Wheel swapping

[dhermesc]

Are the wheel centers the same size on a D17 and a 180? What combines share this size of hub the Gleaner E, K(?) and the IH 303? Looking to get a spare on hand for hay season.

 

[DanielW]

My understanding when I was looking for some 180 rims last year was that they were the same centres as a 170. There were some other manufacturers that had similar centres, but not as many as you might wish. The Allis (if I remember right) has a 6'' diameter centre hole and eight 9/16'' lugs on a 8'' diameter bolt circle. Some Masseys (apparently) had the same pattern, and I think (but could be misremembering) that some Fords had the same pattern but a slightly smaller centre hole, that some people talked about die grinding out to suit the Allis.

These days if I'm trying to find a new set of tires/rims I no longer worry too much about finding some with the centre or lug hole pattern. You'll be searching for ages, and usually end up with a good set of rims with lousy tires, or vice-versa. Most fab shops these days have plasma or laser tables that can cut very accurately and pretty inexpensively. I buy the best set of rims/tires I can get for the best price regardless of mount pattern, then get a disc cut on a laser/plasma table with the centre hole and bolt pattern I need. I match steel thickness to that of the centres I've bought, then carefully measure, cut out the old centres with a torch/hand plasma, weld the new one in, and grind smooth. It's a bit of work, but gives freedom to use whatever rims/tires I'm able to find. Usually the money and time I save trying to find a decent set of rims/tires more than makes up for the cost/work to adapt the rims.

I was never a fan of the 28'' tires Allis used - just a little too uncommon when so much else uses 30''. Here's a pic of some 18.4-30 tires/rims I adapted for my 180. Some of the Allis purists will undoubtedly judge me, and because they're off a combine with the centres/rims all as one piece they're not adjustable. But as I don't plow with this tractor, and as all the tires & rims only cost $200, I'm quite happy with them.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

The late 180's and the 185 could be had with 30 inch power shift wheels. It wasn't much of a change, but a move in the right direction anyhow.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

I assume you're referring to the 6 inch hub/pilot Daniel mentions? Then yes. Many were the same. I put WD/WD45/early D17 28 inch wheels and rims on my D15II. The power shift clamp part was changed, I think on the later D17, then carried through to the 170,175,180,185. I put 30 inch wheels and rims off a late, burned up 180 on our 6060. E, EIII, and maybe K were the same? I think somewhere in there, maybe with the K2, the hub was changed? I just can't remember for sure.

 

[Skyhighballoon(MO)]

Bob has it right. I think the first year short tail K2 (77?) still had the 8 bolt hubs and the long tail K2 in 78+ had the larger 10 bolt hubs like the F/F2/F3.

One thing to note is you can't go backwards with say 28" centers and rail clamps from a later D17/170/175 and mount them on a WD45. If you spin the rim all the way in with the later centers you will hit the bull gear reduction housing with the newer style rail clamps. You have to use the original style centers and original rail eccentrics.

 

[DrAllis]

A couple of things some may not be aware of. #1. Early 180's (1967 til maybe 1971 ?) and very early 185's (1970-71 ?) used the same eight 9/16" NF wheel center bolt as the D-17/170 that threads into the axle mounting flange. Somewhere in about late 1970 or 71, they changed to a 5/8" NF bolt with a lock nut on the inside. The hub wasn't threaded anymore. So, those wheel centers won't work very well with 9/16" taper head bolts. #2. A legit 180/185 with 28 inch wheel center may have a round reinforcing ring welded on the inside of the O.D. of the cream colored wheel center. It added strength to the wheel center for a heavier tractor and heavier mounted implements. I've worked on these tractors since they were pretty new and never realized that that wheel center had been beefed up as compared to the late D-17/170. Can't say I've ever had a wheel center failure to notice this difference, but I have seen it recently on some wheels/tires I was selling.

 

[dhermesc]

Thanks for the information on the later wheel centers being different than the earlier ones. If I found a 28 Allis wheel instead of a combine tire/rim I would have bought it automatically assuming I
had my spare tire needs covered - until I was in the field trying to install it not knowing I had a later style wheel.

 

[DanielW]

I doubt you'd be interested, but if you are: I have the 18.4-28 tires and tubes I took off my 180. They held air and rode fine - but are a far cry form showroom condition. You're welcome to them if you have any use for them. Maybe if you found a good set of rims/centres with no tires they might be worth putting on to have as a spare.

Unfortunately I'm keeping the rims/centres, as someday I might get around to restoring my 180 and want to put the original Allis rims back on.

 

[dhermesc]

Location?

 

[DanielW]

South-Central Ontario

 

[dhermesc]

Well that aint working - I'm in NE Kansas.