tire changing question

[gerard]

I plan on changing the position on my rear tires. L2500DT (11.2-24 R1's, unloaded) They're set at the narrowest setting which is about 40 inches and I noriced they can be set further out (50 inches) by undoing the outer rim and reattaching on the outside flange. My question is how heavy is the unloaded tire going to be and am I going to be able to muscle it into place after I get it off or am I going to be using levers and things to get it lined up. ie Is this a two person job or can a 38 year old 170 lb person witha good back do this by themselves? I think this should greatly enhance stability and I have some slopes that would be more than adequate to roll over my tractor. (Which I REALLY don't want to do, especially since I just installed my Tiltmeter!! ))

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Where did you get your Tiltmeter?
Thanks

 

[gerard]

Go to tiltmeter.com, bought on line. I got the model taht read from 0-25 deg slope. It's $45, large and easy to use, and after feeling what a 20 deg slope is like I cannot understand needing the meter that goes uo to 45 deg! I wouldn't even go to 25 so I'm happy with my selection. (PS the only thing I did since I'm a wuss and didn't want to drill holes in my new tractor to mount it was used some plastic ties, works fine and if they were off I'll use a velcro attachment. Can't see drilling holes in perfectly good sheetmetal if I can avoid it!

 

[W5FL]

My dad just moved the tires back in on his tractor. They are filled and weigh about 800# per tire. He is 85 yrs old and about 130#. He laughed and said not to lay them down flat and just move them very slowly! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Leave a private message for Muhammad to get the actual weight of your tires. They are probably about 200# or so per tire. Jack the tractor and block it very carefully that NO lifting of the tire is necessary. You will also need to move the left tire to the right side to keep the tires rolling in the same direction. The lug nuts are pretty tight on tractors! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[gerard]

thanx, will try tonight. (Of course now that you out out there how your 85 year old father changed LOADED tires unaided I certainly won't be able to disclose any problems I had doing UNLOADED ones!) But why would he want a narrower profile? Only advantage I can see is smaller turning radius. Seems like I'd rather have greater stability....

 

[W5FL]

Good Question. His idea of a narrow profile is about six feet! They were set to over 7 feet wide. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

He is very understanding of my mistakes, though. I was telling him one time about people not getting enough exercise and he said he didn't need to exercise - he just worked! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I still cannot follow him around all day. Hope I am in 1/2 that condition when I am his age.

A couple of years ago, working by his self, he put the tractor in the garage, winched the tractor to a "strongback" in the ceiling, and proceeded to split the tractor and put in a clutch in his garage. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

Wen, I agree with your dad; all my life I've said that joggers and folks who go to gyms to work out just simply don't have enough work to do.

And Gerard, I don't think you'll have any problem with unloaded tires of your size. Wen's dad has a tiny bit bigger tractor./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird

 

[gerard]

Wen/Bird,
OK, did the tires last night. Once the lugs were broke it was pretty simple and the weight wasn't what I anticipated. I was able to lift the tire pretty easily. (I figure it at about 125lbs or so) Breaking the lugs was another story! Had to put a torch to them to expand them a little. They were on so tight the grade 5 nuts had actually scraped into the rim. Looked like a hell of a lot tighter than 160lbs which is what the specs were. No way I was able to get them back on that tight. Just have to check them regularly. (AND buy myself a breaker bar)

 

[jdkid]

Hi Gerard
yep i'd spred them out a bit too .like wen said just make sure you have them running the right way be for puting them back on (red faces all round when that happens)as for being a two person job 1 is best (ever been in a 3 legged race?) even my tires 580/70r 38 i can move around alright but with 2 it's like ya have 2 left feet and 10 thumbs oh yea when putting it back on have someone on the jack to lift or drop it a bit
cya
JD Kid

 

[Bird]

Gerard, obviously I can't say for sure, but I think it's a pretty safe bet that those lug nuts were not supposed to be that tight. Some mechanic either didn't know just what his impact wrench would do, or more likely just wanted to be sure they were tight enough that there was no way they were going to come loose accidentally so he overdid it. I've even seen tire men twist lug bolts in two just to make sure they were tight enough; they usually don't even think about the possibility of getting them too tight.

And while I've never twisted a lug bolt in two, I have twisted several other bolts in two, stripped a few threads, rounded the head on bolts, etc./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird