Tires Deere 855 MFWD tires

[WinterDeere]

I am in need of new front tires for a new-to-me Deere 855 MFWD. The rears are original, 33x12.50x15, and the fronts are newer (but damaged) 23x8.50x13 ag bars. Seems to me I can't find anything in the parts catalogs referring to a 23x8.50x13, and while the Operators Manual lists many tire and wheel sizes, it makes no mention of which tires go with with tractor.

Can someone please tell me the stock tire and wheel size and/or part numbers? I would like to order up two complete wheel and tire assemblies, with factory turf tires.

Thanks!

 

[WinterDeere]

Nevermind... just found it in the manual, on p.103.

Turf front: 23x8.50-12
Turf rear: 33x12.50-15

Now the only question is ply ratings. Being MFWD, I know getting loaded radius correct is key to saving spindles, etc. I'd be interested in getting some 6-ply R4's, since I have a front-end loader on this tractor, but the manual doesn't specify loaded radius or ply rating.

 

[techwrtr2]

I run 23x8.5-12 6ply R4's on mine. The turf tires I have for the front are also 6 ply. For loader work, it seems to work better than the original 4ply.

 

[WinterDeere]

I run 23x8.5-12 6ply R4's on mine. The turf tires I have for the front are also 6 ply. For loader work, it seems to work better than the original 4ply.

That's what I was thinking. Even if I go with turf tires and use chains for snow plowing, I think 6 ply must do better than 4-ply with a loader.

Then I hear about all these folks screwing up hardware by running tires with less than perfect loaded circumference ratios. If the MFWD ratio was set assuming a 4-ply and then we run a 6-ply (slightly different loaded circumference), does it matter? My thinking is it should not, as there's going to always be some variation in circumference, based on what's hanging off the front of the tractor at any given moment.

 

[techwrtr2]

If you're running in 4wd, you should be on a surface that's going to allow for some slip. Your tires will have a differing diameter when fully inflated versus down slightly. Same is true when you are running with a max load in the bucket or nothing at all. Different brands of tires and different treads within those same brands will vary in diameter. Odds are, my turf tires and R4's are not exactly the same diameter even though they are the same size. If perfect diamter ratio was critical, you'd never be able to buy anything but exactly the tires that the tractor shipped with and they would probably be solid steel.

In other words, don't worry about it. You already noted that tire diameter can vary. It's not that critical.

Unless you are doing heavy loader work in 4wd on dry pavement. Then you might have a problem... and then it would also be your own fault.

 

[WinterDeere]

Good. As I figured. I will be doing heavy loader work on wet pavement (snow removal), but may be running chains at that time, anyway.

 

[techwrtr2]

Chains will alter your rolling diameter too.

For plowing on pavement, I'd run good turf tires. Make sure you are properly ballasted. I do as much in 2wd as I can though if I'm clearing deep snow, it goes in to 4wd and pretty much stays there.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

I have a 1987 model 855 with turfs. Originals on the rear and not sure about the front.

I can't substantiate the info, but have either read or heard the fronts in MFWD run about 5% faster than the rears.
With that in mind, I have my rears loaded and use 2 link ladder chains, but do not use fluid or chains on the fronts.

I run my tire pressures at about maximum printed on the side wall. And agree that when I do have to get new fronts I will go with as high a ply rating as I can get in a compatible physical size to maintain the ratio front to rear.

Good luck

 

[WinterDeere]

I have a 1987 model 855 with turfs.

Thanks, Wyobuckaroo. I ordered an operator's manual, which is taking forever to arrive. Could you please post the info from the manual on allowable rolling circumference for front and rear, on the 855? I'm buying new tires today, and want to be sure what I get is right.

I've not seen an MFWD ratio posted, but based on standard tire sizes, I assume it must be about 1.55:1. Maybe someone can verify.

BTW... I think it's on p.104.