Rear tire replacement Lowboy 154

[Tireguy71]

Hi guys (and any tractor loving gals too)-
I have a Lowboy 154, I believe it's a '71 model. It needs rear tires, and I'm a little confused on what to do. My tractor currently has a Firestone turf tire, size 13.50-16A. Now, I've been a service tech in the tire industry for over 20 years, and I have resources that most do not. I have searched for replacement tires and found none. Firestone no longer makes this tire, nor does ANY manufacturer that I searched. I can't even find a listing for this size.

I'm looking for opinions or ideas for replacement. I'd like to keep the same overall size. I realize that I'll probably have to purchase new wheels, and that's not a real issue. What are you folks running on your Cubs? Any pros or cons you've run into? I'm usually the guy that gets asked tire related questions, and I'm usually the guy with the answer. Just hoping that someone out there has had the same issue and can offer some insight.

[indy61]

It probably had 13.6-16 tires originally. Carlisle and Firestone have tires in that size.

https://www.petestirestore.com/136-16-F ... _3470.html

[Gary Dotson]

Were those originally 13.6 x 16 or 13.6 x 16.1? My larger Kubota has the 16" but I was thinking the # series had the 16.1". Both being 13.6" width.

[indy61]

I'm not sure. The wheel states "16.1 RIM FOR 13.6-16 TIRE OR 12.4-16 TIRE"

https://www.messicks.com/cc/92190

[Jim Becker]

The 16 vs. 16.1 is a little confusing. Is 1/10th of an inch going to make any difference across 16 inches on something made of rubber? I suspect the difference was up to the whims of the various manufacturers.

The original sales brochure lists 8.3-24 standard tire and 13.6-16 as optional. The parts catalog lists a W7-24 rim for either 8.3-24 or 9.5-24 tires. It lists a W11C-16.1 rim for 13.6-16 or 12.4-16 tires. Meanwhile, my operator's manual from 1973 lists all of these:
8.3-24 R-1 or R-3 tread
9.5-24 R-1 or R-3 tread
13.50-16-1 R-3 tread
13.6-16 R-3 tread
but no mention of a 12.4-16.

My guess is that 13.50-16.1 and 13.6-16 have to be equivalent and labeling may depend on the manufacturer. The 12.4-16 is one size smaller and probably offered at some time or it wouldn't be listed in the parts catalog. Any of these sizes, if found at all, will probably be expensive. Your other option is to switch to the 24-inch rim and go with either of those sizes. Good used rims that size probably aren't hard to find. If you do that, you won't NEED to use the rear wheel spacers.

[indy61]

The 12.4-16 may have been an ag tire offered for the Lo-Boy series. Looking at that size turns up ag tires.

https://www.petestirestore.com/124-16-F ... _3468.html

[Jim Becker]

The 12.4-16 may have been an ag tire offered for the Lo-Boy series. Looking at that size turns up ag tires.

https://www.petestirestore.com/124-16-F ... _3468.html

I think that size in an ag tread was used on some modern compact tractors. I don't know if it existed as an ag tread when my parts book was published (1977). None of the material I have gives a clue.

[Tireguy71]

Hold your horses, fellas. A couple things need to be addressed imediately. The original sales brochure that you have been referring to is obviously a misprint, typo, or outright mistake. A wheel (it's not a rim), stamped W11C-16.1 is 11" wide and 16.1" in diameter. A 16" diameter tire CAN NOT be mounted on a 16.1" diameter rim. Yes, it's only 1/10 of an inch, and theoretically it will go onto the rim, but inflating it would be dangerous and borderline scuicidal. If a wheel is 16.1" in diameter, only a 16.1" diameter tire is acceptable.

The tires and wheels on my cub are apparently not original equipment. I just thought that maybe this was common for this tractor, and looking for someone that may have had the similar issue. A 16.5L16.1 is very close in overall height and width, but an R4 tire in this size would cost more than I paid for the tractor.

I'll attach a photo tomorrow to show what I'm dealing with.

[Gary Dotson]

There's a fair amount of confusion about these tires. I mentioned the 16 vs. 16.1 because a couple 184's that I worked, in the past, were clearly marked 13.6 x 16.1. The tires were otherwise identical (different brand) to the 16's on my tractor.

[Jim Becker]

There's a fair amount of confusion about these tires. I mentioned the 16 vs. 16.1 because a couple 184's that I worked, in the past, were clearly marked 13.6 x 16.1. The tires were otherwise identical (different brand) to the 16's on my tractor.

What I see seems to agree with that. I've never had anything to do with the "terra" tires. All I know is what I have read. I am well aware of the danger of mounting a tire on a wrong diameter rim. The problem was made famous by the tubeless truck tires that were made in half inch sizes, sizes that were close enough to look right even though they were not. My comments about 16 vs. 16.1 were based on what I see in the 154 Parts Catalog. The catalog is in the PDF manuals at IH LoBoy Series - 154, 184, 185/Cub-154 Lo-Boy. This is the relevant piece:

[outdoors4evr]

It sounds like you are trying to stick with the turf tires, but just in case field tires are an option, you might want to look at these:
https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/308dbad7-9c93-490f-ac6b-0b547cceecd4/8e3acdd6-19d3-4e86-aa24-0cb0f6bcff3f/firestone%20ag.pdf
Page 20

Here these are on a 184. Tread Pattern C shown.

[SamsFarm]

Here these are on a 184. Tread Pattern C shown.
Tires Rear.jpg

I like that!

I dont care for turf tires!

If the ground is a tad bit damp and they lose traction, what a mess they make, or worse, your stuck!