new tires

[C DC]

Took my "48 B out for my first real drive since I got it yesterday.
A nice steady "whir" is every gear, no grinding or cyclical clanking. Whew! I"ve noticed that the more I run it, the better it runs, and the easier it starts. There is a puff of blue/white smoke when it loads up, so I guess cylinder work is in order when I get around to tearing it down.

When it comes to new tires, can you mount them yourself? Do you have some one come out and do it? Do you take the wheels to a tire dealer? When is the best time to put new rubber on?

Thanks.

 

[Paul from MI]

I change my own, but you'll probably get differing opinions on that. I have a home made slide hammer type bead breaker using a piece of old truck leaf spring as the business end. If they aren't absolutely rusted to the rims it's not too bad a job. Once the beads are broken loose, it's easy. Of course if they are loaded I go the dealer in town.
Best way I have found is on the tractor. That way the weight of the tire helps you as you put them on or off.
paul

 

[Mike M]

I don't worry much about tires until after I have the rest of the tractor into shape. Then if I have any money left over I can splerge on new tires.
I do all my own tire work. Getting the old ones off is the hardest part. After the rims are all cleaned up and painted with a little tire soap they go on real easy.

 

[Dave H]

cd

I use a 2X8 laid on the tire and drive the front of the pick up on it to break the beads.

If the tires are toast, I would use a saws all to take them off. I had a service center bend the hey out of a rim taking a 50 year old tire off. They used 5 foot long spoons.

 

[J. Chantry]

I also do like Dave H, 2"X8" and drive pickup on it to break the bead, then crowbars to remove tire. Be careful of pinching tube if you plan on reusing. Much easier to do than the fronts (take them to tire place)

When restoring a tractor, I pull off nearly everything down to the frame/transmisson/rear axle, then clean, derust, and paint. During this, I remove tires from the wheels, sandblast, and paint, and put on new tires. Then when they go on the tractor I won't have to pull them again.