Buying Advice Need advice on steering

[Tom_Veatch]

We do change topics a lot
...

In most the groups, forums (fora?), etc. I've watched, especially unmoderated Usenet groups, after about the 4th or 5th post in a thread, what's actually being talked about bears little if any relationship to the thread's subject. I'm very impressed that this forum stays on topic so well.
(says I, posting off topic! )

Kudos to the participants and to the moderators!

 

[California]

Ok, back to measuring the rolling circumference.

I think you will get better precision by chalking a mark on the tire tread then drive on pavement, several revolutions, then measure the chalk marks on the pavement to figure the average distance travelled per revolution.

If this is done for both the front and rear tires before a tire replacement, then you have a baseline to compare the after-replacement circumference.

I'm not sure, but this might also reveal a tire-size problem if you repeat the test using 4wd and get quite different results.

 

[Cord]

Ok, back to measuring the rolling circumference.

I think you will get better precision by chalking a mark on the tire tread then drive on pavement, several revolutions, then measure the chalk marks on the pavement to figure the average distance travelled per revolution.

If this is done for both the front and rear tires before a tire replacement, then you have a baseline to compare the after-replacement circumference.

I'm not sure, but this might also reveal a tire-size problem if you repeat the test using 4wd and get quite different results.

When I was trying to replace the rice tires on my tractor I noticed something. Our bar tread tires, even though they are exactly the same size, have a different circumference than a turf tire. I'm thinking the circumference of a bar tire is actually calculated when the bars are sinking into the soil slightly. Because of this, my turf tires are quite a bit shorter than the original rice tires. When I mow, occassionally I'll forget to disengage 4wd before transporting down the road. It will take a good two blocks before I can feel the driveline wind up. All I feel is extra drag. The tractor never locks up or starts laying skid marks.

 

[PAB_OH]

Depending on what tires youhave on your tractor you can get in touch with Firestone/Bridgestone and get the rolling circumference for each. From that you can then calculate axle ratios (if you don't know yours, like me). Using that info you can then check the new tires you want to put on your tractor.

Most of the tech's I've spoken to are all too happy to talk to someone who understands a little bit about the subtleties of tire selection. Keep it within recommended percentages and you should be good.

A lot of the greys I see with R2's are Farm Service Lug, made by Bridgestone (Firestone). Good luck.

 

[roxynoodle]

I finally got my new front tires on yesterday. It was a little bit of a fiasco because I wasn't strong enough to break the lug nuts loose and had to involve a big neighbor with an impact wrench but that's ok. I took the tires in to the local farmer's co-op and they mounted the new ones. Got home, put them back on the tractor and discovered one was leaking bad at the valve stem. So, had to take that one back and get another valve stem put on it. But then they were finally on, the circumference is almost an exact match. Seems to be operating just fine in 4wd though. But, what's really nice is it seems to be riding much better and smoother. I hadn't realized new tires could make that much of a difference. The new ones are R1s. I was really thinking I had a bit of a front end suspension problem or at least something that needed tightening, but maybe not. Some time this week I will take it for a longer ride down the road just to be sure.