Tires - Replace?

[tookielee]

those tire sidewalls are probably 3/4" thick or more.... low pressure, low speed.... I wouldn't
waste money, probably good for 20 years more

 

[Fallon]

I'd run them until they started leaking or ran out of traction if you were on flat ground. The penalty for failure is low & recovery options aren't hard.

However if you are on reasonably steep slopes the penalty for failure & recovery options get a lot more ugly. If you loose a tire in a bad spot you could roll the machine.

I'd replace the tires if I were on slopes & my tires were rotting a lot.

 

[B2150hsd]

Wow, I like all the different responses. I should have made a poll for this thread. To clarify somethings:

- They are ~25 years old
- Traction is not a problem. The lugs are still large. Only 650 hours and all on grass and dirt
- Liquid ballast at about 75%
- They are currently tubed with the originals. Not sure how long they hold
- They do not leak. Rarely have to air them up.
- I try to always cut straight up and down. There are times when I have to turn around but I do that in the less steep area - 10% slope.
- Bought the tractor used 15 years ago. Since then it has always been fully covered in the barn. Dont know about the first ten years.
- Catastrophic failure at the wrong time is the only concern because of steep slopes - 25 degree and a bit more in one area. Rolling the tractor or having to deal with a flat, with the cutter and FEL attached, on a slope sounds like a bad time.

Are the sidewalls really 3/4" thick? They are 4 ply Firestones.
I also read that tubed tires go flat faster than tubeless?

 

[Fallon]

If they are tubed & you arent going cross-slppe that decreases the hazard condition a lot. Somewhat new tubes shouldn't fail even if the tires are longer air tight.

 

[milkman]

What you gonna do if you get new tires and one goes flat on a slope? Low pressure, slow speed, if a puncture, you'll see wet spot on the tire and have plenty of time to get to safer place.
You might feel safer with foam filled tires.

 

[MHarryE]

My 2 primary tractors don’t have cracks like that - 2016 and 2017. Every other piece of equipment has similar or worse and I don’t think of changing. Flats - yes I get flats. All are from punctures. You are more likely to find a flat some morning due to a slow leak. That’s been my experience with tubed tires - over time the tubes will develop pinholes.

 

[goeduck]

Are all 4 sidewalls similarly cracked or just some? If just one or both outsides the previous owner may have stored it exposed to the sun on the sides. The tread bays seem to be in good shape.

I have had one rear tire blow out in my days. I knew the tire was on borrowed time as the bead had split but it still was a bit of a pain, but not that bad. The tractor sat in the pasture while I got the new tire for it. Do you have a second tractor with FEL to assist with replacing the tire? If not some farm tire places do field repair/replace.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I would run them as long as the tread was sufficient for traction. Sun damaged cracks in the rubber dont hurt anything on a tractor tire. The tire cord and inner rubber does all the sealing and pressure holding. My brother in law had an 8N Ford that the cord showed thru with much of the rubber missing, they still held air for weeks at a time but would finally go flat. Just keep the air pressure checked and dont let them get low. Low tire pressure destroys many a tire.

 

[moship]

If you want to emulate a flat and how the tires perform, why not remove the air (valve stem up of course) and ride the tractor around a bit. You may find the there is sufficient sidewall stiffness to support the tractor to at least get it back to where the tire can be conveniently and safely repaired. Don't forget to air back up.

 

[mike paulson]

Compromise and put one new tire on