Re: Mismatched Tires

Posted by john d on September 09, 2005 at 16:26:50 from (69.128.200.18):

In Reply to: Mismatched Tires posted by Nathan in Texas on September 09, 2005 at 06:31:18:

As long as they are the same size, it hurts nothing but the looks. And it only hurts the looks if that sort of things matters to you. The typical farmer considers the tractor to be a tool. They don't have the reverence for them that many on these boards seem to cultivate.
If a rear tire gets ruined when the other is nearly new, few would replace both just to keep them "matched." If the good tire is half-worn, then the solution was/is often either 1 new tire or 1 used tire. Whether the tread pattern matches is of secondary importance.
There are better ways to determine the level of maintenance a tractor has received than looking at mis-matched tires. Check the condition (and level) of oil, coolant, and rear-end lube. Look for wear on the clutch pedal bushings, steering linkeage and universals, and how much oil is seeping from it.
As far as it being hard on the rear end of the tractor, there won't even be much additional wear and tear if they AREN'T the same size! Think of the hours many of the old tractors spent plowing with one rear wheel getting far less traction than the other. Consider the punishment the differential was designed to endure when one brake was locked and the steering wheel spun to make a U-turn at the end of corn rows when cultivating.
If I was buying a tractor that was "restored" and had mis-matched tires, I'd wonder how much "restoration" was actually done. If I was buying a working tractor, I'd rather know if the oil had been changed once in awhile.

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