This is for my '69 John Deere 112.

I need to either repair or replace one tire on the front of my tractor, as it leaks (not too badly, though) and since both tires are basically completely bald, I figured I should at least look into replacing both of them.

This is a small lawn and garden tractor, that I really only use for cutting the grass, but it's old enough that it's pretty heavy. The total weight is around 650 lbs.

What is the functional difference (if any) between turf tires, and ribbed ones? This is a 2wd tractor with rear-only brakes (that are 100% non-functional anyway ) so all the tires do is steer and support the front of the tractor. As I said, the ones on there now are completely bald, and they still work OK, so I don't think I'll go too badly wrong with either...

Thanks!

My uncles Cub came with the straight treads, most everything any more is turf, not sure what the real effect is that is supposed to be different. I would go with either the ones you like, or what is available. Tractor Supply Co has tires, might be one near you. Also, you can check out Northern Tool for them. Wally World carries tires too, just having to deal with them to get them...

fellro said:

Wally World carries tires too, just having to deal with them to get them...

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You can say that again......I'd rather take a beating!

I pretty much won't shop at Wal-Mart; just not fond of the place.

Tractor Supply isn't too far away, and I've got a buddy who drives through there fairly often. Maybe I'll try to hitch a ride with him or get him to pick me up a set of tires. I guess I'll go with whichever is cheaper of what they have in stock, unless I just slap a tube in this one and keep on running it...

Then the fun part comes... I hate tires and tire work with a burning passion, but I'm too stubborn and too cheap to pay anyone to do 'em on anything I don't drive down the highway. Gotta fix my air compressor before then, too.

The turf tread tires don't dig into soft grass as much as ribbed tires do, so they don't leave any marks. It's pretty much just a matter of what you like better.

The lawn mower ribbed doesn't dig into anything from my experience, just not deep enough... Now on the larger tractors, it definitely makes a difference, the little lawn mower tires are more like equipment tires...

Gads... My tractor tires die from DRY ROT before they go BALD! I really suggest buyiing the tubes, too, and skip trying to make them tubeless if you want to keep your sanity. Getting those little buggers to bead is like getting money out of Ryan or Asking Carl to buy the beer.... just a royal pain!
Any way you slice it, you're not going to get away for less than maybe 30 bucks apiece overall.
UNLESS...
You happen to score a nice USED set from a dealer, and THOSE will probably already be on the wheel, lol...
I don't know what your sizes are, but there were 3 different "Lawn Tractor Tire Front" listings on EBAY, ranging from 30-50 bucks for the pair including shipping. http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...37&satitle=Lawn+Tractor+tire+front&category0=

I had to buy rears for mine, they dry rotted too much to even work with a tube, it stuck out the side of them... The fronts are almost bald, and still going... The old Cub I mentioned has the old straight tread from the days before turf tires found their way onto the fronts.. they will have to be replaced due to dry rot as well...

MRS Fixit pointed out that not many people subject their mowers to a life such as mine, where it rarely sees pavement, thus no real wear on the rubber... or the locust branches.

mrfixit said:

Gads... My tractor tires die from DRY ROT before they go BALD! I really suggest buyiing the tubes, too, and skip trying to make them tubeless if you want to keep your sanity.

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Dunno if it's a climate thing, or that this is always garaged, or what. Grandpa's '70 112 (he bought it new) had the original tires worn down to the canvas when I learned to drive it. He found a junked Cub at the dump and swiped the front wheels and tires off of it.


Scary thing is I had a set of steer tires on my pickup that were like that too- you could SEE the tread, but you couldn't really feel it anymore. Replaced 'em in MARCH- the END of winter.

As to tubes and tubeless, between the two JDs, I've mounted probably 4-5 front tires in the last 8 years. Generally, they haven't caused too much trouble. I'll look into the ones on EBay. The ones Grandpa found were mounted on wheels with grease zerks, so you can squirt a little extra grease into the bearings without taking the whole thing apart...

As I posted, and possibly cross-posted yours above, mine don't see any pavement at all; and usually the Black Locust Trees have turned em into swiss cheese after several seasons.

Here's what the Black locust tree is COVERED in...


And I've got hundreds of em...

Yeah, I didn't see that until after I'd posted. Mine doesn't see much pavement, but it does see a little.

I had a bad alignment for a while, too- maybe that had something to do with it.

Hehe... Mine had a bad alignment.... Ms fixit hit a large ROCK and bent the drag link!

mrfixit said:

Here's what the Black locust tree is COVERED in...

And I've got hundreds of em...

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That does explain the pictures of your face you've posted.

6L PWR said:

That does explain the pictures of your face you've posted.

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Do you REALLY want to go there?

Somebody want to try to remind me why I don't just pay someone $20 to mount these stupid things? I always do it myself, and I always swear it's the last time. But then I do it again.

I haven't even tried to put the new ones on, still waiting for the quick coat of paint I slapped on the rims to dry.

Wouldn't be so bad if I had anyone around to help, or if the wheels would fit on my cheapy tire-changing machine, but it's rough trying to hold it with your feet while you bar the tire off the rim, and try not to fall on your rear.