b-10 traction tires - help needed

[schaefer72]

hi dose anybody know what the largest tractor style traction tires you can fit on a standard b-10 rim is without hitting the metal guards on the edges of the seats or getting them too wide so they rub on the tranny - what are the numbers and do they stand for -what is the norm other members have put on there b-10's or similar tractor- i have an extra set of rims and i would like to mount them with this style tire but im not sure what to get - whats the normal price and where have others aquired them from and is there any specific things i should look for or ask about when going to purchase them - thanks in advance for any and all help

[Al]

Hi, If you want to go to the trouble, take your rims and cut them in the drop center outside the center and have a spacer rolled and widen them to 10 to 10 1/2 inches put 26x12.00x12 terra tires on it. They make the tractor about 7 inches wider and a lot more stable on hills etc. I always ran fluid in them, but it is almost impossible to get them welded up to hold air tubless. You will need tubes. With fluid in them you can't believe how you can just set in the seat on hillsides. CAUTION!!! WITH THIS COMBINATION YOU CAN TIP THE TRACTOR OVER BACKWARDS IF YOU GO UP A STEEP HILL. IT WILL CLIMB UNTIL THE FRONT END COMES UP AND IT WILL KEEP COMING. When I used to commercial mow, we used to watch the rollers on the mower and when they started to come up we would back down. I was mowing places that my predecessor mowed with a Lawn-boy on a rope. In the early eighties We sold these on the 7100. One of my customers took my new demo and mowed a bank at home. I warned him, the next day he called and said you know what you said about coming over backwrds? You were right. He escaped injury, but $1300 to fix my demo. I never built another set for sale because of the liability. If you decide to try them you can even buy polished aluminum wheels or chrome. Contact some of your local garden tractor pullers, This is the standard tire for them. Good luck, AL

[tej]

The size tire you can put on the rim depends on the width of the rim. The tire sizes used on these tractors are 8.00x12, 23x8.50x12, and 23x10.50x12. What is the width of the extra rims you have. Also if you would want to go to a 13, 14 or 15 inch rim the Ford 5 bolt pattern fits the hubs. You can put spacers between the hub and wheel to move the wheels out for clearance or better stability on hillsides. I have the 23x10.50x12 on my B-12 and run the rear wheels just inside the width of the 42" mower deck. I have about a 3" spacer between the hub and wheels.

[Al]

Hi No problem, it only makes a 10 or 12% change. Works well. If you use 4 ply tires they don't belly out. they lay flat like a Caterpillar track.When the Sun Star came out I bought my first two a 20 and 18 sight unseen, before the dealer meetings and got sn 0007. These were the tractors they used to show the dealers and I agreed to tkae both afoer the last meeting in our area. The first thing I did was to put 26x12.00x12s on it. I also made some neat little anti-scalp rollers using 111 John Deere rollers for the 60" deck. I called the factory and they said they had used some John Deere wheels and the tires [John Deere also used the peerless rear end.] and they hit the mower rollers. I said I have a set running now, and I made the rims. They asked how, I told them I used 8 ply tires and they clear. They had my rep take some pictures and in 30 days they were available and a set of anti-scalp wheels. This Company is absolutely the BEST about listening to dealers!!!! No Company we deal with even comes close to being as open as Simplicity. The other thing is that they don't sell their products through the mass merchants where there is NO SUPPORT. Believe me I know what that crap is like. Good luck, AL

[arnoldir]

I believe that 10.5x12 steel rims are available new. I'd give Ceader Rapids Tire a call as they had the best price on a set of 16x7.5x8 turf tires on 5 hole 5.375 wide wheels I just put on my 6216. Question to Al, what was the effect on gearing with the 26" tire? I am considering a set but am concerned that she'll be to fast in 1st and 2nd even with the variator set low. Regards

[PGL]

Al - That modified machine sounds scary (wish I had one). How did it handle up (and down) slopes in reverse? Peter.