It is easy to replace an old, worn-out, or damaged lawn tractor tire and ever easier to than taking the tractor to the nearby service station. All you need in the beginning is a right tire to replace the old one. While buying the new set of lawn tractor tires, four things are to be considered: tire size, terrain type and traction, ply-rating, and of course, one of the most important, the price.
1. Lawn Tractor Tires Sizing
Lawn tractor tires, like any other category of tire, fall into a series of numbers that are written on the sidewall. These numbers are of two types featuring their size: two-number system, and three-number system.
- Two-number Tire Sizing
The two-number system of the lawn tractor tires is displayed through the numbers like 4.80-8. It implies that the rim is 8 inches in diameter, while the tire’s width is approximately 4.8 inches. By these numbers, you can find the right size tire to replace the old one.
- Three-number Tire Sizing
The lawn tractor tires with three-number system works a bit different from the two-number system. 15×6.00-6 lawn tractor is a common size. The “x” is the first number that indicates the tire’s diameter when it is inflated and not loaded. The number between the “x” and the “-,” shows the width of the tire. The number in the end shows the width of the rim, it is not diameter of the rim. This three-number sizing is always the same in lawn tractor tires, grass cutters, and other garden equipment tires.
2. Lawn Tractor Tires Ply-rating
Lawn Tractors are not supposed to be over-loaded but a tire that is having a higher carrying capacity will also be a better fighter to resistant to the punctures in the lawn. The reason behind is that these tires have thicker and stronger casing. If your lawn is having a rough terrain with sharp thorns or you need your tractor to do more than just mowing, prefer buying a “B/4-ply” rated tire and not an “A/2-ply” rating. Every tire carries the number of plies tamped on its side. Lawn tractor tires are available in only two options, A/2-ply and B/4-ply as the common sizes.
3. Traction Needs
Tread pattern of the lawn tractors has three main classifications: mixed-use turf tires, ribbed tires, and knobby all-terrain tires.
- Turf treads are made with circumferential rows of chevron-shaped tread blocks. That is why; they are most common. Developed to provide some traction on smooth grassy surface, they are ideal for your lawn while not damaging the turf and digging up the lawn. While planning to replace one tire, you should go for a tread pattern that is close to the one that came with the new tractor. A good versatile turf tire is the WDT P512A tire.
- Knobby, all-terrain treads are intended to provide traction in mud, sand, and dirt. So they typically have deeper grooves and large tread blocks. Sometimes, they are made like the tread on a farm tractor, so they have a herringbone tread pattern. They have more space between the blocks to spread and slip the debris away. An all-terrain knobby-type tread like the WDT P328 tire will be a right decision if you are using your tractor for towing or other jobs on the paths with dirt and without the mower deck.
- Ribbed treads are made up with circumferential grooves. They are designed with the straight ribs that are either slightly scalloped or flat. These patterns intend to keep the tire from sliding sideways and they provide some lateral stability while moving, but their primary job is to roll easily and resist the wear and thus, having longer life. They are not to provide as much traction as a knobby or turf, all-terrain tire.
4. Price
There are different prices of lawn tractor tires in the market. And this variation is because of benefits and features, country of manufacturing, and the brand name. If you go online and do some research the features, sizes, and prices, it will be easy for you to make a right decision. You want to go either for a high brand or you prefer a cheap tractor tire made in China, this research will help you.
