Baby gets a new pair of shoes

[Retired Sparky 526]

 I know I had a thread a couple of days that showed how to change out front wheel bearings. The pics of the side wall of those 30yr. old tire was not lost on me. It has been my intension to upgrade the rubber on the "old girl' as soon as possible. With a lot of my transactions I go back to the dealer that sold me my . (circa 1986)  When I needed that front bearing, they were the cheapest.  If you haven't guessed, I'm stuck out here on the thumb of our nation and I don't have a lot of options as some of you guys do.  I scored a couple of mounted rims from the dealer's bone yard in the size I wanted to upgrade to.  16x6.50-8''   

  The rubber was still good and one rim even had a good tube in it.  I broke down the rubber and started cleaning up the rims for reassembly.

                  The bearings got knocked out and all the old grease was cleaned out and the bearings got repacked with hard grease.

 

                                    

 

                                           

 

                                               

 

                                            

 With a fair amount of elbow grease the rims were refurbished. The rubber was second hand & only 2 ply, so I took the option of adding tubes. I found that a liberal coat of Vaseline on the bead of each tire helps with mounting since I don't have anything to hold them in place. A large screwdriver and a tire iron from HF did the trick in dismounting and mounting.

                                                      

                                                                     Cleaned up, the tires were ready for mounting on the tractor.

                                                     

 

                                             

                              The new tires certainly add to the looks of my 'old girl'.    This is a cold and rainy & snowy afternoon.

                                                           In spite of the crappy weather, I thought a pic on the hill was in order.

                                     

                      Next to come, newer rims and some 23x9.50-12'' on the back plus tubes because I love the loaded tires I have now. 

                                                                       And without wheel weights, I get to look for baby moons.

 

  PS. I did have to buy three rims from the dealer to make two workable mounts. Did anybody see that one of those rims was white, It didn't match with the newer style silver rims that I needed for my 86'. If anybody wants a sound white rim for a 16x6.58-8 tire, I have one. The bearings have already been knocked out and cleaned and hand repacked. Believe me I know how to clean and repack a bearing. Uncle Sam taught me how in Amarillro, TX. 1967.  

                                                                          Things like that you don't forget.    Am I right, fellas??? 

 

 

 

 

[RedRanger 1,469]

Lookin good!  I never understood why the manufacturers installed such little tires on the larger machines.  Cost savings I guess?

[pfrederi 18,695]

Nice job!!  Pick up some "Bead Butter" at the auto parts store it is great to help mounting.

[RedRanger 1,469]

3 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Nice job!!  Pick up some "Bead Butter" at the auto parts store it is great to help mounting.

Dish Soap also a cheap fix.

[AMC RULES 37,196]

Ever hear of, or try this stuff?  

Available at your local Napa dealer. 

It's that green stuff you see installers swabbing down tire beads with, before mounting tires on the rim. 

Also works great, when put it into a spray bottle, occasionally spray down all your rubber, really helps ward off the dry rot too.  

[RedRanger 1,469]

1 hour ago, AMC RULES said:

Ever hear of, or try this stuff?  

Available at your local Napa dealer. 

It's that green stuff you see installers swabbing down tire beads with, before mounting tires on the rim. 

Also works great, when put it into a spray bottle, occasionally spray down all your rubber, really helps ward off the dry rot too.  

I have it.  Bought it at NAPA.

Works great.  Goes on slippery and absorbs into the rubber so the slipperyness goes away once you're done.

Also works good to moisturize older dry tires if you bag them and let them soak in it for a week or two.

I soaked my 867 tires when I got it.

[farmer 1,078]

Very spangly, transforms the look of the tractor altogether. Have you changed to the short spindles I can't make out from the pics? Also is your left rear creeping in on the shaft? 

[AMC RULES 37,196]

 Good eye Farmer. 

[benji756 341]

looks good what color paint did you use on them?

[Retired Sparky 526]

3 hours ago, pfrederi said:

3 hours ago, RedRanger said:

Lookin good!  I never understood why the manufacturers installed such little tires on the larger machines.  Cost savings I guess?

   I think you are on the mark.

53 minutes ago, benji756 said:

looks good what color paint did you use on them?

              Aluminum

I don't need ''bead butter'' I have Vaseline.   It's not like I'm going into business changing out tractor tires. I'm done Pard.

3 hours ago, RedRanger said:

Dish Soap also a cheap fix.

Your a little late. I'm done. 

Edited March 29, 2016 by Retired Sparky

[2Many 14]

Question for you @Retired Sparky, I'm looking at a 312-A that has the smaller 6" wheels on the front. I also have a number of 8" spares in my inventory. Would putting 8" wheels on the front cause any problems with mower deck height or is there enough wiggle room that it would accommodate the extra height? I actually did that on an older 8hp 4sp years ago with no ill effects, but in that case I also increased the rear wheel size. The larger wheels just look so much better IMO.

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2016 by 2Many

[Retired Sparky 526]

2 hours ago, 2Many said:

Question for you @Retired Sparky, I'm looking at a 312-A that has the smaller 6" wheels on the front. I also have a number of 8" spares in my inventory. Would putting 8" wheels on the front cause any problems with mower deck height or is there enough wiggle room that it would accommodate the extra height? I actually did that on an older 8hp 4sp years ago with no ill effects, but in that case I also increased the rear wheel size. The larger wheels just look so much better IMO.

 

 

 

  I have noticed a little rubbing on the deck, but only when I turn hard to the left.   It's minor and at this point it hasn't effected the tire.  It's mind over matter. If you don't mind it don't matter.   From my first pic I did reset the rear hubs and cleanup and repaint the rear rims.  Not bad for an everyday working tractor.

                                       

 

 

 

 

[2Many 14]

I'm sure the reason I didn't experience that issue, with the 8hp 4sp, is because of the way the 36" deck angles away from the front wheels. The larger deck are more straight across the front. Your tractor looks very nice indeed!

[dells68 7,499]

Nice!  Really like the new look.  Don't blame you on the loaded tires - I'd keep them if they looked that good too!