Rear wheel spacers

   / Rear wheel spacers #1  

Raines

Bronze Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
82
Location
Jasonville, IN
Tractor
MF GC1725MB, Gravely proturn 460
Is rear wheel spacers recommended on the gc series? I would like to use chains this winter and it looks like you need to use wheel spacers to do it. So since I do not have nor plan on having a mmm, I thought about getting some 3 inch spacers.
I guess I am wondering if that will screw up my 4 foot equipment (tiller, box blade) as far as making my rear footprint larger than 4 foot. And didnt even know where or what brand to buy if I did decide to.
 
   / Rear wheel spacers #2  
I bought and installed 6" spacers on each side of one of my B2150 Kubotas. Bora brand. Never any problem. Precision manufacturing and lots of foresight in fitting and mating to the tractor. Not sure about your GC as I do not own one. I think you should be able to take measurements and use your own judgement. Spacers will definitely make your GC more stable on hillside work. The question is how wide do you need in order to clear your chains? You might consider just using chains on the front and not the back if that might be adequate. Certainly cheaper and easier. Something you could try with little investment and no side effects to worry about.
 
   / Rear wheel spacers #3  
I have 2" on either side and no problems.
Need a good bolt set and to buy the right one.
If not sure, pay a bit more and I think Bro-tek has them.
Make sure they are torqued correctly.
 
   / Rear wheel spacers
  • Thread Starter
#4  
I have 2" on either side and no problems.
Need a good bolt set and to buy the right one.
If not sure, pay a bit more and I think Bro-tek has them.
Make sure they are torqued correctly.
Ok, so with the 2 inch spacers you did not have any issues with your 4 foot implements? If that is the case I might just go with them. Thanks , I will look up brotek and see what they have
 
   / Rear wheel spacers
  • Thread Starter
#5  
I bought and installed 6" spacers on each side of one of my B2150 Kubotas. Bora brand. Never any problem. Precision manufacturing and lots of foresight in fitting and mating to the tractor. Not sure about your GC as I do not own one. I think you should be able to take measurements and use your own judgement. Spacers will definitely make your GC more stable on hillside work. The question is how wide do you need in order to clear your chains? You might consider just using chains on the front and not the back if that might be adequate. Certainly cheaper and easier. Something you could try with little investment and no side effects to worry about.
Well I read that I needed 1.5 inch spacers for enough clearance I think for chains on the rear. Front only chains could be a good option for first winter just to see how it does though. Thanks, I had not thought about that
 
   / Rear wheel spacers #6  
I have a GC 1715 and I put BRO-TECH 3 inch spacers on each side, Its is surprising how much more stability it made tractor specially on "side hill" work.... I would recommend them in an instant for stability and for more clearance for chains....


 
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   / Rear wheel spacers #7  
Up to you, but front chains are not recommended on GCs. Some do but I prefer not to take the risk.

Below is a picture of the chain clearance on the left (driver's side) rear wheel of my GC without spacers. You definitely need spacers if you want to run chains. If you are only worried about chain clearance you can go less than 3" and have plenty of room for chains if you put them on tight. I put the 2" spacers on mine for stability, I would have gone with 3" but I use the MMM.

chain-clearance.jpg
 
   / Rear wheel spacers #8  
I’d also recommend Bro-tek spacers… I have the 2” aluminum ones, immediately noticed better side stability on hills. I would have considered 3” spacers, but at the time I was using the MMM. I’m in the woods all the time with the tractor and at times navigating through narrow spaces between trees, so no dire need to replace them with longer spacers.

At the end of the day if chains are your only priority, you don’t use the MMM, and aren’t often going through narrow spaces - 3” spacers may be your best option. My rear track width is about 50” with 2” spacers, so if that’s a concern of yours go with 2” spacers.
 
   / Rear wheel spacers #9  
hube2 : Who recommends against front chains? Why ? Unless there is a clearance problem I cannot think of any valid reason not to use them.

The OP has a good plan in mind of trying out the circumstance of having only front chains for a season in his area and his snows. See how it goes and go from there. Makes sense to me. I am still doing that myself [in the mountains of WV] and by luck of the seasons I have yet to even put on the front chains but I have them for my Kubota B2150 if needed. I switched to AG tread tires a few years back (by trading tractors, swapping tires, etc) and have yet to need chains when using a 5ft snowblower and a FEL in some pretty deep and worse yet packed snow. His Indiana location is not particularly noted for unusual snowfall is it?
 
   / Rear wheel spacers
  • Thread Starter
#10  
No we normally do not get a lot of snowfall. Usually just 2 or 3 decent snowfalls each winter but can get pretty cold so sometimes that snow sticks around for awhile. You never know what you are going to get with Southern Indiana weather. Each winter it can be 0 degrees with snow packed in or 50 degrees and sunny or 32 degrees and ice everywhere, lol. So who knows what this year will bring.
 

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