Good tires on old tractor

[OliverGuy]

Are we getting to the point where the nearly new tires on my M are worth more than the M?? Didn't think we'd ever be there but looks like it. Couldn't believe what I heard a guy pay for a pair of 14.9-38's and 6.00-16's the other day. Ouch.
 

[1206SWMO]

We are there..I recently watched a running M Farmall sell for $1250 and the owner had put on $1200 worth of new rear tires..I also saw a GB MM sell for $1200 that had more than $1200 worth of new tires on it.

We are told that inflation is only 2% but the price of tires has doubled in the past 6 years..
 

[John B.]

If it were a car we wouldn't put new tires on it most likely. But a tractor can make us money! Like most of us a tractor isn't something most of us trade every 3-5 years. We have the old ones for a reason!
 

[Bob Bancroft]

Yes. My antiques are AC, and you know as light as they are to weigh up with the others they put salt water in the tires. So now the rims are shot. So it's tires and rims. I've been disappointed with some "cheap" tires, so I bought Firestones when I got some 16.9x28s. Along with new 15" power shift rims. I think was around $1800 total!!!!!!
 

[David G]

Yup, I have 2K worth the tires on a 2K tractor.
 

[DeltaRed]

We can no longer consider the 'monetary value' of a(user)tractor when purchaceing tires, or repairs either.Just"bite the bullet" and do it.If you're putting on tires to sell it,thats a different matter.Before anyone yells at me.Yes,I would put $2000 in tires for my SM.Because I use it!Its a valuable part of my operation.
 

[dhermesc]

They way more than doubled in the last 10 years.

In 2000 I could buy decent new 13.6 x 38s installed by the local dealer for $250 each - I thought it was too much. Same tires today are about $680 + new tubes installed.

Now I have used Farm Kings (probably 20 years old) that I bought for $100 each and feel lucky to have them.
 

[Mike M]

I also wonder if an older set of tires are still going to hold up and last longer then what is sold today ?
 

[Robert Major]

Hi In my time selling new and used stuff back in the dealership days of the 90"s I would often come across tractors for trade or sale in auctions where the new tires where worth more than the tractor so nothing new there.
I have priced 16.9x30 for my fordson major collection recently. I am thinking if i can find Massey 44"s or something cheap like that with good tires I would buy them take the tires off, advertise parts for 2 weeks then throw it in the scrap, A guy would get the money back on tires and a small profit on parts or scrap at the right time of year.
I swapped two near new BF Goodrich 16.9 30"s and tubes the other day for 15 hours of shop time at $40 an hour ($600). plus I swapped an odd front tire I had with his odd front and we both ended up with a matched pair of fronts too.
The guy was happy to get his job done, he came to me with the deal so was happy to do it, and I got good tires for my restoration project everybody was a winner on that deal.
Regards Robert