JD 70 Row Crop Front Wheel?

[David.DeHart]

I have a 1954 JD 70 Row Crop that was converted to a pulling tractor by a previous owner. I'm planning to put this tractor back to it's original configuration. The previous owner replaced the Roll O Matic front extension with a non Roll O Matic unit, apparently to save weight. In doing so, he also swapped the front rims and tires for smaller ones. When I got the tractor it came with a bunch of the original parts. Amongst these parts were two 6" X 16" rims stamped 1290. The parts catalog calls for a JD1290 for the 70 Row Crop. So I'm assuming these are the correct wheels. The question I have involves the construction and offset on these wheel. They are the exact opposite of a JD 1268R, found on the letter series, 50s, and 60 Row Crop tractors. If you mount the 1290 wheels in the narrow configuration the unattractive side of the wheel is facing out. To me that is the side with the flanges that weld to the outer rim. To me the offset is backward. With the nice side out the wheel is in the wide configuration and just looks odd on a Roll O Matic front end. I haven't been to a show in a while. Do you guys put the nice side out (Wide) or flanged side out (narrow)? I might look for another set of JD1268Rs to improve the looks and ease my mind. I'm just curious about the originality though.

 

[Blksmok]

Dave...I think the 1290's were originally designed to be used on wide front ends (??), not sure. The ROM's have 1268's or 1274's. The 1268's and 1274's are exactly the same design, except the 1274's are heavier gauge metal. The 1290's gave extra spacing on the wide fronts between the tire and the knee portion.

 

[David.DeHart]

Well that makes me think maybe my 70 was originally a wide front tractor. I'm pretty sure the 1290s I got are original to the tractor. I haven't had the SN checked yet.

 

[Blksmok]

Does your 70 have factory power steering? Power steering became available after 7013000 something. If you do not have p/s the 1290’s on the front
and the wider stance will make it steer harder than if you had 1268/1274’s on the front.

 

[RLA]

As for me I would take a 1290R over a 1268r any day of the week. They work fine on a rollamatic
& the are heavy duty. Sand blasted & refinished they look & work fine. I have them on 530 narrow
620 narrow, 630 & 730 wide.