Setting tires out wider

[jcummins]

I have an M7040 with R4 tires, wheel weights, and loaded too. This tractor is fairly stable.....but.....i have a neighboor with an M9540, who set the wheels out and he said the difference was very noticable. He help me put together this afternoon a flail ditch mower, which can be swung out in its entirely to the side of the tractor. My purpose is pond dams, and wet areas where the tractor cannot go. He said he most definitively would set the tires on my M7040 out. SO I'm considering doing that.

The rears we understand how to do. The fronts are a little different. It appears we just move to the opposite side, with one gotcha. The valve stem now outside would go instead and they have a protective cirle piece welding around them. Is there room for that to clear the front hubs. Seems iffy. If that hits how can I do this? Pics below. Posted one of the ditch mower to.

 

[newbury]

I have an M7040 with R4 tires, wheel weights, and loaded too. This tractor is fairly stable.....but.....i have a neighboor with an M9540, who set the wheels out and he said the difference was very noticable. He help me put together this afternoon a flail ditch mower, which can be swung out in its entirely to the side of the tractor. My purpose is pond dams, and wet areas where the tractor cannot go. He said he most definitively would set the tires on my M7040 out. SO I'm considering doing that.

The rears we understand how to do. The fronts are a little different. It appears we just move to the opposite side, with one gotcha. The valve stem now outside would go instead and they have a protective cirle piece welding around them. Is there room for that to clear the front hubs. Seems iffy. If that hits how can I do this? Pics below. Posted one of the ditch mower to.
<snip>

This is how I change my fronts on M4700:

 

[jcummins]

Front rims are not two piece rims.

 

[RickB]

They will probably clear especially if swapping them side to side increases the track width. Best thing is to take one wheel off, reverse it on the same side and bolt it up with two or three lugs. Rotate it by hand and check the valve stem clearance. If it clears, swap it to the other side and bring that one over to the side you started on. Use what you have at hand to answer your own question.
Increasing the front axle track width does little to increase stability.

 

[jcummins]

Wondering if I should just leave the fronts alone. Putting that valve stem inside poses checking and airing the tire.

 

[oosik]

I would not worry about widening the front tires and it looks very much like the valve stem protective circle would make contact with the lower part of your front axle drop gear housing. OK - if your rear rims are like mine there are six settings from narrow to wide. I certainly would want some kind of lift and a helper to do the rear tire widening.

You know the rear, being filled, will be heavy. Mine weigh around 1100# per tire when you consider the rim, the tire and the RimGuard. Be careful.

 

[Fallon]

Only the rear axle/tires on a tractor affect stability. The fronts are on a pivot. So they dont affect stability until it pivots over to the stops. By the time it hits the stops there is enough momentum and/or its tipped far enough you are already in trouble.

So wory about widening the rears, not the fronts.

 

[Dan33Klein]

^^exactly

 

[JWR]

Only the rear axle/tires on a tractor affect stability. The fronts are on a pivot. So they dont affect stability until it pivots over to the stops. By the time it hits the stops there is enough momentum and/or its tipped far enough you are already in trouble.

So wory about widening the rears, not the fronts.

Fallon is spot on. Forget the front widening. I certainly advocate widening the rear wheels as much as you can, restricted potentially by other factors. Usually the widening is needed for those working steep ground but boom cutters and anything with significant side loads would be good reason also. I use 6 inch Bora brand spacers on a smaller Kubota B2150 and they made a huge difference -- daylight and dark. Folks who rent my pasture have an M6040 as well as an L3400. They run 6" spacers on both those Kubotas mainly for stability and comfort on steep ground. Pictures of these two below.
Notice the ones they use are 2 different designs. There are several good ones.

Looking at your photo of the side mounted flail mower, it does not look like an extreme side load case BUT I'm betting you will be much more comfy using it with the wider rear tire spacing.
I run a MF2660 with a 17' articulated boom rear mounted cutter (rotary, not flail) and it is my extreme case of need for wider spacing. My rears are 8 feet apart at outer edge of tires and in many spots that is not enough. Limits me on where I use the tool.

 

[jcummins]

Fallon is spot on. Forget the front widening. I certainly advocate widening the rear wheels as much as you can, restricted potentially by other factors. Usually the widening is needed for those working steep ground but boom cutters and anything with significant side loads would be good reason also. I use 6 inch Bora brand spacers on a smaller Kubota B2150 and they made a huge difference -- daylight and dark. Folks who rent my pasture have an M6040 as well as an L3400. They run 6" spacers on both those Kubotas mainly for stability and comfort on steep ground. Pictures of these two below.
View attachment 567018 View attachment 567019 Notice the ones they use are 2 different designs. There are several good ones.

Looking at your photo of the side mounted flail mower, it does not look like an extreme side load case BUT I'm betting you will be much more comfy using it with the wider rear tire spacing.
I run a MF2660 with a 17' articulated boom rear mounted cutter (rotary, not flail) and it is my extreme case of need for wider spacing. My rears are 8 feet apart at outer edge of tires and in many spots that is not enough. Limits me on where I use the tool.

The mower weighs 1669 lbs, and the entire mower can be swung outside of the rear tires.

I will try the mower first before any change. Since the tires are loaded and i have wheel weights...it may be fine. I have some suitcase weights that i 'may' hang of the left side of the three point frame of the mower. I'd have to fab up some kind of mount to hang them . I'll know in a week or so how it goes....we've got 3 day rain event right now.