YouTube - Bald vs New Okay, so I have this skip loader that I'm using on my small 20 acres property to build a small motocross track. I have very little experience. I got this tractor used at an auction for a good price although the threads are 90% worn I think. Looking at this skip loader, I can assume that it was used to grade asphalt because I can see road material and tar on the underside of the tractor. Recently, I went ahead and replaced all the tires with brand new tires but there is a debate whether or not I really needed to replace these tires. My feeling is that, if it was going to be used on a construction site, the tires would be good enough but not on dirt like on a farm because there's not enough thread left. I've constantly had to engage 4x4 with diff lock just to do the simplest stuff. What's the verdict? Was I too quick to replace these tires or I was justified? I paid $1800 to have these new tires installed.
Get the back tires filled and you will see a major difference in traction. Empty pulling a drag box you are lacking weight on the rear. They would have gone a little longer but they are pretty well wore out.
You have done the right thing, westladog, for what you are using the machine for. The old tyres would have gone a little longer, but would give you very little traction in soft damp soil. You should be using 4 x 4 all the time and diff lock when needed. With a tractor front end loader (skip loader as you call them), as soon as you start to lift the bucket, you take the weight from the rear wheels and transfer it to the front wheels. Bill's suggestion of filling the rear tyres is also a very good idea, as it keeps more weight on the rear for traction. We would use water here, but we don't have freezing problems. RnR.
2 responses? Come on guys. Please. It's really important that I resolve this debate with my significant other. I don't care if I lose the debate but it needs to be resolved. Based on the responses so far, I'm going to lose this debate.
If the tires hold air they still have life in them, but.....you have to be on good dry ground. For your purpose you didn't have much choice. You would either be getting frustrated and / or just not accomplishing much.
What they said. If you were working on parking lots or packed gravel, they woulda worked ok, but for topsoil and dirt work you need tread. Fill the rears as suggested with rimguard or foam if you'll be clearing a lot. For loader work in dirt, use 4x4, that's what it's for. I woulda changed em too if at all possible. As for debating with a woman, good luck with that...
pretty simple to me, the old tires were bald, they needed replacing. I bet that couldnt have made it up a steep muddy hill with the old tires. And if you buried it, I dont know as if a 4 wheel drive pick up would pull it out. You wouldnt run the tires on your car/truck down that far would you? Good luck
LOL, mine are not that bad and I'm getting ready to replace them! You did the rite thing!
There's also the 90/10 rule. 90% of your tire troubles are going to come in the last 10% of the tread life. It would have only been a matter of time before you wrote one off to a failure, and then be in the same boat needing new tires. By shopping early, you put yourself in a better bargaining position with the tire guy. You also avoided all of the aggravation of dealing with a tractor down somewhere inconvenient that has to be fixed, as I assume you drove it to the tire shop on your timelines? The other 90/10 rule is that 90% of a wife's aggravations stem from observing the 10% of a man's time that he spends actually doing something for himself. May want to keep the second 90/10 rule to yourself in this debate, though :beatsme
LOL, I like both of your 90/10 rules!
It's been a week since I check this thread but thank you guys! I've learned something while I was in the dog house for the past week. It wasn't the fact that I purchased those tires. It was the fact that I purchased those tires without talking about it first. That was disrespectful to her.
Give yourself about 20 more years and a couple hundred thousand $ and you will figure it out! Glad she is at least still talking to you. My wife and I have a rule that anything over $100 gets discussed unless you are broke down along the road. Has worked for 33 years!