Wider tires for a BX

Chungus

New member

Equipment
BX23S
Jul 20, 2020
9
0
1
Texas
I have a BX23S. It is used almost exclusively on sensitive grass areas. It came with R4’s and I am going to swap for turf tires but what I am wondering is if it is feasible to put wider tires on it. I assume this would necessitate spacers and wider wheels but is this possible? I want to keep the same diameter but want lower ground pressure.

I saw a landscaper working in a yard one day with a larger tractor, probably 35hp and he had some huge turf tires. The things were at least two foot wide if not wider. I certainly don’t need something that large on the BX but if I could significantly increase the ground contact patch it would greatly reduce the rutting and intentions on the lawn.
 
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Chungus

New member

Equipment
BX23S
Jul 20, 2020
9
0
1
Texas
Yes I do and it is 4WD. I was driving on my lawn today and the R4’s weren’t ripping the grass but the entire tires were sinking slightly. Not muddy at all and never broke through the grass. I was spreading sand on my lawn to level it and while the impressions were not overly obvious on the grass once I spread the sand out you could see exactly where I drove
 

Chungus

New member

Equipment
BX23S
Jul 20, 2020
9
0
1
Texas
Rears are R4 26x12-12

fronts are R4 18x8.5-10

I don’t know what is available but I would like to add 2-3” spacers and have something like 26x18-12 on the rear and 18x12-10 on the front.
 

Henro

Well-known member

Equipment
B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex.
May 24, 2019
5,116
2,341
113
North of Pittsburgh PA
I have a BX23S. It is used almost exclusively on sensitive grass areas. It came with R4’s and I am going to swap for turf tires but what I am wondering is if it is feasible to put wider tires on it. I assume this would necessitate spacers and wider wheels but is this possible? I want to keep the same diameter but want lower ground pressure.

I saw a landscaper working in a yard one day with a larger tractor, probably 35hp and he had some huge turf tires. The things were at least two foot wide if not wider. I certainly don’t need something that large on the BX but if I could significantly increase the ground contact patch it would greatly reduce the rutting and intentions on the lawn.
You don’t say but I take it you don’t have a mid mounted mower?

With a MMM on a BX the maximum you can increase tire width is about 1.25 inches without modifications to the mower deck.
 

Chungus

New member

Equipment
BX23S
Jul 20, 2020
9
0
1
Texas
I found some wider tires online
For the rear 26-14.00-12 and for the front 18-10.50-10. These would add 2" in width to all four tires (8" total) which considering I currently only have a total 41" of width across all four tires which should reduce ground pressure per square inch by about 20%.

The question is will they fit on my stock rims?
 

Chungus

New member

Equipment
BX23S
Jul 20, 2020
9
0
1
Texas
You may find this interesting:

Thanks for the video. My tires on my 23 are already the same size as the new ones he added. He started off with the smaller ones that come on the 18.

I don’t need more traction or taller tires I just want them wider to reduce ground pressure.

Since a lot of people buy these small tractors for working in sensitive areas I can’t believe that no one has encountered this issue before. The tractor very definitely leaves indentions wherever it goes as the footprint of the tires is tiny. It seems there is every accessory imaginable for these things but nothing in the way of wider tires. I don’t get it. Seems like a very realistic need. Yes it is a small tractor but the wheels are dinky and sink in. My lawnmower has wider tires and weighs a lot less.
 

chim

Well-known member

Equipment
L4240HSTC with FEL, Ford 1210
Jan 19, 2013
1,738
821
113
Near Lancaster, PA, USA
Chungus, you mentioned spreading sand to level the lawn. Is it possible that may be contributing to a very soft condition? My lawn mower is an L4240 with loaded R4's and it doesn't leave tracks.
 

Chungus

New member

Equipment
BX23S
Jul 20, 2020
9
0
1
Texas
Chungus, you mentioned spreading sand to level the lawn. Is it possible that may be contributing to a very soft condition? My lawn mower is an L4240 with loaded R4's and it doesn't leave tracks.
No. it just made them evident. I used the tractor and loader to shuttle the sand into the yard for leveling. I really couldn’t see the tracks just on the grass but once I spread the sand and raked it in I could see all the tracks where I drove as they were solid sand where everywhere else had some grass showing through. I mow my yard at 1/2” with a reel mower. It is like golf course level and short short grass. It isn’t like my tractor is causing 6” ruts or anything it may only be sinking 1/2” but it is enough to mess up my yard. The yard wasn’t overly wet or muddy at all. I never broke through the grass or anything it just left indentions. Many people probably wouldn’t even notice but it bugs the crap out of me. I have a 130HP tractor for areas not around the house as well as a skid steer. I only bought this BX for working around the house and on the lawn.
 

chim

Well-known member

Equipment
L4240HSTC with FEL, Ford 1210
Jan 19, 2013
1,738
821
113
Near Lancaster, PA, USA
Chungus, your reply clears it up for me. Your lawn sounds beautiful and is in a class that I can't relate to. I could imagine that even walking on it before spreading the sand might make sufficient depressions and show footprints.
 

Louisianna

New member

Equipment
bx2200
Feb 11, 2021
16
3
3
illinois
This website will let your tire imagination go wild

Wheels on the bus go round and round - all thru the day

tiresize.com diameter - circumference - width - options
 

thirdroc17

Active member
Dec 25, 2013
185
35
28
Michigan
I run 26.5x14-12's on my BX2670. The recommended wheel width for these tires is 10", which is what came on my tractor. It required adding a 1" spacer for inside tire clearance, and they still squeeze in between the gauge wheels on my 60" deck.

I also run them on the soft side, to make the footprint as large as possible. I see guys running big tires, with only the center 6" of the tire actually making contact on hard surfaces. This defeats the object of wider tires in my opinion.