Heavy Duty Spindles For 1500, 1700, 2000, 240...

[phatgemi]

Now these look like the best thing since peanut butter......I have a ym2000 and have broken the left front spindle already. If it ever goes again, this will be the replacement. Wonder if these would be strong enough to run wheels reversed????

 

[HoyeTractor]

Wonder if these would be strong enough to run wheels reversed????

I think that the spindles would be plenty strong but, as others have posted, there will always be a weak link in every system. I would not go crazy with lots of extra weight or wide tires unless you want to find the next weak link .

Plus, widening the front will not gain you any extra stability since the front axle pivots. Widening the front will also make it much harder to steer.

 

[California]

... there will always be a weak link in every system. I would not go crazy with lots of extra weight or wide tires unless you want to find the next weak link .

I think the next weak link is the stock wheels. Yanmar recognized this, they offered an optional flat disc for the outside of the wheels to spread the lug stress.

My YM240 has the optional HD, adjustable width front axle. It was probably ordered 'loader-ready'. Its Great Bend aftermarket loader seems like it was intended for a larger tractor. The weak point here is the wheels. These are not only cracked and repaired, but one has "$25" on it showing it was a replacement - that then got damaged too.

I immediately located another pair of wheels after I bought it, but I haven't installed them because I've never damaged these. I cant imagine how the first owner did this. Backing up and letting the steering reach its limit stop (with a heavy load in the loader) is the only thing I can think of that would tear the center out of a wheel.

 

[deepNdirt]

seriously! the wheels can be cracked? Hmmmm! what area exactly cracked? I cannot tell in the picture, how was this repair done? was a disk welded over the bolt hole pattern and drilled a set of holes to line up with the existing ones, which is not really a bad idea in order to help reinforce them, when I find the tires I need for the wider rims I have standing by, I plan on using them although I've had a bit of concern about the center hole not being too large not fitting snug against the hub, I have read about some rings to add as fillers in this area, although with you mentioning the Disk idea this might be a better solution after all, plus reinforce the wheels at the same time:thumbsup:
Thanks for mentioning this California

 

[California]

seriously! the wheels can be cracked? Hmmmm! what area exactly cracked? I cannot tell in the picture, how was this repair done? was a disk welded over the bolt hole pattern and drilled... Thanks for mentioning this California

Everything's cracked, and some of the welds cracked again.

I just now went out and took this photo, then enhanced it with unnatural contrast to show the cracks. The other side, the replacement wheel, is simpler - just welds from each lug to the next and no cracks evident.

When I bought the tractor in 2003 the wheels already looked like this. And I found the front lug bolts so loose that the wheels squeaked as they rolled. I don't think the cracks have spread since I torqued them down.

As I noted, I bought two replacement wheels that I really should put in service.

I was told this tractor spent its first 15 years mucking out a riding stable. I wonder if the wheels were cracked by skidding a full bucket forward then lifting it, while the wheels were turned hard to the side.

 

[deepNdirt]

Oh! I thought you meant you weld disk plates over the existing disk, I see now you were saying the existing disk had to be repaired by welding the cracks,
some times I have a difficult time comprehending things correctly

 

[clemsonfor]

Oh! I thought you meant you weld disk plates over the existing disk, I see now you were saying the existing disk had to be repaired by welding the cracks,
some times I have a difficult time comprehending things correctly

That is what he meant about his current wheels, but i also think that he was talking about reinforcement disks that you could buy and do what your saying.

 

[California]

That is what he meant about his current wheels, but i also think that he was talking about reinforcement disks that you could buy

Exactly. The reinforcement discs are in the YM240 (US version YM2000) Optional Parts section of the Operation and Parts manuals. I think they simply use longer lug bolts, no welding.