Wider Rims/Tires for Ford 2000

[ed729]

Hello, I’m looking for advice on wider rims and tires for the front of my 64 Ford 2000 with a 703 loader and power steering. The stock 5.5-16 tires are tearing up my yard and can barely handle the weight. My soil type is clay and at times muddy so I’m not sure how well truck tires would do and am leaning towards a 3 or 4 rib tire.

I’m looking for some advice on size and rim offset to clear everything. I’ve thought about going down to a 15 inch rim to reduce the extra height from a wider tire. Width wise I’m considering 7.5,9.5, or 11inch wide tire but not sure. There’s not much used inventory around me to try out cheap so I want to get it right if I have to buy new. Any advice?

 

[showcrop]

Back in the day when nearly all loader tractors were two wheel drive, oversized car or light truck tires on the front were the norm. I can't help with size but if you keep your eyes open you should be able to come a cross one to check.

 

[caterpillar guy]

We use any of these sizes on front loader wheels. 235/85-16 245 75 16 and even other of similar sizes don't worry to much about the height on them.

 

[DeltaRed]

You need a 'multi-rib'. Three rib will tear up your yard.. Go with 7,50x15 in a multirib.A 235x15 automotive tire will fit on the rim if you want to go that route.

 

[sotxbill]

A used 16 inch truck tire will last forever, give you the flotation you need. But you my have to flip the front rims around for spindle clearance. Folks in the sand hills have to do this with a loader tractor to keep the front end up.

 

[Destroked 450]

A used 16 inch truck tire will last forever, give you the flotation you need. But you my have to flip the front rims around for spindle clearance. Folks in the sand hills have to do this with a loader tractor to keep the front end up.

Flipping the rims around are the worst thing one can do to the front of their tractor, it put all of the off set pressure on the smallest part of the spindle and smallest bearing
I destroyed a wheel and hub on my 6610 using flipped wheels, a neighbor broke the centers out of both front wheel and destroyed one hub on his IH tractor with flipped wheels

 

[Destroked 450]

You’ll need a wider rim to run any type of flotation tire on your tractor. The wider rim found on 3 cylinder 4000 and larger models will allow for a 7.50-16 tire but rib tires in that size a double the price of standard 3 rib, these tires are also several inches taller than your present tires
The 7.5L15 is a good choice and a ribbed implement tire is available in that size, I personally don’t care for implement tires on a tractor as they give very little steering traction in wet grass or mud, aka they slide but may work ok with your loaders weight on the front
I’m running 9.5L15 4 ribs on two tractors but think they would be overkill on yours

 

[Leroy]

A used 16 inch truck tire will last forever, give you the flotation you need. But you my have to flip the front rims around for spindle clearance. Folks in the sand hills have to do this with a loader tractor to keep the front end up.

If you are where you can find an implemeny ot tractor salvage yard look there for rims. And rim from a 12A, 30 pull type combine or a 45 selfpropelled 45 with the 7:50 tire or or even a 55 combine with the 18 inch rim will work and you may find tires already mounted. A 7:50 x 16 inch will raise the front end of tractor an inch and a half. I do not know metric sizes. Our one 4000 had the 7;50 on when we got it and the second 4000 the wheela and tirtes from a Deere 30 combine that a friend junked. and the 5000 had the 18 inch wheels.

 

[sotxbill]

Flipping the rims around are the worst thing one can do to the front of their tractor, it put all of the off set pressure on the smallest part of the spindle and smallest bearing
I destroyed a wheel and hub on my 6610 using flipped wheels, a neighbor broke the centers out of both front wheel and destroyed one hub on his IH tractor with flipped wheels

Flipping the rims around are the worst thing one can do to the front of their tractor, it put all of the off set pressure on the smallest part of the spindle and smallest bearing
I destroyed a wheel and hub on my 6610 using flipped wheels, a neighbor broke the centers out of both front wheel and destroyed one hub on his IH tractor with flipped wheels

Gosh, I have broken spindles with the rims set the correct way... but is was NOT from the rims being flipped, it was from stress cracks in the spindles, rough ground and overloading the tractor with a front end loader... I have also worn out a few axle pivot pins on the bolsters, again due to the front end loader.....

BUT.. PG 36 FORD OPERATORS MANUAL SAYS... to obtain the 80 inch setting of ford 2000,3000 the front rims will need to be reversed. IT also show it in the chart with a single * in the notes...

 

[sotxbill]

Flipping the rims around are the worst thing one can do to the front of their tractor, it put all of the off set pressure on the smallest part of the spindle and smallest bearing
I destroyed a wheel and hub on my 6610 using flipped wheels, a neighbor broke the centers out of both front wheel and destroyed one hub on his IH tractor with flipped wheels

Funny you mention this is......... that the 10 series has two front hubs and bearing assemblies... One that is backwards compatable is for the 7:50-16 tires and smaller and also worked on the 5000, and 5600-7600 tractors. Then there is the heavier hub... for 10:00-15 up to 11:00 x16 tires that has wider races and wider bearings to prevent early failure on the 6610 and 7610 series... "313020" is the number for the complete assembly, hub, bearings, races know as the heavy duty hub assembly. Where the "c9nn1104d" is the standard assembly. However this does not apply to the smaller ford 2000. (Note that my ford parts books are using old/original numbers.)

 

[Destroked 450]

Funny you mention this is......... that the 10 series has two front hubs and bearing assemblies... One that is backwards compatable is for the 7:50-16 tires and smaller and also worked on the 5000, and 5600-7600 tractors. Then there is the heavier hub... for 10:00-15 up to 11:00 x16 tires that has wider races and wider bearings to prevent early failure on the 6610 and 7610 series... "313020" is the number for the complete assembly, hub, bearings, races know as the heavy duty hub assembly. Where the "c9nn1104d" is the standard assembly. However this does not apply to the smaller ford 2000. (Note that my ford parts books are using old/original numbers.)

The heavier hubs were available on the earlier models as well, I have 2 axles with the heavier hub assemblies, one from a 7000 and another on my 6600C
The heavy hubs must be used with the heavy duty spindles, hubs are the same as used on some industrial models

 

[ed729]

Thanks all for the replies. It seems like a good mix of responses on a 7.5-9.5 inch tire. I’m still concerned about mud traction with a truck tire, but if I can find some dirt cheap I guess it’s worth a shot. Seems like common truck tires are a little wider which would push me closer to an 8 inch rim which is also common to the 9.5 inch tire if I need a ribbed tire down the road. 7.5 inch tires are significantly cheaper though so I’m still kind of torn between the two.

I really wish I could find something used to try out and see if I like it.

 

[Mule Meat]

I would not recommend using light truck tires. They are all radials and most are just 4 or 6 ply. Most of the sidewalls they are using in car and light truck tires these days are very thin and flexible.. They would not hold up long using a loaded bucket making turns..

Look at good trailer tires. 16" trailer tires can be gotten in 6 to 14 ply. Sidewalls in the 10 to 14 ply are very stiff and carry a much higher load rating than a truck tire of the same size. I would not think that you are using your tractor as a daily driver on black top traveling at highway speeds. So they would last a long time on the front of a tractor. I have had a set of 12 ply trailer tires on the front of my TE 20 for over 30 years. They are a little weather checked, but nothing serious. And they still have better than half of their tread left.

 

[Destroked 450]

Thanks all for the replies. It seems like a good mix of responses on a 7.5-9.5 inch tire. I’m still concerned about mud traction with a truck tire, but if I can find some dirt cheap I guess it’s worth a shot. Seems like common truck tires are a little wider which would push me closer to an 8 inch rim which is also common to the 9.5 inch tire if I need a ribbed tire down the road. 7.5 inch tires are significantly cheaper though so I’m still kind of torn between the two.

I really wish I could find something used to try out and see if I like it.

7.5L15 works on a 6” rim and is close to the height of your present tires
9.5L15 takes a 8” rim and is around the same height as 7.50-16
Whatever rim size you use make sure it has 4 1/2 - 4 5/8” backspace, any more than that will have the tire rubbing the axle drop
I had to go with 10” rims with that backspace to get 11L15’s to clear the drops on my 6610

 

[sotxbill]

The heavier hubs were available on the earlier models as well, I have 2 axles with the heavier hub assemblies, one from a 7000 and another on my 6600C
The heavy hubs must be used with the heavy duty spindles, hubs are the same as used on some industrial models

on the 10 series I only show 3 spindles... all purpose, rowcrop and orchard... but then there is the "king pin" non adjustable axle for the backhoe models..

 

[Destroked 450]

on the 10 series I only show 3 spindles... all purpose, rowcrop and orchard... but then there is the "king pin" non adjustable axle for the backhoe models..

My 10 series books are 95 editions and like yours they don’t mention the heavy duty spindles needed to run the heavy duty hubs
The standard outer bearing has a bore diameter of 3/4”
The outer bearing on the hd hub has a bore diameter of 7/8”
Therefore one can not simply install a hd hub on a std spindle
The -000 and -600 manuals list spindles for 10x16 tires but for some reason those numbers failed to be included in the 10 series manuals

 

[sotxbill]

My 10 series books are 95 editions and like yours they don’t mention the heavy duty spindles needed to run the heavy duty hubs
The standard outer bearing has a bore diameter of 3/4”
The outer bearing got the he hub has a bore diameter of 7/8”
Therefore one can not simply install a he hub on a std spindle
The -000 and -600 manuals list spindles for 10x16 tires but for some reason those numbers failed to be included in the 10 series manuals

Thanks.. good to know..

 

[ed729]

7.5L15 works on a 6” rim and is close to the height of your present tires
9.5L15 takes a 8” rim and is around the same height as 7.50-16
Whatever rim size you use make sure it has 4 1/2 - 4 5/8” backspace, any more than that will have the tire rubbing the axle drop
I had to go with 10” rims with that backspace to get 11L15’s to clear the drops on my 6610

Most wheels I’ve seen are 4.75 backspacing…isn’t that stock for a ford 2000?

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I would not recommend using light truck tires. They are all radials and most are just 4 or 6 ply. Most of the sidewalls they are using in car and light truck tires these days are very thin and flexible.. They would not hold up long using a loaded bucket making turns..

Look at good trailer tires. 16" trailer tires can be gotten in 6 to 14 ply. Sidewalls in the 10 to 14 ply are very stiff and carry a much higher load rating than a truck tire of the same size. I would not think that you are using your tractor as a daily driver on black top traveling at highway speeds. So they would last a long time on the front of a tractor. I have had a set of 12 ply trailer tires on the front of my TE 20 for over 30 years. They are a little weather checked, but nothing serious. And they still have better than half of their tread left.

Trailer tires aren't what they used to be. In the last 20 years it's been a race to the bottom with trailer tires, mostly driven by the RV industry in my opinion.

You're lucky if a trailer tire lasts 6 years before it's cracking and ready to explode these days. Even if kept inside. Even if it still has tons of tread.

4 or 6 ply is a passenger car tire (P-rated). Light Truck (LT-rated) tires start at 8 ply (Load Range D) and go up from there. Most are 10 ply (Load Range E) same as a common 16" trailer tire.

Stiff sidewalls are not an advantage. They do not hold up well to a lot of turning.

Many trailer owners, myself included, put LT-rated tires on our trailers. The tires are better quality and aren't ready to explode in 6 years. They are more flexible and don't break belts if you turn one too many times.

 

[sotxbill]

Just go to your "used" tire shop, and have them put on some used truck tires,,, and 20 years later you will have to finally change them as they rot apart.