Narrow or wide ags, does it matter?
 

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Is there any noticeable difference in traction between 23x8.50 and 23x10.50 Ag tires?

I'm doing good at collecting ground engaging equipment, but with my turf tires I'm having a difficult time using it. I'm guessing I need some Ag tires for more traction?

I have good 23x10.50 turf tires on there now and I have a narrower set of wheels with some junk 23x8.50 tires.

So I'm thinking about getting 23x8.50 Ag tires for the narrow wheels and keep the turf tire as they are. Or should I get 23x10.50 Ag tires?


http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...414_163949.jpg

This is one of the age old questions, lbs per sq inch on the ground or more square inches of tire on the ground...

Depending on the size of your plows, a 10.50 may not fit down in the furrow when using a turning plow.

I find that when tilling, cultivating and using a disk, I prefer a wide tire to help avoid packing the ground.

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Also if I go with the wide Ag tires they would be my everyday set.

I used to be into lifted high 4x4 trucks and we had similar debates about wide vs. skinny.


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Set some 10.5 and you'll never look back. I've had all from the small 6-12s to 26x12x12s and they all work. The 10.5s is what I have on 2 of my wideframes, my opinion they look the best on wideframe Cubs and will look the best on your newer Cub Cadet. Here'a a few pics of different AG tires, which brand Ag Tire is best I don't know - I like them all, maybe some better than others. I guess I'd buy Firestones or Tru Powers if money was not an object, most of mine have been from finding a deal here and there. Only ones I've bought brand new were the 10.5 Duros no the back of the Model 100

I'd personally go with the 10.5 assuming your attachments will cover the width. Good width (unless you had the fender flares), good stance, good performance. I'd also go with Tru Powers. The Firestone 23°'s are a bit better but not worth the extra $$. Good luck! :beerchug:

I have 2 10" plows and an 8" plow, and plan to use a disc and possibly my cultivator. I will be doing some dirt work with blades and a box scraper.

Thank you for all the pictures!

The Firestone 23* is my favorite for sure, but I hate their price. The Tru Powers look good and they are ok on the price. I can be cheap at times which attracts me to the Deestone tires, which are pretty cheap for the 6 ply, as long as they work well.


Also for some reason my narrow wheels have the valve stem on the inside and it rubs on the brakes, so I'd have to weld it closed and drill a new hole on the front side.


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Someone put the tires on the rims backwards, I have a set that are the same way but not worth getting fixed. Have them re-mounted correct and you'll have your valve stems on the correct side :beerchug:

I'll get some pics of it but the valve stem hole is on the side of wheel that mounts to the hub flange. I'm not sure what these wheels are from, but they're not Cub.

I think I read somewhere that those are Wheel Horse wheels.

You are likely right, I google image searched them and they look the same. In the first pic you can see the stem and the area that mounts against the hub flange.



http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...415_102049.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...415_102101.jpg

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Here's a couple pics I found.


Are the Tru Powers really that much taller? Or is that probably a different size?

http://i.ebayimg.com/06/!Bre09CwB2k~...q4Nvw~~_12.JPG


These look cool too


http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/...2894029331.jpg

The Tru Powers are taller than the deestones, and the Firestones are even taller, 23.3" in the 23X10.50 and 26.6" in the 26x12.

I have a brand new set of deestones and a brand new set of tru powers and both are 23x8.50s, both are mounted with 10lbs of air in them. There's almost no difference in size, the deestones are about a 1/4" taller and the tru powers are a 1/4" wider. Here's a pic

Thanks for posting the pics of the tires inflated. I mow at a steep angle on a ditch and have had the high-side tire come up off the ground before nearly rolling the tractor over, so from your pic I think the Tru Power would be a better choice since it's more squared off.

I used to have 10.50s on the back. I take an 8.50 any day....especially when it comes to mold board plowing. A 10.50 wide tire doesn't fit in the furrow and will cause pin breakage in the driveshaft.

I could care less on how cool the wider tire looks. I want traction. I want a better preforming tire which in my book is an 2 ply 8.50.

I've been there done that with the big tires-raised suspension on pick up trucks. It tales lots of extra weight to make those tires hook......good way to break driveline parts.

I'm with you Dale. Most of my tractors have ags. I hate the 10.50's for anything other than mowing or tilling, and that is just for the flotation. For traction, the 8.50's or even the 6.50's do better. When I plowed with my 125 and an 8" plow, the 6.50's far outperformed the 8.50's. Mainly because the 8.50's didn't fit well in the furrow with that small plow. I'll reiterate again what you said: I could give a crap less how it looks, I want traction. Looks are for cars. Tractors are about function. :beerchug:

I have a set of those backward rims too. Has the sears tires on them which hooked will in the snow. I prefer the looks of skinny tires myself and will be going that way soon. Have the wide turfs for mowing so ags will be for all the rest.

The "skinny tire" favored opinions start coming in now, but I've already ordered some 10.50's. Hopefully they'll be ok for what I do

I have a pair of 6 ply 23/10.50/12 Deestones and I really like them, especially for $113 tax and all at a local tire dealer.

I'm buying local also. He said $65 each and I asked him what brand they are and he said Carlisle. He does mostly farm and truck tires, so he's going to add washer fluid to them too, although I don't know how much more $.

You'll be fine with the 10.5 Ags. Everyone has an opinion including me, what works for some might work better for others, or not.

I do most of my plowing at a plow day even where I'm following some sort of furrow left behind by the plowing person in front of me. half the time its not much of a furrow, the other half its to deep.... Sure an 8.5" works better at times but seriously the difference is not that noticeable with our Cub Cadets. If you have 8.5s or 6" Ags in soft ground while plowing you could spin half a tire and be stuck/hung up before you blink whereas a wider tire might get you through a soft area.:BlahBlah::BlahBlah::BlahBlah:

After install your Ags you'll be happy - that's my money back guarantee:beerchug:

The extra inch or 2 width will not make much difference soft ground.

I would be using 10.50 if they work better at plow days. I had more problems with rough ride and breaking pins in the drive shaft on 10.50 tires.

I'm far, far from being a plowing expert. I run 23X8.50-12 Tru-Powers with wheel weights on my 71/121. From the little bit of plowing I've done they seemed to work great. On my grass cutter 2182's I'm running 26X12-12 loaded Tru-Powers also very happy with the results, no more spinning turf's. 1st pic is before I added the wheel weights on the 71/121