Front wheels

[Bulldog]

Need some input.

I was helping bale hay last week and one of the other tractors was a M9000 like mine. As it was coming thru the field I thought to myself, it sure looks wide. End of the day I looked it over and the front and rear wheels both were set as wide as they could go. I remember reading several times (about L series) not to reverse the front disk because it's hard on bearings and it will cause the seals to leak.
Does this also apply to the M series tractors?

This is 1 of 3 9000s that he runs so far he has had no front end issues that I know of. Is he just lucky or does this rule not apply to the bigger tractors?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Yes the Larger M's are exempt from the "rule" of not reversing the tires and rims.

In fact most have multiple different options for width.

I think it has more to do with the fact that they could be used for several different crop widths.

So yes if you would like you could safely widen yours!

 

[Bulldog]

Thanks Wolfman,

I'm pretty happy with mine although I get in a few spots where wider would be better but I guess if it was wider I would just got steeper than what I do now and still end up in the same boat. I do have the cast centers on the rear and really there's only been a few times that I've felt uncomfortable on slopes. I guess if I really did a lot of work on hills I would make it as wide as it would go.

Funny, the M's are already more stable because of the width and you can make them as wide as you want. The B's and L's need the width and you can't because it will damage the tractor. Does that seem dumb to anyone else?

 

[MadMax31]

Id imagine the bearings and seals were designed around the widest foot print available. Same idea as rock-krawlers or in my line of work, HVAC. If a sheave is too far out on a shaft, it will grenade the bearing pack much faster. The whole fulcrum/lever deal....

Id love to be 4-6" wider on the front of my B7610, but its not feasible...

 

[ETRon]

Bulldog...... my manual only stipulates about keeping the track narrow and talks about damage only in reference to having a FEL in use. Otherwise I'd go with okay......

 

[Bulldog]

ETRon,

The 9000 my friend owns is why I started this thread, it does have a loader and he never takes it off. It's a little newer than mine (going by the serial number) and his front tires are worn just about completely out. Not that the tire wear has anything to do with the width but he's got to be carrying more weight than I am.

 

[sstrac]

Interesting post, I have an M9000 and a very steep farm. I was looking into wider tires but this may help me (reversing rims) so very interested in this option.

Does anyone else have opinions on this reversal thought for front tires?