Front Tires for more deck height C160

[ICONN 4]

My installed deck height has always been very low for my field mowing.  The front wheels fit on 3/4 axles.  The wheels are 15 inches in diameter.  Has anyone tried to increase deck height for mowing maybe by putting bigger wheels on?

Edited 12 hours ago by ICONN
size tractor C160

[kpinnc 18,186]

You can go to larger front tires but keep one thing in mind: you want your mower deck to ride just slightly nose down. This provides relief from drag that would occur if the rear of the cutting disc is cutting as well. Without that relief, the deck will bog down and cut quality will suffer. 

 

Point being- if you raise the front of the tractor you want to raise the back as well. Many of us have raised frame height by going with larger tires front and rear. But- Because Wheel Horse decks ride independently of the frame, you also have to raise the size of your guage wheels on the deck. This affects all of the adjustments on the deck. It can become frustrating trying to make all those changes actually work. 

 

Standard front tires on 8 inch front rims regularly use 16x6.50-8 tires. Depending on wheel width, you can install 18x7x8 fronts but it makes very little if any difference unless the deck wheels increase in size as well. 

 

My 523-H has 9 inch tall front tires and 25 inch tall rears. Frame height is increased by about and inch and a half. But an unmodified deck on this machine has the same cut height as any other WH tractor. I modified an Exmark zero turn deck for higher cutting, but even then 3.5 to 4 inch cut height is about the best I could manage. 

 

This subject has come up many times over the years. Wheel Horse decks were just never designed to cut much over about 3 inches max, if that high. You may have to cut with the deck fully raised in the traverse position on the first pass and cut again with it lowered. 

 

Or purchase a towed brush cutter for your pasture... 

 

 

Edited 11 hours ago by kpinnc

[953 nut 66,017]

The 400 series and 500 series  came with 8" rims rather than 6". If you can find a pair of the 8" rims you could go to an 18 X 6.00 - 8 tire which will give you an additional 1.5" of front clearance.

Many lawn equipment dealers have a bone yard with worn out big box store mowers, wheels from many other brands would also have 3/4" axles but be sure they have bearings rather than bushings.

[clueless 3,401]

According to my old factory trained WH mechanic these deck were designed (by the WH engineers) to cut up to 3 inches possibly 3.5 inch properly. You can adjust them all you want, put large tires on the tractor, larger anti scrap caster on the deck all you want but you still going to get about 3 to 3.5 inch cut but it just not going to be a good cut, it's about geometry. 

[peter lena 9,880]

@ICONN  personally  that  lowest setting  is very  tough  /  bad in 2 areas ?  DECK DISCHARGE  ,  spindle  abuse / heavy wear , PTO  drive and related clutch  rotation ,  great place for related , bearing grease / changeout , frayed related drive belts are telling you that . would also be using low range / hi gear  , for overall  easier function , pete

[Handy Don 16,568]

Field mowing was not envisioned for a WH belly-mount finish mower--a neat and smooth 2.5-3.0 grass lawn was the aim!

I strongly suggest a towed flail mower. Flails are widely used on highway verges. 

You might also consider acquiring, and potentially modifying, a WH front-mounted mower deck carrier frame. No tractor mods needed. 

[JoeM 9,915]

I replaced a the 6" deck height wheels with 8" ones on one of my decks and that gave me the extra deck height.

Other than that mowing with it off the ground is another option??

[DLF 54]

312-8 with 6" spindles and 400x8 Destones and 25x900x12 All Trail II rear fender, bracket and gas tank raised 1 3/4"

Seven inch deck wheels with added adapter 1".

Raised 312-8 beside a stock height C-120.

[Razorback 1,309]

For the money involved to get taller tires, if I had taller grass to mow I would either get a more suitable machine or pull a powered  mower behind the Wheel Horse. 

[lynnmor 8,821]

1 hour ago, JoeM said:

I replaced a the 6" deck height wheels with 8" ones on one of my decks and that gave me the extra deck height.

 

If there is room for 7" or 8" wheels you will get .5" or 1" increase in height, just remember to level the deck.  I run my blades almost level to gain a bit more height and see no difference in the power required.