tire is barely touching loosen all the bolts and remove then then loosen the nuts on the studs all the way out but don't remove them. work the tire back and fourth to loosen it from the flange then once it feels good and loose remove the 2 nuts and slowly tilt the tire away from the studs and roll it out of the way, but leave it up-rite.

To re install make sure the tractor is in neutral and that you can rotate the hub by hand or with a small bar. Roll the tire back over to the tractor and walk it back and fourth until you can get it close to one of the studs you can rotate the hub to line up one of the studs with a hole in the rim doesn't matter which one. Once you are able to work the rim on to that stud install a nut very lose to hold the tire. Then you need to jack up or down the tractor to get the other stud to line up with the opposite hole from the one you have installed once the hole lines up you can sometimes push the rim on it but you may need to use a bar under the tire prying it towards the tractor to get it over the stud. Once you can get the second stud with a nut jack up the tractor until the tire is off the ground then work the tire on as much as you can so that you can get the bolts in place and tighten them. Then last install the lock washer under the studs and tighten the nuts on them.