Changing Tire Size - Timberjack 230A

[Loony661]

I apologize if this has been covered already, but can wheels/tires be swapped on a Timberjack? I have a 230A with 18.4x34's and have been thinking about swapping to 23.1x26's for more hill stability. As always, all experience and thoughts welcome. 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Sure as long as you find wheels with the correct bolt pattern and offset to make the new wheels and tires clear everything.

[BargeMonkey]

23.1 is a beefier tire, going to sit lower I believe. Loading the backs ? Don't quote me but I believe those size chains are interchangeable. 

[rdobb13]

The right wheels and 23.1's are the perfect tire for a 230. 

[Loony661]

23.1 is a beefier tire, going to sit lower I believe. Loading the backs ? Don't quote me but I believe those size chains are interchangeable.

Yes my rear's are fluid filled. I also believe you are correct with the interchangeable tire chains for those 2 sides. At least that's the way they are listed on Stahl's website.

[Loony661]

The right wheels and 23.1's are the perfect tire for a 230.

So where does a guy find the right wheels when the time comes?

[BargeMonkey]

 How many bolts are your wheels ? Where in the country are you from ? 

[rdobb13]

The right wheels and 23.1's are the perfect tire for a 230.

So where does a guy find the right wheels when the time comes?

I'm a couple years removed from my last 230. I'd start with the usual salvage yards and Facebook marketplace. 
Scaeffers
Golden rule. 

[Loony661]

How many bolts are your wheels ? Where in the country are you from ?

Wheels are 12 bolt.. I'm from South East Minnesota. Winona County area along the Mississippi river valley. Lots of steep hills here.

[ehp]

If your rims are the same as my 230A on 23.1 by 26 you end up at about 108 inches wide with the rims turned out but you can turn the rims so offset is down to 102 or 103 inches wide but the only thing you need to watch is when putting chains on the front tires cause the inside of the chains will grab the blade cylinder covers , I find if you watch whey clevis you use and have no extra links you can run the chains , Yes 23.1 by 26 is the same chains for 18.4 by 34 

[Loony661]

If your rims are the same as my 230A on 23.1 by 26 you end up at about 108 inches wide with the rims turned out but you can turn the rims so offset is down to 102 or 103 inches wide but the only thing you need to watch is when putting chains on the front tires cause the inside of the chains will grab the blade cylinder covers , I find if you watch whey clevis you use and have no extra links you can run the chains , Yes 23.1 by 26 is the same chains for 18.4 by 34

Thank you, this is also helpful.

[ehp]

Your skidder on 23.1s will float pretty good in soft ground as 230A seems quite balanced where a lot of skidders are very nose heavy

[KWood255]

Good to know about the tire chains. I had no idea that my chains on my 230D with 18.4x34's would fit my Clark 664D with 23.1x26's.

[DanielW]

For any logging or farm equipment tire needs I no longer worry about the bolt pattern of any used tires I can find if they're the size I want. It seems I can always find tires and rims the size I want in great shape for an excellent price, but with the wrong bolt pattern. And if I find ones with the correct bolt pattern, the tires are pooched or the rims are rusted apart from a CaCl leak.

Most decent fab shops these days have a plasma table. I now find the tires/rims I want and get a set of centre discs torched on a plasma table with the centre hole and bolt pattern I want. It usually costs less than $200 for a pair. I'll make the OD of the adapter plate a fair bit larger than the bolt circle on the rims, the carefully mark-out and cut the old centres out with a hand plasma or O/A torch. Bevel the edges for a weld prep, weld the new centres in, grind smooth, and you're good to go. If you're a good welder you won't be able to tell they're not factory once you're done and painted.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it pays off when you can't find rim & tire combos the size you want. Most recently: I wanted some 18.4-30 tires & rims for an Allis tractor that originally had 28" tires. Allis made a 30" option back in the day, but they're as rare as hens teeth. I could have bought a set of rims and had them trucked from across the country for $1400. But they were really rough and needed some patching around the valve stem, and they were just the rims: I still would have had to spend over $3k in new tires on top of that. Instead, I found a set of tires and rims in superb condition off an old IH skidder for $400. No one was buying them because of the oddball IH skidder bolt pattern. Bought them, did the conversion, painted them up, and they look factory.

[Loony661]

For any logging or farm equipment tire needs I no longer worry about the bolt pattern of any used tires I can find if they're the size I want. It seems I can always find tires and rims the size I want in great shape for an excellent price, but with the wrong bolt pattern. And if I find ones with the correct bolt pattern, the tires are pooched or the rims are rusted apart from a CaCl leak.

Most decent fab shops these days have a plasma table. I now find the tires/rims I want and get a set of centre discs torched on a plasma table with the centre hole and bolt pattern I want. It usually costs less than $200 for a pair. I'll make the OD of the adapter plate a fair bit larger than the bolt circle on the rims, the carefully mark-out and cut the old centres out with a hand plasma or O/A torch. Bevel the edges for a weld prep, weld the new centres in, grind smooth, and you're good to go. If you're a good welder you won't be able to tell they're not factory once you're done and painted.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it pays off when you can't find rim & tire combos the size you want. Most recently: I wanted some 18.4-30 tires & rims for an Allis tractor that originally had 28" tires. Allis made a 30" option back in the day, but they're as rare as hens teeth. I could have bought a set of rims and had them trucked from across the country for $1400. But they were really rough and needed some patching around the valve stem, and they were just the rims: I still would have had to spend over $3k in new tires on top of that. Instead, I found a set of tires and rims in superb condition off an old IH skidder for $400. No one was buying them because of the oddball IH skidder bolt pattern. Bought them, did the conversion, painted them up, and they look factory.

Thinking outside the box - I like that. Thanks for the suggestion.

[ehp]

Machine shop here does it all the time and setting big tractor up to run duals

[KWood255]

Last week I got around to installing my "18.4x34" chains on my 664D with the 23.1x26 rubber....Thanks to the folks here.
I had no idea they would fit. Fit they do. Looking forward to the cold snap ending to give er a workout.