23.1 tires on 440b

OldTimbercutter · February 13, 2010, 08:23:18 AM

Was wondering if anyone runs 23.1 26 tires on a deere 440b. Mine has 18.4 26 and didnt know if the wider tires and wheels would clear with the skidder turned all the way. Found a set of tires and whelels just want to make sure they will fit. Thanks

Twig farmer · February 13, 2010, 11:17:34 AM

You'll risk breaking axles and gearsets. The 23.1x26 is a LOT bigger tire. Back in the day, we had 2 twig farmer C5Ds, one with 18.4x26, one with 23.1x26...guess wich one got a new front axle shaft and or a planetary 2x a year?
Not to mention the poor lil 440 will lose a lot of pep trying to turn them tires..
Good luck with whatever you decide.

OldTimbercutter · February 13, 2010, 11:39:38 AM

Thanks for your reply, but has anyone seen one with 23.1 tires. I need to know if they will fit. Thanks

Twig farmer · February 13, 2010, 12:07:55 PM

I have not seen any.

dnash · February 13, 2010, 03:17:21 PM

Quote from: Twig farmer on February 13, 2010, 11:17:34 AM
You'll risk breaking axles and gearsets. The 23.1x26 is a LOT bigger tire. Back in the day, we had 2 twig farmer C5Ds, one with 18.4x26, one with 23.1x26...guess wich one got a new front axle shaft and or a planetary 2x a year?
Not to mention the poor lil 440 will lose a lot of pep trying to turn them tires..
Good luck with whatever you decide.

I doubt there will be much risk...at least no more so than on a 540 of the same vintage. From what I have seen, the rear ends are shared by both the 440 and 540. I wouldn't be surprised if they were similar even to later 540s (B and on).

thumper · February 14, 2010, 01:28:53 AM

i think if they would fit, it would only be on a 440d with the longer rear frame. check equipment trader or machinery trader it seems ive seen one with 23.1s

Jamie_C · February 14, 2010, 09:33:10 AM

I think the easiest way to tell would be to hinge your machine to each side and then get out and measure the clearances you have between the tire and the next closest point (probably the other tire depending on the machine). If memory serves me right the first number in the tire size is the width of the tire so your 23.1 is 4.7" wider than the 18.4 tire, so as long as you have about 12" of clearance then in theory you could put the larger tires on an not have clearance issues unless you run chains as well.

stonebroke · February 14, 2010, 10:41:35 AM

But if the rims have less offset this would give you more clearance.

Stonebroke

OldTimbercutter · February 14, 2010, 12:23:01 PM

Thanks everyone. I have a 440b I bought a few months ago with like new 18.4s. Its a tight skidder but I have had some minor issues with it as it had set for awhile. Well a buddy of mine has a 440b that he has owned for twenty five years . He logged part time by hiself and it is a jam up skidder. He put a new engine from deere in it and it doesnt have that many hours since then . I never thought he would sell it but the other day he said he was going to sell it.
Now here is were it gets interesting. He is the second owner ,he had said threw the years the original owner had it special ordered from deere with a longer frame like a 540, I just always figured it was just a regular 440b, it has the four cylinder and powershift, and it has 23.1 tires. But when I was looking at it I noticed it was a lot longer than the 440b I have now. I have a 540a I run for years that I junked out and I'll be danged if the rear frame is the same as his 440b. So unless they made a 440b long frame I guess there is something to the original owner special ordering it.

Back to the tires his back are 30 percent, one front he bought new ,it might have fifty hours on it and the other is 60 percent . I was going to swap my tires and wheels as I wanted to have the 18.4s that are 95percent on the long frame 440 I am going to keep, and now I realize they problably are not going to clear.
If anyone has seen a 440b with a long frame I would like to hear about it. It definetly is a 440b ,it has the round hood ect and everything is the same as what I have now, its just longer. I think it might be the best of both worlds on steep ground being as long as the 540, and the four cylinder wont be as nose heavy as the sixs in the older 540s. Thanks

stonebroke · February 14, 2010, 01:05:57 PM

You might want to look into dual 18.4 for the wet time of year and keep the good tires for winter and dry.

Stonebroke

thumper · February 14, 2010, 02:31:26 PM

alot of people up here lengthened their 440 rear frames before the 440d came out. some raised their arch too. oh yea, my 440a has 16.9x30s on it and i have to watch it turning left because my wheels will touch. (missing left stop).