Picked up a decent 644E loader from what might have been a blast furnace or foundry operation in Michigan, penumatic tires, recapped with a smooth tread and then filled it seems. 20.5 x 25 tire size seems common enough. The pickle is getting them off the rims, field service guy says they're gonna weigh 3k pounds each? so 3x the normal weight or something? He also mentioned the tire is unable to flex so will get stuck in a hurry on anything but hard packed ground. Small contact patch = super high ground pressure? It also sounds like there is a fair bit of expense in squeezing those solid tires off the rims. One of the tires is leaking some kind of ooze and the tech says that's likely the fill compound breaking down
So besides being smooth, solid tires get stuck easily because they can't conform to the terrain?
It sounds like I should look for a used set of tires/wheels for the JD? It seems JD uses a 14 bolt pattern, will see if they're all the same.
I doubt we'll wear out a set of tires but some folks want as much for a 20% tire as the new imports cost.
-J
So besides being smooth, solid tires get stuck easily because they can't conform to the terrain?
It sounds like I should look for a used set of tires/wheels for the JD? It seems JD uses a 14 bolt pattern, will see if they're all the same.
I doubt we'll wear out a set of tires but some folks want as much for a 20% tire as the new imports cost.
-J