Cracking front wheels

[Cormac]

I have a Ford 6600 with a Bush Hog Front end loader. I am on my second set of front wheels in about 4 years and am guessing that I will replace these in the next year. The failure is hairline cracks in the wheels themselves. The cracks start as hairline cracks at the lugs and work their way outward and inward (to the center hub of the wheel) from there. I cannot say I overuse or even use it a often. The wheels I got at New Holland dealer. I am confident that the lug nuts are tight?Any ideas? Is this common? I think to myself: Cheap/thin steel wheel, worn front end components, wheels were not designed to be used with aloader? Any ideas? Are there better/thicker/heavier wheels offered by someone other than New Holland?

 

[intel]

Lug nuts to tight, maybe? Maybe air pressure in tires?

 

[PILOON]

I ran into a similar front rim problem (another brand).
Was my fault as torque was not good and the rim wobbled loose making oval mount holes.

Because of a-cost and b-rarety I cut a disc that matched the 'disc', welded the 'disc' to the outer rim thereby doubling the center thickness and using the mount holes as a guide drilled out the stud holes.
I then simply used longer mounting bolts to compensate for added thickness.

Have run that way now for about 4 years with no problems at all.

Suggest taking your rims to a good weld shop and having them 'double up' the centers.

Being an off road and slow moving vehicle weight and balance are not issues.

 

[RickB]

A couple things to look at are the condition of the lug nuts; especially the taper that pilots the rim. Another would be the toe-in adjustment on the front wheels and condition of the tie ros ends. Excessive toe-out will put a huge load on the rims. The front wheels should have 1/8" to 3/16" of toe-in. Try tightening the lug nuts with a torque wrench.

 

[Soundguy]

I wouldn't use an air ratchet to tighten them either.. those can be good at overtightening and ruining the rim, stud and nut.

In the past, I have welded up some cracks then ground down.. but not for any machines I drive over asphalt .. etc.. only stuf on the farm.

soundguy

 

[Ranch_Hand_Supp]

A couple things to look at are the condition of the lug nuts; especially the taper that pilots the rim.

That's that the 1st thing that comes to my mind ??.......

 

[Cormac]

I added all new lug nuts when I changed the wheels. I feel I tightened then sufficiently with a lug wrench. I am trying to find out if what I am experiencing is unique, is the loader to much for factory wheels (Are they cheap wheels?) or is there a front end steering components issue. I am leaning toward the latter as I know I have at least one worn or loose tie rod ends. But it amazes me that this could wipe out wheels.

 

[sellercreek]

I have cracked wheels doing loader work, but the lug nut notion is the most likely if you haven't put a lot of stress on the loader.

 

[Partspring]

I've had trouble with rims cracking, but only on tractors with side-mount boom mowers. New Holland does make a heavy duty front rim but I believe it's one that mates to a 10.00x16 or 11Lx16 tire. Dan
Partspring original Ford/New Holland parts

 

[john_bud]

There is one condition that could cause it. There are 2 ways to center a wheel on a hub. One is to use the lug nut holes and the other is to have the inside of the wheel fit tight to a raised rim on the hub. In the second case, the lug nuts just keep the wheel from falling off and thus the holes are often larger. If you put a hug centric wheel on a lug centric hub, the wheels are not correctly supported and they will crack, quickly.

A well informed dealer should know this and not allow the mix up to happen, but good help is hard to find...

jb