YM 1500 - Rear thump

[mszb]

I have a low hour, 235, YM1500 that is in great shape and was well maintained to date. I rarely drive it on the road, today I did, going from one site to another to brush hog. In the right rear there is a rotational (changes with speed) thump that you feel in the right rear tire area. It is very suttle. I have never felt this on dirt. I have the original patty tires still on it. Could this be bearings? Could it be tire wear. How do I tell? Thanks in advance.

 

[normde2001]

Assuming you have eliminated loose lug bolts, I would jack it up and rotate the tires, both by hand to see if bent wheel or separated tread, (wobbly), and under power to see if you can hear a bad bearing. If it's a bad bearing and you can feel it, it should show up rotating by hand.

 

[blackd]

Check the tire for a cracked tread. Rice tires when run on hard surfaces if they have a cracked tread will have a vibration in one spot. The cracked tread moves more than the others and gives the vibration. Experienced same.

 

[mszb]

I jacked it up and spun each wheel by hand. I felt no thump or excentricity in the rotation. I inspected the tread and there are no tears etc. Do I just forget it? As I said I never feel it on dirt, only on th e road.

 

[blackd]

Then it's probably nothing but rice tire thump commonly heard on hard surface roads.

That was meant to be a joke, but it probably is nothing serious.

 

[normde2001]

I forgot to mention the big bolt that holds the hub to the axle. If that is tight and you could not feel any looseness when jacked up, might's well forget it until it gets worse.

 

[kayssupply]

I just moved two tractors about 2 miles from my shop to the lot. I thought of you. They both " thumped " all the way. It was the old hard tires thumping from setting so long in one spot. Rest easy.

 

[normde2001]

I suspect you nailed it. I had forgotten, and most people probably don't remember the "thump" of old bias-belted tires after sitting for a while and flat-spotting.