Reversing 2910 front R4 for wider track

[hayden]

One of the reason's this wheel reversal has got my attention has to do with steering arm clearance. The R4s on a 2910 provide very little clearance between the tire and steering arm, so little that you can't put front tire chains one them. Reversing the hubs provides enough room to do it.

That said, I'm seeing everyone's point on the increased axel/hub load, and that's enough to get me to abandon this particular brain burp. On to the next crazy idea.

Peter

 

[GlueGuy]

I can't be sure unless I actually did it, but at least on my B7500, it looks like reversing the front wheels would cause the valve stem guards to hit the upper part of the axle housing.

The GlueGuy

 

[glennmac]

Looking at my 2910, I think GlueGuy might be right.

 

[hayden]

I tried it temporarily to see and it clears just fine. But looking at it did make me wonder if it wouldn't be prone to pick up sticks and other debris that would then get wedged between the valve guard and wheel housing. I can just see a rock getting jambed between the guard and whell housing and breaking off the guard.

I guess I'll just leave the wheels the way they are.

 

[scruffy]

Hey, it worked fine on my ol' L175/L1500 (I give both designators as the artwork on the tractor said L175, but other indicators made it a greymarket L1500) Never had any trouble with it at all. Says something bout older being better.

 

[allmobile]

The way the front wheels are originally the load is fairly close to being centered on the bearings. When you reverse the wheels you have changed the leverage point of the load which can cause premature failure. I have seen axle failure on that front end with the wheels in the factory position under heavy use. I wouldn't try to reverse them unless stability was a huge issue.

Brian

 

[RAllen]

I went down the same load as Peter with my 2910. The control arms are too close to use chains. Went down to the dealer and inquired to a solution, maybe reversing the wheels.

No, no, no! Was the dealer response. Too heavy load on bearings, screwing up the steering geometry. Got the same response as to using spacers.

Rick

 

[glennmac]

I am not motivated to reverse to the wheels to increase stability, but I might like to put on chains. It is annoying that Kubota put the steering arm so close to the tires on this particular model tractor. Of course, I bet that if there were room for chains, you would hear objections that the use of chains on front wheels would adversely affect steering geometry, axle bearings, 4wd ratios, etc., etc.

In the end, if I were highly enough motivated to reverse the wheels, I would do it. I cannot believe that a machine designed to terraform the planet is going to self-destruct just because you move the wheels 1" to the side.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I don't know about the 2910, but my B6100D, which has to be a hundred years old, (over 3000 hours), has been running with all four wheels turned out, for at least the last 9 years. Never had a problem, and it does make a noticible difference when using the FEL, flail mower and grader blade on side hills.