Switching front tires for more narrow width on L series?

[bilrus61]

Ok when I got my L5040 I told the dealer to put the tires as wide as possible. He turned the front tires out. Later I read that your not to do that as it might hurt the bearings and puts more wear on your front end under heavy loader work. Well I've not done much heavy loader work yet on it but was about to commence hauling gravel. So I decided that I needed the front "disks" as kubota puts it back as it is called for in the manual. Dealer says its a two hour job (!!??) and the cost would be over $200 bucks. I've looked and it seems like you would just undo the 6 nuts that hold on each tire, wheel them to the other side of the tractor and bolt them back on. Seems like a 30 minute job that I can do mysefl. Is there something else to it? Is there a hidden pitfall that I'm just not seeing? Anyone ever did it on their L series Kubota? The tires have no fluid in them. Thanks!

 

[aczlan]

You've got it covered.
Lift the front end with the loader, pull the lugnuts/bolts with a impact wrench, move the tires to the other side, snug the bolts by hand, lower the front end to the ground and torque the wheel fasteners with a torgue wrench.

Aaron Z

 

[teg]

Smaller L but the same deal, had them narrow at first. I swapped them, gained a couple inches, read how that was not good for the seals, used the FEL again to raise the front wheels and put them back to how it was. Took almost no time to do it.

 

[slowzuki]

If you have directional tires, he was probably counting unmounting and remounting the tires.

 

[teg]

You swap left and right to keep the tread the same direction.

 

[KennyV]

There is NO reason to have a dealer... or anyone else swap your wheels left to right.

Can you think of any reason Why you couldn't do this yourself... aside from the $200 plus charge???

It's simple nothing to it like everyone has said. KennyV

 

[slowzuki]

lol what was I thinking! Oh I guess my rears had to be demounted to get the offset mounting lugs oriented right.

If you have directional tires, he was probably counting unmounting and remounting the tires.

 

[aczlan]

lol what was I thinking! Oh I guess my rears had to be demounted to get the offset mounting lugs oriented right.

Actually, that will not be an issue. The wheel will stay point in the same direction, but when you switch to to the other side, it will switch the offset, but keep the same direction of travel.

Aaron Z

 

[slowzuki]

Right again, I can't recall why we swapped the rims while we changed the tires, maybe to move the valves stems outwards in the normal tire position?

Actually, that will not be an issue. The wheel will stay point in the same direction, but when you switch to to the other side, it will switch the offset, but keep the same direction of travel.

Aaron Z

 

[magicheater]

You are better off with wider tires/rims which give you a wider stance for loader work. one of the first things I normally do on a new to me tractor if it has not been done already. The pic is an example of what I did on my B7800. Much better flotation when lifting heavy loads and working in soft ground.

 

[TDVT]

You are better off with wider tires/rims which give you a wider stance for loader work. one of the first things I normally do on a new to me tractor if it has not been done already. The pic is an example of what I did on my B7800. Much better flotation when lifting heavy loads and working in soft ground.

This makes perfect sense to me.

One of my BIGGEST issues with my L3400 is the small diameter/narrow front tires (R1's) With any sort of weight, they easily sink into the ground or drop into a hole & dip, making the tractor unstable. I was half looking at the bigger Ag tractors that have front & rear tires that are closer in size because of that issue, but you have to go really big (compared to a 3400)!

 

[2458n]

Read about how you were Not suppose to widen frount end. Had a trailer with two rails that the narrow tires just did not fit. Wide was perfect for my tractor until the front end made a very expensive popping sound.Bearings crushed. I had way to much weight in the loader and the wheels were reversed. They put warnings in for a reason. Dealer should be changed if he wants that type of money.

 

[chucko]

So why is it if 99% of the time tractors are better with the wheels wider do they not just come shipped that way?

 

[KennyV]

It is Never better to have the front tires set wider... especially if you have a loader...
And as to shipping... they are shipped with no wheels or tires mounted... KennyV