Widen rear wheels, easy or hard?

[JD 4520]

I thought I'd ask this here, since it's not really brand specific. I just bought a 2007 JD 4720 with R4s. I'd like to widen the rear wheels. The wheels have weights and the tires are loaded. It appears I will have to flip the center plate around to increase the width. I have what I need to jack up the rear of the tractor, but I'm wondering is it likely I might mash myself between a falling wheel and the shop floor. Is this I job I can do without any help? The weights are 100 lbs I think. Has anyone done this recently by themselves? And if you did, would you do it again? Thanks

I essentially have the same tractor and same tires and had the same question, so this is very helpful. So my follow on question is to clarify exactly what needs to be done to accomplish this. I will give it a try. The tread needs to stay the same so the tires will need to switch sides, and the center plates need to be reversed? Or is it just either or?

Also do the fronts need to be widened if the rears are widened?

Thanks for answering such a simple question.

 

[Glen Watkins]

JD 4520 did you ever do this swap and did you look in your owners manual? It kind of explains how the wheel hub in relation to the wheel rim measurement changes. I think the wheels just have to be swapped left to right. The valve stems will be on the inside when your done.

 

[Zebrafive]

before I swapped the rear wheels on the 2030 I got two longer bolts same size as the wheel center bolts and cut the heads off. Then I ground a little taper and sawed a screw driver slot for removal.

I had help and an engine cherry picker. Before trying to put the tire/wheel on we put the two studs in the axle flange, got the wheel started on the studs and slid to the axle flange. installed wheel bolts, removed studs, installed remaining wheel bolts then tackled the other side.

Be sure to torque the wheel bolts, drive the tractor a little ways and retorque.

 

[greenrider1]

I just did my 17.5-24 R4's on my new Kubota L5740 today, tires loaded, by myself, in about an hour. Jack up the rear just enough to take some weight off the tire, but leave it still touching the ground. It will slide right off with a little wiggling. They are heavy, but not bad if you keep them vertical. I leaned them against a wall to swap the wheel centers, and then re-installed on the opposite side. I went with the middle setting and gained 2 inches in width (1 inch each side). Definitely easier if I had had help, but I didn't. Just be careful and don't get under he wheel if it starts to go over. I don't have weights, but they would also have to be removed to swap the centers.