I just saw a picture of John Deere LA that had the old steel wheels on it. I recognize that those could provide for a hard ride on the pavement, but how did they do in the field compared to the current rubber tire. Certainly floatation would seem to be better witht he rubber tire. But looking at the lugs on the steel wheel you would think they would get great traction. Perhaps that may be depenedent on whether you are in clay or sand or gravel or good top soil. Anyone have any experience in comparison?
- Thread starter Mtjohnso
- Start date
Ken Macfarlane
Well-known Member
Do you see any pullers running on steel?
Jim in Ma.
Well-known Member
Here in the North-East, A lot of market garden farmers used steel but a farmer who did haying did not like them at all. I have been told - that is why we see a lot of cutoffs around here.
I had some on my F-14 for a while - I was surprised how much less traction they had in loose dirt than a rubber tire had. Also in loose dirt mine got dirt on top of the rim which just followed the rim creating its own dust storm as I went across the field cultivating. I've got rubber tires on the tractor now and just recently sold the steel wheels cheap to get them out of my barn.
Bob N.Y.
Well-known Member
- Location
- Norway, N.Y.
I went to an antique tractor show many years ago where they had a dead weight pull for the exhibitors. Non of the tractors were very big. There were 2 Farmall F-12s, 1 on steel and the other on rubber. The 1 on steel dropped out early while the 1 on rubber was the winner. It was a dirt track.
Traction would depend on spikes or cleats and design of the cleats. Flotation will be better on rubber based on the fact that steel can't flex like rubber. Same outer diameter and width the rubber tire flexes at the point of contact with the ground. That means that a larger numer of square inches is spreading the weight out where with steel less of the wheel would be in contactwith the ground. Thats why letting air out of tires in loose sandy conditions can allow you to stil go. You have spread the vehicle weight out over a large area. That is also why tracks have a lot more flotation than wheels.
Rick
Rick
Stephen Newell
Well-known Member
I would bet there is some regulation from the highway department that you would have to install rubber pads to the steel wheels to take one on public roads. Those old tractors are very heavy and I bet the steel wheels would ruin blacktop.
Paul from MI
Well-known Member
It actually takes a lot of power to put those steel lugs into the ground and pull them out. Rubber tires are alot more economical. Many farmers were resistant to change and wanted steel wheels back in the 30's, but once they saw the advantages to rubber they changed pretty fast. If steel wheels had any advantages, other than puncture resistance, steel wheeled war-time tractors would have stayed on steel instead of being put on rubber as soon as the war ended.
Do you remember Walt Buescher saying that when somebody ordered a new Allis Chalmers on steel,they would send one out on rubber instead? He said they would tell the buyer that was all they had,but when the steel wheels came in,they would come out and change them. Said that almost every one would tell them after a few days to forget it,they'd keep the rubber tires.
Daryl in PA
Member
Paul from MI
Well-known Member
Sure do. I loved Walt's stories. I think he lived and worked through some of the most revolutionary times in American agriculture. Excerpts from his book were one of my favorite parts of The Farmers Advance.
Bob from Australia
Member
I spent a lot of time driving both steel wheel and rubber tired tractors in the mid to late 1950s
The only time I saw any advantage in the steels were when working in newly cleared land with a lot of sticks and stumps that would puncture rubber tires. Otherwise rubber was always much better in terms of work done, fuel economy and especially operator comfort.
The only time I saw any advantage in the steels were when working in newly cleared land with a lot of sticks and stumps that would puncture rubber tires. Otherwise rubber was always much better in terms of work done, fuel economy and especially operator comfort.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
If you do have enough power to spin the steel wheels, you will get buried a lot quicker with steel over rubber. They also don't give if you drive over a rock.
Bob Huntress
Member
I'ld love to have a steel wheeled tractor in the yard for looks, but, if they had any advantage over rubber, someone would still be using them. I'm sure there are plenty of people on this board who have had tires foamed. We had a tractor at work foamed. It gives the only advantage of steel, won't leak air, without lossing all the advantages of rubber. It is a harder ride, but not as bad as steel.
Regulars, F20s and 10-20 steel wheel rigs dealers had "highway rims" rubber bands for use on paved roads. These were narrow solid rubber "bands" that fitted on rim of wheel and were larger diameter than the lug points so lugs didn"t contact pavement when tractor was used on road. JD had similar and probably every other tractor dealer had his or a universal rubber strip available. Rubber V lugs on steel rims were also made for use in concrete or wood factory floors for industrial use, a dotted rubber skin also illistrated in old book reprint noted for turf or shop floors-- looked like the old Harley utility tire tread good for front/back wheel and gravel road or highway that old Panheads used to have instead of grooved tires. RN
I gotta jump in here with my 2 cents cause i don,t think anybodys answered the question yet. That being "traction". I have a set of steel for an oliver 88 that was my dads. Been around here all my life of 53 years. Only work they see any more is a plow day or a tractor pull. Many years we fall plowed with the steel because it was to wet for the rubber. Drug countless load of firewood in the winter cause rubber tires would'nt go in the woods. Steel wheels will give you far better "traction" in 95% of all ground conditions. To many negitive's though. Like others have said, you can't drive down the road. They will shake a tractor apart on hard ground. Ever catch a tree branch with the lug and whack yourself in the back iof the head. Even loading on a trailer can be nerve wracking. So, while rubber tires are far superior allaround, steel wins the traction category. My opion. Your results may vary.
My uncles, now long dead, farmed as young men with a matched pair of 28 model D JD tractors.
He told that sometime in the mid to late 30's, cut off kits to mount rubber baloon tires became avalible. They had one tractor converted first then went plowing with identical plows to test those fancy new rubber tires.
He said that the one on rubber would plow 4 rounds while the one on steel would do only 3.
He told that sometime in the mid to late 30's, cut off kits to mount rubber baloon tires became avalible. They had one tractor converted first then went plowing with identical plows to test those fancy new rubber tires.
He said that the one on rubber would plow 4 rounds while the one on steel would do only 3.
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
In the long run rubber is by far better then steel. If you have rubber and you spin them you do dig in but with steel you dig in fast and deep. I own tractors with both and if you have soft ground rubber is the way to go if it is hard and dry then steel does ok
bjb in TX from Ne
Member
I dont know about traction but so far I have found that steel wheels are cheaper than putting new rubber on a tractor. Bought rear steel for my WC; full set for my W30; regular I bought already has rear steel.
One of the other benefits early on for rubber tires was there was less soil compaction; this also helped in the change over.
One of the other benefits early on for rubber tires was there was less soil compaction; this also helped in the change over.
Rubber tires allow for wheel slippage under load, and some wheel slippage is good for efficiency.
Wheel slippage can mean the difference between being stuck plowing in 2nd gear on steel, and plowing in 3rd gear on rubber. She just doesn't quite have enough power to pull in 3rd on steel, but the slippage of the rubber tires lets the tractor wind up and keep moving in 3rd.
Let's say 2nd gear is rated 2MPH, and 3rd is rated 3MPH. With steel you're doing 2MPH in 2nd gear, period. On rubber you might be doing 2.75MPH instead of 3MPH, but it's still .75MPH faster.
Even though the tractor is spinning a little bit on the rubber tires, it's still moving through the field faster and getting more work done.
Wheel slippage can mean the difference between being stuck plowing in 2nd gear on steel, and plowing in 3rd gear on rubber. She just doesn't quite have enough power to pull in 3rd on steel, but the slippage of the rubber tires lets the tractor wind up and keep moving in 3rd.
Let's say 2nd gear is rated 2MPH, and 3rd is rated 3MPH. With steel you're doing 2MPH in 2nd gear, period. On rubber you might be doing 2.75MPH instead of 3MPH, but it's still .75MPH faster.
Even though the tractor is spinning a little bit on the rubber tires, it's still moving through the field faster and getting more work done.
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
Down on the Texas coast is grown a lot of rice. The process is to take a field and surround it with a berm. The rice is planted and the field is flooded somewhere in the process of making the crop. The only tractors you see down there that are actually farming rice have steel wheels similar to the ones in the picture of the JD in this thread.
Course OT the second usage of the field it to hunt geese in the winter. The main problem for the goose hunter who has to pack all his equipment in on his back, is the lagoon that resulted from digging out the dirt to build the berm. If you don't think stripping down to your skivvies to ford the berm isn't a traumatic experience in the dead of winter......it is. Your body just goes through the shock wave, it numbs up, you feel nothing, and after you make it across, dry off and get your clothes back on, the feeling finally comes back.
Mark
Course OT the second usage of the field it to hunt geese in the winter. The main problem for the goose hunter who has to pack all his equipment in on his back, is the lagoon that resulted from digging out the dirt to build the berm. If you don't think stripping down to your skivvies to ford the berm isn't a traumatic experience in the dead of winter......it is. Your body just goes through the shock wave, it numbs up, you feel nothing, and after you make it across, dry off and get your clothes back on, the feeling finally comes back.
Mark
If a John Deere LA had steel wheels someone must of retro fitted it because Deere didn't make any for those.
I do know that steel wheels with rubber tires bolted onto them DO NOT get much traction at all.
Had a GP once set up that way and tried it at a plow days not good at all.
I also know that steel wheels are VERY DANGEROUS to try and load on and off trailers. The rubber bolted on really does help for this.
I do know that steel wheels with rubber tires bolted onto them DO NOT get much traction at all.
Had a GP once set up that way and tried it at a plow days not good at all.
I also know that steel wheels are VERY DANGEROUS to try and load on and off trailers. The rubber bolted on really does help for this.
Bus Driver
Well-known Member
The Nebraska tractor tests found rubber tires to be far better. A tractor would pull more with the rubber.
If a cleated wheel on a short wheelbase tractor caught a buried root, the tractor would flip backward instantly. Fordson was one example.
If a cleated wheel on a short wheelbase tractor caught a buried root, the tractor would flip backward instantly. Fordson was one example.
Similar threads
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.
Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy