I had a sidewall let go on my White 2-55 while mowing a hillside today. Not near enough to roll the tractor over but still a seat gripping experience. Tire size is the original 14.9X28 Firestone R-1 tread type. These have calcium in them so very heavy and stable on the hillside. I don't farm yet but this tractor will be doing hay work next year.

Thinking I'll upsize the tires to 16.9X28 as have already upsized the fronts from 6.50X15 to 7.50X15 Firestones as wanted a four rib steer tire. This raised the front of the tractor to an uphill stance. If I upsize the rear tires I'll need new rims to go from the current 13X28", to 15X28 size.

Really like the tractor so planning to keep it many years. Cost really isn't much of an issue here but good tires are. Tractor is always inside my shop unless my ass is in the seat so sunlight breakdown is not really a concern. I plan to ballast the new ones with beet juice rather than calcium as I understand it doesn't corrode the rims. My existing are suffering around the valve stems.

Although tractor is it's original White corporate Silver and dark gray, grand daughter prefers "Massey-Ferguson" Red so change is on the horizon. Tractor will be hers someday so may as well paint it like she wants.

Question here is tires. What brand, ply, etc. is recommended? I mow ditches primarily with this tractor and it's R-1 tires have always done well. I don't really worry about turf damage as have a nice zero turn mower for where the lawn needs to look good.

Thanks,

Thanks guys. I am inclined to stay with Firestone brand as I've had good service with them through the years. These rear tires are original from 1984 so got a bit of age on them.

Tire dealer where I purchased the front tires told me I needed the larger rims for upsizing the rear tires. I have no experience myself and still see several D-17 series tractors weekly. I'll have a look. I'm more interested in the diameter than the width really as the 14.9 size looks good to me but again the tractor has a bit of an "uphill" stance with the 7.50 tires on the steer. Not any kind of a problem however.

Thanks,

victoryallis wrote: whatever you don’t buy Alliance tires they cracked like crazy in the first year.

I have seen exactly that on some fairly new tractors that come in for service. Titan is another I've seen with early cracking to the rubber, but I do see that brand often.

Spend all the money on tires and they ,rubber cracks open ,unacceptable. 

BKT seems to be a good tire that holds up. I've seen tractors come in with this brand that was sold by a now defunct local dealer a lot. I remember them being a bit on the $$$ side a few years ago.

I've had the best luck with Bridgestone/Firestone tires through the years overall. Goodyear, not so good it seems although the rear set on my one ton Dodge have worn well. Only tire I could find at the time with steel in the sidewalls, (G-133) and they have been great tires.

Does anyone know what the weight difference is between calcium-chloride solution and beet juice (Rim Guard) per gallon?

Found this on the internet regarding Beet Juice:

https://www.rimguardsolutions.com/beet-juice-is-better/faq/" rel="nofollow - https://www.rimguardsolutions.com/beet-juice-is-better/faq/

And something about both calcium chloride, and beet juice:

https://www.yanmartractor.com/resources/tractor-tips/liquid-ballast/" rel="nofollow - https://www.yanmartractor.com/resources/tractor-tips/liquid-ballast/

These were a Christmas gift from my family and I ordered the tires and new rims as they were USA made and mounted together. Less than a year in I found a railroad spike from where the former barn once stood so replaced the tire without further consideration but the flats without puncture, and tearout of the lugs have soured me on the brand. These have less than 500 hours on them and about 1/2 worn. The original Galaxy "Beefy Baby" tires went just shy of 1800 hours in the same service by the same operator on the same property for comparison. 

FWIW in comparison. 

Thank you !

Brought the tractor out of the storage garage yesterday around to inside the shop. Going to remove the rear tires and transport them to the tire shop to be broken down. I can then sandblast and repaint the rims and may need to repair one at the valve stem area as it looks compromised and very weak to me. I'm still likely to stay with Firestone, or go with BKT, and am not settled yet. Talked to the tire dealer yesterday who sells both, so just a choice to be made. We've been friends a long time so will be treated right regardless.

He tells me the calcium is still a very popular product and they install more of it than the beet juice which is probably from an "up front" cost perspective. I'd rather not have the corroded rims problem and tubeless tires myself, so planning to go with beet juice. The weight difference is negligible to me.

Depend on how bad your current rims are rotted around the valve

Thank you and I agree. My front tires are rounded as I didn't go with wider rims with the wider and taller tires. I'm not really getting the benefit of the four rib fronts as only the two center ribs are usually in touch with the ground so this is to be addressed also. The 7.50-16 tire was the smallest I could find with the four rib pattern at the time.

Planning to keep this tractor and pass it to the next generation so going to do it right. Girls are just getting to the point they can operate it safely, so time to dress up a bit.  Maybe next year ole grandpa probably won't need to mow so much..... 

No spin out rims. Six loop type on the rear and I think six lug on the front. I want to say the fronts are 5-1/2 wide and need a 6-1/2 but that's from a not so good memory.

I'll look at the auction if I can find it this evening. Have a manlift kicking me square right now getting a cylinder extracted from the telescoping boom.

The used rims I found weren't good enough for new tires in my opinion. They had calcium in them are were pretty corroded on the interior also. One was actually a modification to a wedge clamp type rim and had the loops welded in by a novice. They held so cannot fault that, but didn't look the best. 

So for now I'm on the hunt for new 16.9-28 tires and 15X28 rims in six loop style. Don't need the expense this 1/4 but the new year is right around the corner.

  

Codger, I have a pair of basically new, 15X28" 6 loop rims, with 8 bolt centers I would sell. You might want to paint them as they are currently yellow, came off a deere of some sort. Found a picture  of one, while I was removing the tires.

Thanks,

dr allis has been watching too much Red Green

neat way to break the bead...

course if I try it, I'll left the dang tractor off the ground.....

then it'll roll back, jack comes off, flies at just under Mach3.4 and I'll be the 'headless wonder'.......

and tire will STILL be on the rim

https://www.harborfreight.com/manual-bead-breaker-58918.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.harborfreight.com/manual-bead-breaker-58918.html

You may think an impact would be faster and it may well be but not needed or you'll lose the control this offers as the pressure is applied.

.

Regarding your side hill stability... Try extending the wheel track width.

Lawn tractor companies sell spacers to scoot wheels out to avoid tipping over. Most farm tractors have that feature built in for row crops, even if just changing the hub cup direction.

.

I'm actually going to purchase a small "Woods" batwing mower next spring for this tractor that a guy I know is trading in. Don't mind putting a bit of $$$ into it as really like it and suits the purpose needed well.

Tractor:

https://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/004/0/8/4081-white-2-55.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/004/0/8/4081-white-2-55.html

Batwing mower:

https://woodsequipment.com/products/flex-wing-rotary-cutters/bw12/" rel="nofollow - https://woodsequipment.com/products/flex-wing-rotary-cutters/bw12/

There's a cheap solution for angle finding, Harbor Freight sells these:

http://youtu.be/K_P5--f84Rk?si=pBrC-trC7TmQ_VWV" rel="nofollow - http://youtu.be/K_P5--f84Rk?si=pBrC-trC7TmQ_VWV

For $4, you can find the angle, and read it on the go, by putting the AF on a piece of sheet metal, on your tractor.  Can also be used on a short length of light weight angle iron laying on the ground, in question.

I have an Altoz tracked ZTR mower, and it's the best on hills, I have ever used, so this comes from experience, with wheeled zero turn mowers, that touchas biting into the seat feeling generally occurs at 25-30 degrees, with losing control and sliding occurring somewhere around there. Since having the Altoz and the AF, I know that its moment happens at around 38 degrees.  The price paid for those extra 13 degrees is a little more wheel(track) marks, when making zero radius turns.  And a lot of wheel marks and skids are dependent on how wet the situation is, when you are mowing, as well as how you mow, i.e. ribbon striping vs regular round and round mowing.

Do what works best for your level of comfort, is my advice.  Sometimes, around here, alls it takes is 1 ground hog digging a new hole in a hillside, to really roll your day over...

https://youtu.be/U7iyXHan7QE?si=0DlMNht_xNDVrmHd" rel="nofollow - https://youtu.be/U7iyXHan7QE?si=0DlMNht_xNDVrmHd

Thanks to the parties responding to help me out with used rims. I really like this tractor and plan to keep it the rest of my days passing it to family when I'm done. It does what I need, when I need, so nothing fancier is required.