correct wheel width for hills

[sawtooth]

Hello,
I need to adjust the wheel width on my tractor but am looking for recommendations as to how wide I should go for hill work. Now the tractor is set up 56 inches centerline to centerline which is slightly more than how it came from the factory. I will be bush hogging and will sometimes have a front end loader attached. All tires are filled and its a fairly heavy Massey 461.

 

[rekees4300]

The wider the wheels are the more stable the tractor is on hills. I always remove the FEL before mowing hills. I also always only mow hills with the front of the tractor pointing down hill (go uphill in reverse).

 

[flusher]

Hello,
I need to adjust the wheel width on my tractor but am looking for recommendations as to how wide I should go for hill work. Now the tractor is set up 56 inches centerline to centerline which is slightly more than how it came from the factory. I will be bush hogging and will sometimes have a front end loader attached. All tires are filled and its a fairly heavy Massey 461.

Here's my 1964 MF135 diesel set up as a orchard tractor.
The rear tires are BF Goodrich 6 ply 18.4-16A (18" wide, 16" dia rims, 40" tall overall). The centerline of the rear axle is 18" above grade and the track width to the outside of the rears is 83". So the squat ratio is 83/18=4.6



My 135 squats pretty low. Haven't checked it out on hills because my 10 acres is flat hayfield. I don't know what the "correct" track width should be, but I'd worry if the squat ratio gets less than 3.5 or so when contemplating working on a steep hill. You can go to rear duallys if you can't get enough track width with singles.

 

[sawtooth]

ok so i may take it out a little more. Now does the front and rear need to be exact same width or can they be a little off?

 

[beenthere]

sawtooth
There is not "exact" answer to your question. It all depends on many variables, so "correct" may be one thing in a situation, but not "correct" in another similar situation.

And flusher, pulling that stump would be easier if the chain were hooked as high as possible. Too much temptation to get a run at it, and try to jerk it out. That is when things break. Nice looking tractor in the pics.

 

[RoyJackson]

sawtooth
There is not "exact" answer to your question. It all depends on many variables, so "correct" may be one thing in a situation, but not "correct" in another similar situation.

And flusher, pulling that stump would be easier if the chain were hooked as high as possible. Too much temptation to get a run at it, and try to jerk it out. That is when things break. Nice looking tractor in the pics.

pulling that stump would be easier if the chain were hooked as high as possible....meaning, as high as possible on the stump...not the tractor.

Definitely more leverage on the stump if hitched higher. I would push the draw bar in several inches too.

 

[Thomas]

If you feel more weight needed,half fill bucket but keep bucket low to ground.

 

[horse7]

Hello,
I need to adjust the wheel width on my tractor but am looking for recommendations as to how wide I should go for hill work. Now the tractor is set up 56 inches centerline to centerline which is slightly more than how it came from the factory. I will be bush hogging and will sometimes have a front end loader attached. All tires are filled and its a fairly heavy Massey 461.

Generally you want the rear outside walls to be slightly less wide than the bucket width. This is so that the rear sidewalls are less likely to be damaged when using the loader and pushing through dirt and rocks.

OTOH, you want as wide as possible for lateral work on hills-- you would need to decide what is more important and make compromises as necessary.

 

[beenthere]

pulling that stump would be easier if the chain were hooked as high as possible....meaning, as high as possible on the stump...not the tractor.

Definitely more leverage on the stump if hitched higher. I would push the draw bar in several inches too.

Thanks for clarifying that Roy. Your interp is what I meant and should have been more clear.

I like to leave even a higher stump, sever some roots and get the root balls out that way. With 100' cable, even do it with full height trees. Get lots of leverage that way.

 

[John Deere man]

I would go with wider tires and more weight on your frontend you can buy weights for tractor at your local Massey dealer for the weights

 

[Eagleview]

Hello,
I need to adjust the wheel width on my tractor but am looking for recommendations as to how wide I should go for hill work. Now the tractor is set up 56 inches centerline to centerline which is slightly more than how it came from the factory. I will be bush hogging and will sometimes have a front end loader attached. All tires are filled and its a fairly heavy Massey 461.

It is a compromise , if you go wider than the mower , you cannot mow right up against fences , buildings etc . If you go wider than the bucket/blade , your tyres are running up on top of the winrows the bucket leaves which makes it hard to keep a driveway etc level as the tractor is not running on a clear path . Mine are set inside the bucket width and I use water in the tyres for stability . The hilly areas just require a bit of thought and common sense to negotiate safely .

 

[sawtooth]

well i've decided to go in between. The front tires are set at 56" center line and the rears are set at 60" centerline. Now the rear overall width is coming in at 74" while the bucket is 72" so its pretty close. Haven't got to ride it yet but hope to this weekend. Kinda funny though on the front and rear widths. If you set both front and rear hub / wheel assembly the same then the fronts will be 4 inches or so more narrow. To get the centerlines the same you have to set the wheels up a little different. Anyway, my two nearest dealers said to set them up with the wheels and hubs the same which equals just a little wider in the back. Anyone have any comments on this?

 

[dex3361]

well i've decided to go in between. The front tires are set at 56" center line and the rears are set at 60" centerline. Now the rear overall width is coming in at 74" while the bucket is 72" so its pretty close. Haven't got to ride it yet but hope to this weekend. Kinda funny though on the front and rear widths. If you set both front and rear hub / wheel assembly the same then the fronts will be 4 inches or so more narrow. To get the centerlines the same you have to set the wheels up a little different. Anyway, my two nearest dealers said to set them up with the wheels and hubs the same which equals just a little wider in the back. Anyone have any comments on this?

I mow a lot on hills and I set my rear wheels out to their widest for safety. I have my rear set to 72" outside to outside width and I didn't change the fronts around as it is not recommended with a loader. I have a L4400 HST Kubota with the rears loaded using a 6 foot medium duty rotary cutter.

 

[8404]

I widend mine to 84inches in the back only, I only use my tractor for mowing hills. you can see the differance in the front and the rear widths.

 

[dex3361]

I widend mine to 84inches in the back only, I only use my tractor for mowing hills. you can see the differance in the front and the rear widths.

Now thats a nice width for mowing the hills. I have R1 tires and they will not set that wide.

 

[horse7]

I mow a lot on hills and I set my rear wheels out to their widest for safety. I have my rear set to 72" outside to outside width and I didn't change the fronts around as it is not recommended with a loader. I have a L4400 HST Kubota with the rears loaded using a 6 foot medium duty rotary cutter.

A "hill" in WV might be a bit steeper than a "hill" most other places...