23X10.5X12 tires on my 702

[eibbed 63]

Gentlemen,

I mounted 23 x 10.5 x 12 tires on the back if my 702 and they look great. However as most of you probably know already, they are too close together by about 2" for me to bolt my tool pan back on or use my rear attach-a-matic. Each one needs to go out about an inch.

How can I accomplish this? I'm thinking 1" thick spacer washers and longer stud bolts but I don't know if either exist or much less where I would find them. Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

Oh, and by the way, I hope all of you will get a kick out of this. I've had the plow on my mower for the past two months. The mower has been backed in the garage waiting for the first real snow. I got up this morning, looked out the window and there it was. At last, about two to three inches of beautiful white powdery snow. I went into the kitchen, poured myself a hot cup of coffee which I enjoyed immensely since I was about to embark on my first experience plowing snow with my wheelhorse. As I was on my way back through the house to bundle up, I looked out the front window and to my surprise my wonderful neighbors had already shoveled about two thirds of my driveway clean.

God bless them, but next time when snow is predicted, I'll set my alarm and have everyones driveway on the whole culdesac clean before they get out of bed.

[Cvans 1,009]

Great story. I needed a good laugh today. I can just see the proud looks on your neighbors faces. :^)

Chris

[Teddy da Bear 11]

I know this suggestion will be beaten with contraversy....but I love it so!

If it were me? I would fudge out the hub 1/2 inch on each side.

Then all I had to worry about was 1/2 of spacer. Kind of depends

on the kind of hub you have. I would only consider this with the

thick wall hub with 2 set screws.

Yes they make longer bolts. I believe the threads of most if not

all wheel horse hubs are 7/16 fine threads.

7/16 fine threads are sometimes a "bear" to locate in lengths a person

desires. What I did was get a spare set of hubs and drilled clearance

holes and went and got 7/16" coarse threaded bolts (easier to get in

almost any length up to 10" long at the hardware store). Then put

lockwashers and nuts on the backside of the hubs.

[eibbed 63]

Hi Mike,

I have never seen thicker hubs with two set screws, and I like your idea of drilling bigger holes and using a bolt, lock washer and nut. I was also thinking that a five lug hub would be better than the three lug hubs that are on my mower now. Do you know if there is a hub that meets all of this criteria?

Dave

[Nick 13]

Did you use a WH rim or is there a chance a rim with more offset can give the clearance you need?

I had clearance for slightly smaller 8.5 Firestones on the old 702.

[eibbed 63]

Hi Nick,

I used the rims and tires off of a 1989 Cub Cadet model 1860. You're right, rims with a different off set would probably work better, but I already have these and hope I can make them work. If not, I'll keep your suggestion in mind.

Thanks,

Dave

[kpinnc 10,979]

I had the local machine shop make a set of aluminum spacers at 1.5 inches each. Kinda pricey, but the end result was worth it:

You can see the left side spacer here:

Those are 10.50s, and the extra 3 inches really makes a difference.

I picked up some 7/16 x 20 threaded rod (grade 5), and cut 10 "studs". Locknuts on the back side of the hub, and used GM lug nuts on the face.

Works great.

Kevin

[Teddy da Bear 11]

I did not know you did not have wheel horse rims.

That may make all the difference.

I like the suggestion of getting the correct rims better.

Perhaps you have a wheel horse friend nearby that

would let you try out some different rims?

Otherwise keep your eyes peeled at some swap meets.

Do not alter those 3 lug hubs! They are unique to the

earlier horses. You can get larger thicker hubs too (swap

meets again). They came in a variety of configurations

and thicknesses. Perhaps you can find one with a longer

shaft area that would extend out the mounting face of the

hub and give you the clearance you want.

[DOC in Kentucky 178]

Dave, I got a good chuckle out of your neighbors shoveling your driveway story. I am sitting here with about 6 inches of snow topped off with an inch of ice and am waiting for it to stop. The only difference I have is that 2 of my neighbors have called the wife to see of I am in town so I can come clean their driveways with my tractor since the drives in my area are probably 300 to 350 feet long. We are expecting another 2-3 inches tonite and she told them I would get them done in the morning.

Hope all is well and good luck with the wheel spacers.

[eibbed 63]

Hi Kevin,

I like your suggestion too. The 7/16 x 20 threaded rod I assume will screw right into my existing hubs. Am I correct?

My son-in-law works at a power plant up north where there are usualy plenty of blind flanges lying around. I'll see if he can get me a few. They may first need to be stitch welded together to get the desired width. I could then drill holes in them and be in business.

Great idea!

Dave

[eibbed 63]

Mike,

I won't alter the hubs. I will instead keep my eyes out for some different ones. Meanwhile I think I'm going to pursue Kevin's suggestion and use allthread and spacers.

Thanks to all of you. It is nice to be able to get such helpful suggesions from people whom I have never met. Except for DOC. who I have already had the pleasure of meeting. Doc, I'm glad you liked my story. Take care.

Dave

[TT-(Moderator) 1,129]

Dave, since you mentioned welding......

If you have access to another pair of "donor" wheels (width is unimportant) - or if you just want to do it to the ones you have now - knock the center "web" loose (they're usually just spot welded) and move them to the back edge of the drop center part of the wheel and re-weld them.

Sometimes it's easier to rough cut the center out of a pair of donor wheels and clean them up from the rim side inward. (I hope you understand) Then you can just slip them into the good wheels and weld them where you please. Cut the old center web out when you get the "new" web installed.

[eibbed 63]

Terry,

Oh yeah! I'll just knock the center loose, scoot it back and tack it. Actually I will ask my son-in-law to do it for me when he has the time. He has access to a welding machine.

Dave

[here 4 the horses 1]

on all my hubs you have lug ''bolts'' couldnt you just find longer bolts to screw int eh hubs after u get the spacer??..am i missing something?

[linen beige 14]

on all my hubs you have lug ''bolts'' couldnt you just find longer bolts to screw int eh hubs after u get the spacer??..am i missing something?

As Teddy said Wheel Horse used lug bolts with what is now an uncommon thread size. "Lug" bolts have a tapered head that self centers the rim on the hub. A longer bolt without the tapered head won't center the rim. That's why Kevin used rod with tapered face GM lug nuts on the rim side.

[pfrederi 17,185]

I just swapped out the transmission on my 753 for a 1" axle 6 speed. The one inch axles come in two lengths. You could just replace the axles with the longer ones that should get you enough clearance and would look almost original.

I will try to get a measurement of how much after I get done plowing today...Snowing nicely now (and I have a tooth fairy appointment later to day)

[kpinnc 10,979]

Hi Kevin,

I like your suggestion too. The 7/16 x 20 threaded rod I assume will screw right into my existing hubs. Am I correct?

Yes, that is correct.

I just swapped out the transmission on my 753 for a 1" axle 6 speed. The one inch axles come in two lengths.

Just FYI Paul, they come in several different lengths.

Kevin

[here 4 the horses 1]

As Teddy said Wheel Horse used lug bolts with what is now an uncommon thread size. "Lug" bolts have a tapered head that self centers the rim on the hub. A longer bolt without the tapered head won't center the rim. That's why Kevin used rod with tapered face GM lug nuts on the rim side.

thank you ok..it makes sense now....i was gonna say..i wish he had some pics on how he did that rod and gm lugs i would like to do that!..thanks jeff

[kpinnc 10,979]

That's why Kevin used rod with tapered face GM lug nuts on the rim side.

Exactly right!

And I have to give credit where it's due- TT came up with the idea, and it was a good one!

Kevin

[TT-(Moderator) 1,129]

I don't actually have pictures of the procedure - mainly because it was 5 or 6 years ago and I figured no one cared - but I have a picture of the finished product.

I bought fully-threaded 1

[Old Iron 0]

I had the local machine shop make a set of aluminum spacers at 1.5 inches each. Kinda pricey, but the end result was worth it:

I am a machinist and those spacers, look like something I could make real quick and real easy at work. If you payed a lot it may have been just in material, especially if the price of aluminum was up. Which it was this fall. They could be made out of steel for less and that could be much more weight added to the back, in addition to wheel weights. Just my two cents. :whistle:

[Kelly 1,028]

TT already stated what I was going to say, that is knock the centers out, and reweld them I just did a set of 10" wide rims to mount 26x12's on I'll get some pic's up later, I reused the same centers, it only took about 15 min. a wheel, I added a few welds when reinstalling the centers.

Personaly I would find a set of 5 lug hubs to put on it with that much tire, and as for changing axles, I think new rims would be easier.

I'll get the pic's of the rims I did.

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,673]

What exactly does knock out the centers mean? Are you actually able to whack em out with a hammer? Or do the original welds need to be ground off and then hit with a hammer.

Mike.......

[eibbed 63]

That's what I'll do. Reuse the centers and use my three lug hubs until I can find two five lug hubs.

Terry, as I expected, your picture looks great and Kelly I look forward to seeing the picture of your rims when you get it posted.

Once again, I appreciate all of your excellent suggestions.

Thanks,

Dave

[TT-(Moderator) 1,129]

What exactly does knock out the centers mean? Are you actually able to whack em out with a hammer? Or do the original welds need to be ground off and then hit with a hammer.

It's more of a figure of speech, or a cooler way to say it, Sparky Mike.

The spotwelds at each of the 4 web attachment points need ground/cut away to allow the center to break loose from the outer rim, but once they are weakened enough, the center web can be "knocked" free with a hammer & a block of wood, dead blow hammer, etc. (instead of sitting there with a Dremel or die grinder for two hours trying to get every last little piece of weld ground away. :thumbs: