Farmall H Wheel

[Dirt Farmer 77]

I have a 1943 Farmall H that I inherited. Are these the original wheels for that tractor? I have heard that they came on steel and were welded to a rim with a rubber tire.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Those look like they are cut offs and welded rims.

 

[Dirt Farmer 77]

It looks that way from the weld job on them. It was my father in laws tractor and he used it quite a bit for scraping the barnyard. I think I will media blast them and see what they look like then. Thanks.

 

[wd9garymn]

I have a 1943 H also with those same wheels. They were called war models and came from the factory with steel wheels. When the war was over and rubber tires were available, most owners had spokes cut and rims for rubber tires welded on. Mine unfortunately has14.9 - 36 inch tires which are not popular. Gary.

 

[redforlife]

Those are factory steel that have been cut down with rims welded to spokes.

Steel was available and an option through the entire production. But during the war and rationing of rubber and other things, rubber tires could only be had on a new tractor if the person had enough rubber ration stamps. Not many had enough stamps to go ahead and get the rubber tires on thier new tractor. So steel became common again during the war, and a lot of those tractors were converted to rubber once the war was over.

Early H's had a similar but different center in the rear steel wheel. But I believe that change was before 43, and you got the later version making it correct for a 43. So everything except the rim part is like it was from factory.

I have an earlier style set of rear steel for an H. Mine came off of a 40.

One more thing, 5th gear was blocked out at factory on steel versions. If your 5th gear hasn't been un-blocked (can't shift into it), you can do so by taking a certain bolt out of the platform, and put in a shorter bolt. That's all they did to block it out, was put a longer bolt in that one spot. The transmission gear is in there. I'm guessing whoever converted it to rubber knew this and un-blocked it at that time. But you never know. So if you can't shift into 5th, that's what's going on.

 

[Whiskey Bent]

(quoted from post at 16:44:50 06/27/23) Those are factory steel that have been cut down with rims welded to spokes.

Steel was available and an option through the entire production. But during the war and rationing of rubber and other things, rubber tires could only be had on a new tractor if the person had enough rubber ration stamps. Not many had enough stamps to go ahead and get the rubber tires on thier new tractor. So steel became common again during the war, and a lot of those tractors were converted to rubber once the war was over.

Early H's had a similar but different center in the rear steel wheel. But I believe that change was before 43, and you got the later version making it correct for a 43. So everything except the rim part is like it was from factory.

I have an earlier style set of rear steel for an H. Mine came off of a 40.

One more thing, 5th gear was blocked out at factory on steel versions. If your 5th gear hasn't been un-blocked (can't shift into it), you can do so by taking a certain bolt out of the platform, and put in a shorter bolt. That's all they did to block it out, was put a longer bolt in that one spot. The transmission gear is in there. I'm guessing whoever converted it to rubber knew this and un-blocked it at that time. But you never know. So if you can't shift into 5th, that's what's going on.

What is different from the earlier wheels?

 

[redforlife]

The early H steel centers were of the
stamped waffle type. Similar to those on F-
12s and 14's. The main thing to notice, is
they didn't clamp on to the axle using the
half moon block. The axle clamping part,
was very similar to the F-12s/14s.

The later ones, were like he has
photographed here. The center was waffle
shape looking, but not a stamped part.
Actually a poured casting. And it clamped
onto the axle using the half moon block
like the rubber tires did. As you can see
in his photo.

I'm not positive that it is the same half
moon block that the rubber tired wheels
actually used. I was told once, that the
bolt spacings were different on the half
moon blocks (referring to M wheels steel to
rubber). I kind of doubt this, but don't
know for sure. The guy that told me that
was interested in the same M steel wheels
that I was at an auction. The wheels were
missing the half moon blocks. He might of
told me that so I didn't bid against him on
the wheels. I don't know. The wheels went
for high dollar. I didn't even bid. This
guy didn't end up with them either. Steel
for an M, is even harder to find. For not
cut offs, that is. Especially the fronts.

There was an early and late style front
steel too. The later had an extra shoulder
to the outer edge and ends of the spokes.