ROW tire

tift104 · Nov 14, 2011

I've been looking at putting some of the ROW front tires on my M-108 Kubota tractor. The machine spends 90% of its life in the woods plantation chopping, tree mowing, fire break plowing among other task. I'm sick of spending anywhere from $50.00 for a puncture to $500 for a used tire on the front. I'm running a 18.4/34 Uniroyal Log Stomper on the back and have not had the first bit of trouble. Running the 13.6/24 Agg tires on the front. Every time I turn around I'm having to replace or fix a front tire. Has anybody had any expierence with the retreaded airplane tires like the ROW crews use? I've tried to get a set from a local outfit here in Ga but have been getting the runaround. I know that if we go this route the rims will most likely need to be changed and I'm willing to do that. Any sugestions on the size and where else to pick them up around Ga? I know that the rolling circumference and offset will need to be as close to factory requirments as possible. I posted this on the Kubota forum but have not gotten much of a response. I fuigered that since you guys spend a majority of your time in the woods you might have some more input.

MarkV · Nov 14, 2011

Have you considered foaming the tires like is often done on skid steers? I've seen tires with foam run after the rubber was coming off. Might well be cheaper than new tires and rims.

I am sure you know but if your tractor is 4wd be sure you keep the same front to back tire ratio as Kubota sent it with. If not you can bind up the drive train pretty easily.

MarkV

Reg · Nov 14, 2011

MarkV said:
Have you considered foaming the tires like is often done on skid steers? I've seen tires with foam run after the rubber was coming off. Might well be cheaper than new tires and rims.

I am sure you know but if your tractor is 4wd be sure you keep the same front to back tire ratio as Kubota sent it with. If not you can bind up the drive train pretty easily.

MarkV

Not an issue.
3 possible cases;
You are using 4WD because you have poor traction.
You have good traction and are using 2WD.
You have good traction, but are in 4WD - in which case you will almost certainly wreck the tractor some other way before this leads to disaster, so THIS is likely the least of your problems.

There is a fourth case, but it only applies to tractors that have transmissions able to take 4WD on good traction surfaces - work within the limitations of the equipment.

MarkV · Nov 14, 2011

Well Reg, in all the years I've been reading about the importance of the "lead vs. lag" ratio when putting different tires on a 4wd tractor you are the first I can remember that says it is not an issue.

MarkV

Reg · Nov 14, 2011

MarkV said:
Well Reg, in all the years I've been reading about the importance of the "lead vs. lag" ratio when putting different tires on a 4wd tractor you are the first I can remember that says it is not an issue.

MarkV

Reading about it ain't DOIN' IT, however many years you spend reading ABOUT it (-:

A few percent lead is GOOD, it helps to keep straight lines.
Any lag is usually BAD, the rear tends to run out to the side, it can be HARD to keep straight lines. You will notice it in field work for just about any task needing straight('ish) lines. You may not notice it in small confined spaces where you are turning a lot.
Zero lead/lag makes things vague, steering requires more concentration to stay straight, though at least in theory your tires will last longer due to no differential slip.

Most of us who clear snow do so in 4WD and we run onto clear dry road surface a LOT at the turn-around, it is impractical to shift in/out of 4WD every time at the turnaround, which in my case is mostly in the street.
Sure, it winds up, but it releases as wheel hop, not as transmission destruction.
Some have chains on all 4 (I don't).
Transmissions SHOULD BE able to take that - mine always have.

Again, there is only a problem if you have a fragile trans.
Same with trucks, urban legend that they will self destruct if left in 4WD, but in reality just about every truck owner has noticed an Oops, should have gone to 2WD back a mile or many ago.
Maybe they did in the 40s and 50s, before my time (-:

tift104 · Nov 14, 2011

Mark I agree with you on the gearing ratios I don't want to cause any undo stress on the transmission or gears for the simple reason is the plantation chopper weighs around 8000 lbs when filled with water. I spend most of my time in 4wd pulling it. But I have been told that you can go either up or down one tire size from the recommended sizing and it won't effect the transmission.
As far as foam goes I've gotten a quote of $1000 per tire to have them filled. The quote I got on the airplane tires and steel wheels was $2600.00 for both. It's my understanding that the Airplane tires are 125 ply.

Heavyduty · Nov 15, 2011

The airplane tires that I have are 16ply (Goodyear Top Flight) and hold up well BUT they are slick which means you would have no more pull from the fronts in muddy conditions. I would foam fill the ag tires and keep the extra pulling power they would provide since you will need the 4wd option in those though ROW conditions. :thumbsup:

Heavyduty · Nov 15, 2011

tift104 said:
Mark I agree with you on the gearing ratios I don't want to cause any undo stress on the transmission or gears for the simple reason is the plantation chopper weighs around 8000 lbs when filled with water. I spend most of my time in 4wd pulling it. But I have been told that you can go either up or down one tire size from the recommended sizing and it won't effect the transmission.
As far as foam goes I've gotten a quote of $1000 per tire to have them filled. The quote I got on the airplane tires and steel wheels was $2600.00 for both. It's my understanding that the Airplane tires are 125 ply.

I think the big jumbo jets are 125 ply and weigh close to 1000 lbs.

tift104 · Nov 16, 2011

The tires I'm interested in are the ones off of the jumbo jets. They have been cut to a tractor style tread. I've done some searching and have e-mailed a few companies that specialize in that but have yet to get a response.