Changing wheels

[centex]

I took delivery on my new 4700 on Friday. I have used the backhoe to dig up a few stumps. It was fantastic...two large stumps in Central Texas clay without even breaking a sweat!!!

I want to leave the tractor on my land but I don't live there yet so one of the things I want to do is turn the wheels to the widest position to make it harder for a thief to trailer; but when I look at those wheels they look very heavy so my question is are they really as heavy as they look and if so how does one go about changing them? I assume that changing tires means a trip to a dealer or is it possible to do it yourself?

Don

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>are they really as heavy as they look</font color=blue>

Probably at least as heavy as they look, if not heavier./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif But of course, you don't actually "turn" the wheels; you leave them turning the same direction they are now so the tread is turning the right direction. You simply swap sides with them. And since that's the way to do it, if you're careful you can just keep them in the upright position and roll them around. I've done it, even on much bigger tractors, without considering it a problem, but do be careful and if you do let it get away from you, just don't have any important body parts under it when it falls./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[JJT]

Don, I don't see how the wider stance will prevent theft, but it sure will provide better stability. Make friends with the neighbors and see if you can leave the tractor behind their barn/garage whatever. We owned our property for several years before we finally built and got to know the neighbors very well before we moved. Similar offers were made by them without us bringing the subject up. JJT

 

[centex]

What kind of jack do you use to lift the rear of the tractor and where do you lift? I suppose I could use the backhoe stabilizers to lift the rear. I did not think about the tire falling over while I rolled it around to the other side of the tractor but I can see where that would be a potential hazzard. I was especially concerned with how you lift the tire on and off the hub and get it lined up with the lug holes. That seems like a super human task. BTY I have the industrial tires.

 

[centex]

In the wide position the outside width of the rear tires is something like 92 inches so they won't fit on a 7 ft trailer with sides. Of course a car hauler without sides or a wrecker could load it. My place is pretty well hidden from the road by a hill and the only road out goes close to my neighbor's house and they keep an eye on what is going on. I know that I can't stop someone from stealing the tractor if they really want to but I can make it hard for them. Since my land has varied terrain, I also want the extra stability from the wider wheel position.

 

[Bird]

Don, I have both floor jack and bottle jack, and jack stands. Depending on how heavy a tire is, sometimes you can line things up just with a pry bar (I use a wrecking bar) under the tire, or sometimes a drift pin through the bolt hole in the wheel to one in the hub, and sometimes you have to slowly raise or lower the jack. Of course, at one time or another, I've repaired everything from bicycle and lawnmower tires to 18-wheeler and farm equipment tires./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Never got into the big construction equipment tires and don't intend to./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[centex]

Bird, thanks for the advice. It looks like I need two jacks that I can precisely adjust to line things up. I hope one of those monster tires doesn't get away from me and roll down the hill or I may never get it out of the creek.

 

[rdln]

This one of my pet peeves about dealers, why dont they ask you before they deliver it which position that you would like the wheels to be in and then tell you the advantages of each position! If you are of retirement age, please dont try to tilt up a 17.5-24 R-4 tire and wheel filled or unfilled.
THEY ARE HEAVY.

Have a helper on hand or get the dealer's butt out and have them finish the dealer prep.

Also recheck the bolt torque after a few hours of drive time.

 

[Golfgar4]

I can tell you from experience that you DON'T want to try to change a FILLED tire/w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif. The way we used to mount those bad boys (unfilled) was to have the axle raised just far enough to have space between the bottom of the tire and the floor. We'd roll the tire up to position and then using a large pry bar, we'd lift up on the bottom of the tire while pushing on the top of the tire so it would fall onto the hub. Then, again using the pry bar, we could rotate the tire around until the lug holes lined up. Then it was just a matter of sticking the pry bar under the tire and lifting up, and voila, the tire falls onto the lugs/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. Simple, huh/w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif? Really, it's not as bad as it sounds, as long as you properly jack and support the vehicle and use a good, hefty pry bar (or similar tool).

Sorry - I should have mentioned that if the tires ARE filled, best to take it to the dealer or a reputable tire shop!/w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

 

[beenthere]

I had no problem changing the tires, and did the task after I filled them with fluid (windshield washer fluid). Some extra lifting to get them upright after filling them on the ground, but with the help of another 'old guy', we got it done. Granted the 4300 R-4's are not quite as large as the 4710's, but once they are up, it is just a matter of keeping them balanced (and avoiding being on the 'downhill' side if they become unbalanced) when rolling them around. To me its more satisfying to find the will and the way to do it myself, than to pay someone else to do the same thing with my money. Just be careful and thoughtful of what one is doing.