Where do you buy tires? What brands to avoid.

[N80]

My rears are as tall as I am (6 feet) and the front's aren't much smaller

Fortunately the fronts on my L4400 are pretty small. 16" rim. But I will say that they seem much heavier than a comparable size truck tire/wheel combo. I guess that rubber is pretty thick.

 

[WinterDeere]

I suspect that might be different if you spent all your time on pavement. I am rarely on pavement and when I am I take it out of 4wd.

Just turning the wheel increases front axle travel distance over rear, versus going straight, really making it impossible to work out a non-binding ratio of tire sizes. If you're on dry pavement, dis-engage the 4wd, no matter how well you think your tires are matched to gearing.

 

[BigGG]

The fronts on my Kubota L4400 are worn out. Low hours on them but 20 years. They are R-1s. 8.00x16. Goodyear. I want to replace them.

But where do you buy tractor tires? I have a dealership nearby who could do everything but I'm assuming that would be very expensive. Online it looks like shipping would be expensive.

On line, Goodyear R-1s in my size seem to run over $300 each. That's more than I'd prefer to spend.

I would assume I could do this work myself? I have easy access to tire pry bars etc. I use tubes on the front so setting the bead is no problem.

I've got amazon Prime and can get free shipping on what they offer but most of it is names I don't recognize and presumably from China.

A local auto tire place has replaced tubes for me in the past but I'm not sure they can get new tires for me. I can check of course.

Also, what brands to avoid. Carlisle which is now Carlstar or something like that pops up a lot. Not sure if they are Chinese or not. I see quite a few tires made in Mexico.

Any ideas/advice much appreciated.

My Kubota L35 has Deestones on the front and Carlisles on the rear, all R4's. The rears were new, I think, when I bought the tractor four years ago. The Carlisles say Made in USA on them. All of them have been trouble free, it stays inside. A few years ago, Carlisle moved their lawn equipment tire production to west Tennessee, I don't know about the larger stuff.

Some people have written that you can buy the tire/wheel assembly from a Kubota dealer, under whole goods, than a tire only through the parts department.

 

[WinterDeere]

Some people have written that you can buy the tire/wheel assembly from a Kubota dealer, under whole goods, than a tire only through the parts department.

Deere does something similar. In fact, with my zero turn (757 ZTrak), I think it was cheaper to buy a whole front wheel assembly last time I needed a new tire, than to buy a tire alone.

This was a few years ago, so memory may not be perfect, but I think it came with new tire, wheel, and bearings. Maybe even the grass/dust caps, although I seem to remember swapping those over from the old wheel.

 

[ssgp2]

When replacing the 8-16 on front, I got Carlisle from Amazon and did it myself. Is MUCH easier when you leave the wheel on the tractor. Just use jack stands to keep the axle from pivoting. I searched FB Marketplace for the rears and found 2 new Firestones (14.9-24) from a tire dealer not too far for a bargain. I mount the tires myself. Hardest part was beaking the bead.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I saw a youtube video on changing front tire. Poster said he bought tire and rim cheaper than tire alone. Maybe it was a takeoff, who knows. That's a benefit of owning a Kubota I guess.

 

[5030]

My Kubota L35 has Deestones on the front and Carlisles on the rear, all R4's. The rears were new, I think, when I bought the tractor four years ago. The Carlisles say Made in USA on them. All of them have been trouble free, it stays inside. A few years ago, Carlisle moved their lawn equipment tire production to west Tennessee, I don't know about the larger stuff.

Some people have written that you can buy the tire/wheel assembly from a Kubota dealer, under whole goods, than a tire only through the parts department.

Yes you can but you won't like the price.

 

[5030]

When replacing the 8-16 on front, I got Carlisle from Amazon and did it myself. Is MUCH easier when you leave the wheel on the tractor. Just use jack stands to keep the axle from pivoting. I searched FB Marketplace for the rears and found 2 new Firestones (14.9-24) from a tire dealer not too far for a bargain. I mount the tires myself. Hardest part was beaking the bead.

On my M9's breaking the bead takes a special air operated bead breaker. You ain't gonna break them with ordinary tire irons.

 

[sixdogs]

It is my understanding that the fronts on my tractor are slightly overdriven as mentioned above. But, the diameter of these fronts is quite different from what it was when they were new due to wear; so I agree that while getting the right size is important in general it is probably not critical down to the centimeter. I suspect that might be different if you spent all your time on pavement. I am rarely on pavement and when I am I take it out of 4wd.

When I assisted changing large rear tires they were also probably 6 feet or more tall. The pry bars were about that long too. These were for 150 hp JD farm tractors.

There's a range of overdriven and something like the 2% to 5% range. So that gives enough wiggle room for tread wear, etc. I do think the ratio is important, however and I rarely deviate from factory tire choices. So far, so good.

Let me add that the marketplace for used tractor does not like mis-matched tires and reflects that in lower auction prices for those units. I've seen it. Guys shy away because of the damage that may or may not have been done. I wouldn't buy a used tractor with odd sizes.

 

[sd455dan]

Out west here we have an excellent tire dealer - Les Schwab. I get all my truck and tractor tires from them.

Toyo for the truck and Goodyear or Firestone for the tractor.

You want to play the game and be safe - you will pay the price. One way or the other.

If I can't do it myself I go to Perfection Now,

Edit and rephrase
tractor tires Les Schwab does do them and has remote service trucks. So in an emergency Yep they can help.