tire replacement

[onion farmer]

I have a McDeering Os4 orchard tractor that has the solid cast iron wheels ,and it is time to replace both front tires ,how hard is this job ,is it best to have a shop do this job or should I try this job on my own. With these rims is it better to leave them on the tractor or is it better to remove the tire an rim and fight it on the floor. Thanks for any and all help in this mater.

 

[showcrop]

I have a McDeering Os4 orchard tractor that has the solid cast iron wheels ,and it is time to replace both front tires ,how hard is this job ,is it best to have a shop do this job or should I try this job on my own. With these rims is it better to leave them on the tractor or is it better to remove the tire an rim and fight it on the floor. Thanks for any and all help in this mater.

I don't think that I have ever seen a tire on a cast iron rim. Are you sure that you don't have steel rims with cast iron centers? Tire techs do them on the tractor if they have the tractor.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

Breaking the beads loose is the biggest problem. JD H has cast front wheel on all but the latest ones. It took me a few hours to wrestle mine off.

 

[onion farmer]

I wish the rims were steel but they are not, they are cast iron, I have no idea what they even weigh.but they look heavy.

I don't think that I have ever seen a tire on a cast iron rim. Are you sure that you don't have steel rims with cast iron centers? Tire techs do them on the tractor if they have the tractor.

Breaking the beads loose is the biggest problem. JD H has cast front wheel on all but the latest ones. It took me a few hours to wrestle mine off.

As much as I would like to try an attempt at fightin with the tire More than likely probably instead of wrestleing with the tire on the ground it would be best to leave it with pros. Did you take the tire off the tractor or did you leave it on.

 

[rustred]

I have a McDeering Os4 orchard tractor that has the solid cast iron wheels ,and it is time to replace both front tires ,how hard is this job ,is it best to have a shop do this job or should I try this job on my own. With these rims is it better to leave them on the tractor or is it better to remove the tire an rim and fight it on the floor. Thanks for any and all help in this mater.

i took mine into the tire shop on m OS4 and yes they are heavy. if u have experience changing tires no problem to do it at home with a spoon.

 

[onion farmer]

Breaking the beads loose is the biggest problem. JD H has cast front wheel on all but the latest ones. It took me a few hours to wrestle mine off.

i took mine into the tire shop on m OS4 and yes they are heavy. if u have experience changing tires no problem to do it at home with a spoon.

What does the rim look like ,is there a thick bead area ,how does the tire stay on the rim.

 

[rustred]

What does the rim look like ,is there a thick bead area ,how does the tire stay on the rim.

its the same as any rim inside, only these are about a hundred lbs each.

 

[onion farmer]

OK, Thank you for the info , I think in order to save my back I will take the tires to the tire shop.

 

[DanielW]

Be careful breaking the bead on those cast rims, or make sure your tire shop knows to be careful if you have them do it. I know a guy who cracked a section out of a cast rim off his thresher because the cast was so brittle.

I'd say don't use the slide hammer style of bead breaker unless you're really, really careful. And if using the clamp-on/pusher style, work your way around the tire in stages rather than try to do all the pushing from one spot. If really tough, you can lay it on its side, soak the bead area on one side in brake fluid for four or five days days, flip over, let the other side soak for a few days, and it'll usually fall off the bead. Your old tires will be pooched and your rims will need to be cleaned/painted, but that's probably already the case.

Because they're the front tires, they might be able to use a standard automotive pneumatic bead-breaker that's mounted to their tire machine, which usually push down with the tire against the floor. If that's the case, it shouldn't be an issue (assuming they can man-handle those hefty chunks of pig iron around to their tire machine).

 

[onion farmer]

The Tire shop that I use hopefully will get the tires changed without a problem, they work on ag tires all the time ,I will bring one tire at a time to see what happens. but there is always a chance the old iron wheel could break, shall that happen I won't bother with the other front wheel and just go with steel rims. I have herd a story of a guy that had a cast wheel break ,but he was attempting to do the job on his own, and right away started to beat the rim with a very large hammer to break the bead instead he broke the casting to the point where it was junk. Thank You for the reply...

 

[Dave G9N]

Cast iron can be a lot more brittle in cold weather. You have to be even more careful when the iron temperature is near and below freezing. Ductile brittle transition temperature.

 

[onion farmer]

Hi Dave ,You are correct cold weather is not good for old cast iron,I will waite for a very warm day later in spring before I get the tire changed.Right now where I live it is too cold to try to fight with the tire replacement.