Widening my Tires

EddieWalker · Jul 28, 2024

My 4707 Massey Ferguson feels kind of tippy when I'm mowing around my pond. I've been mowing it for two years now with that tractor, and it still makes me nervous. Before that I mowed with a smaller, open station tractor, and a 6 foot cutter, and that made me nervous too, but not as bad as the Massey. I think it's because it's so much taller.

Yesterday I decided it was the day to widen my tires. The rims are two piece, and according to a YouTube Video from a Massey Dealer, there are four ways to mount your tires that change there width. From what I could tell, they came from the dealer as narrow as they can be. I measured them at 82 inches wide, to the outside of the tires.

The before pictures. Notice how the tires barely come out past the fenders.

The tires are freakishly heavy. Once I got them off, I removed the inner rim and flipped it over. Then I swapped the tires from side to side. Before I did this, the valve stem was on the inside, and very hard to get to. Now it's on the outside, and probably easier to damage while mowing, but it's now easier to get to.

Left tire has the inner rim switched to the wider position. Right tire is still in the original position.

I barely jacked the tractor up high enough to get the tires off the ground, then I slid them off the axles. Getting them back on was more challenging because of how heavy they are, and how awkward it was to line it all up.

Now the wheels measure 93 inches to the outside. I gained 11 inches of width!!!! The rear wheels stick out past the fenders quite a bit more now.

When I get the parts for the batwing, and the weather dries out, I'll update with my impressions of how it feels mowing around my pond.

MtnViewRanch · Jul 28, 2024

You might want to consider filling the tires if they are not.
I know on my 75hp machine, I used it for 1 year to get a real feal for the machine.
I then added 3 sets of cast wheel weights. That did not get me the feel or the added capacity that I was looking for.
I then filled all four tires, holly sxxt!!! It was like using the next larger frame size machine and it felt (to me anyway) like it was glued to the ground. Areas on my property that were "iffy"before, became completely comfortable to operate on.
I know that adding the weight to the front tires does nothing for stability, but it helps for added traction. As it was I added even more cast weights now having a total of 6 sets of weights helping my tractor to reach its maximum capabilities.

EddieWalker · Jul 28, 2024

I thought about wheel weights. Did you buy them from your dealer? or are they aftermarket from somebody else? Do you mind sharing what they cost?

scootr · Jul 28, 2024

The tires are filled on my MX5200 but it was still kind of scary on a side hill I can't avoid. I added 3" spacers in the rear and 2" spacers in front. It made a big difference in the way it acts and feels on side slopes. R&R the filled tires was done with a forklift.

MtnViewRanch · Jul 28, 2024

Mine all came from a dealer, and I don't remember the cost, I urchased other things at the same time. Also, this was 18 years ago.
I don't remember where, but someplace in Texas (I think here?)is the cheapest place there is to purchase cast iron wheel weights. Shipping is always a killer for weight, it might be worth your time to drive and pick them up.

I personally would fluid fill first, then add the cast iron if needed. But I understand that you may need to consider the consequences of getting a flat with the tires that you have.

The tractor will also ride smoother with fluid filled tires.

Runner · Jul 28, 2024

So glad to see you did this, that picture of the machine on the pond slope had me holding my breath! I bet you will notice an immediate difference.

I had to move my rears to the "wide" position, which gained me something like 4 inches and also put on all the wheel weights I could, which amounted to 3 60lb weights per side. My machine won't even move on my 25 degree cross slopes without the weights. Now it feels completely stable and climbs like a mountain goat.

I didn't want to load the tires because of all the pointy stuff in my yard (thorns, deer horns, etc.), but I bet it would work even better if I did.

Unfortunately, wide position for me put the valves on the inside