# Tire size question



## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

What are the standard or old dimensions of the following tire sizes?

650/65R38 Rear Tires

540/65R28 Front Tires

I thought a 480 width was the same as an 18.4? Looking at some Euro tractors to replace the oddball TM. Big tires would be a plus for me if I can get them set wide enough

Thanks!


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Gearclash said:


> What are the standard or old dimensions of the following tire sizes?
> 
> 650/65R38 Rear Tires[/size]
> 540/65R28 Front Tires[/size]
> ...


http://www.classicfarmtyres.co.uk/WebRoot/Store3/Shops/es146136/MediaGallery/Tyre_size_converter.jpg


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Here's another tire conversion.

Regards, Mike

http://www.yournexttire.com/tractor-tire-conversion-chart/


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

I don't think either of those sizes existed until the new system so there won't really be equivalents. They're basically going to be a wide footprint version of a more standard size, in some cases using the same width rim as the narrower footprint prior incarnation. With the first number being width in millimeters, it's pretty easy to convert them to something more familiar. For instance, the 540 comes to 20+ inches so it's basically an extra wide 18.4.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

8350HiTech said:


> For instance, the 540 comes to 20+ inches so it's basically an extra wide 18.4.


Yep, the "tire width chart" lists the 650 at 24.5" and it lists a 520 at 20.8" so that would be very close to a 540.

Regards, Mike


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Tire sizes are something that confuse the hell out of me. Especially car/truck tires.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

Went to the hay auction today so I Mennonite drove his tractor there, and I got to thinking about that tire size conversion. I looked his over to try to figure out if they were metric or American


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

Wonder if he has duals for that thing??

With respect to tire size:

First number is width in millimeters. Divide by 25.4 to get inches.
Number after slash is aspect ratio of width to sidewall. If there is an "R" it is a radial. Last number is rim size.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

endrow said:


> Went to the hay auction today so I Mennonite drove his tractor there, and I got to thinking about that tire size conversion. I looked his over to try to figure out if they were metric or American


Brand new diesel is OK, but putting air in tires under it is a no go... I don't get it. Nice looking tractor.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Yeah, whats so "evil" about oxygen? lol


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

JD3430 said:


> Yeah, whats so "evil" about oxygen? lol


When stick (nail, old horse shoe or whatever) pokes hole in oxygen leaves, he doesn't have that worry. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Larry


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

JD3430 said:


> Yeah, whats so "evil" about oxygen? lol


 the oxygen itself is probably not the evil thing. But it is where the oxygen will take you. Joe Wenger Mennonites still use a horse and buggy for transportation . Unlike the Amish who use horses for field work they may use the tractor in the field if it has steel wheels. They say the steel wheels will keep them from using the tractor for basic transportation. The guy that drove the Challenger to the auction I would call that basic transportation. Irregardless how they do it these guys along with the Amish own a lot of horses. If they would all sell their horses and buy cars and trucks, it would in fact a lot of the market so I'm not complaining


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

That looks like Ike Zimmerman's tractor from Lititz...he goes all over in that thing...he often pulls a tiny little cart behind it...for several years he got away with keeping it on rubber by only using it to do field work at night...he also used the excuse that he wasn't sure if he was going to keep it....

The interesting thing with steel wheel tractors is on asphalt they will lose tractor before they run out of power. I know a couple of produce farmers that bought MFWD tractors so they could haul their heavy wagons loaded with mellons to the auction. Two wheel drive pulling a heavy wagon up the road, and the rear "tires" would break loose...


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

JD3430 said:


> Yeah, whats so "evil" about oxygen? lol


78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, the rest a smattering of other assorted gases...

The thinking, as I understand it, is this-- If you have pneumatic tires, you'll be able to drive them down the road. If you can drive your tractor down the road, you'll be tempted to rent more ground, buy a bigger farm or buy ANOTHER farm, and be a bigger farmer, and you'll be tempted to do more unscrupulous things or undercut your neighbors in order to get "even bigger" and buy bigger tractors and equipment, more land, or rent more ground, in a neverending cycle.

Of course, the simple fact of the matter is, when you look around, that happens ANYWAY. My BIL often makes critical comments about the fact that the only ones who can afford to buy farmland in his area are the Mennonites and Amish-- everybody else is too cash-strapped or debt-ridden to be able to afford it most of the time. SO, they end up buying more/bigger land, or paying more to rent fields nearby, then running their STEEL WHEELED equipment up and down the roads to farm it ANYWAY, which was the "original reason" for not having rubber-tired equipment anyway, so basically it's ALL a moot point!

The fact that these steel wheels are on a new cab fairly big Cat Challenger tractor says something... whatever the REASONS for not allowing rubber tires on powered equipment, ITS NOT WORKING GUYS!!! Back to the old drawing board!!!!

Note that it's PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE for most of them to run pneumatic rubber tires on UNPOWERED (towed) equipment, like balers, wagons, choppers, etc... (although SOME sects forbid ANY pneumatic tires towed or untowed). Just NOT on "self propelled" machinery...

Course some of them forbid "self propelled" anything-- if it has to move, it has to be pulled by horses... if it needs "rotary power" then it either has to have an engine cart to spin the PTO or an engine installed on it, but it must be "pulled" by horses... but these are the most restrictive of the Amish... Then there's some Mennonites that even have cars... but they have to be a PLAIN BLACK car... colors aren't allowed or are highly discouraged, or frowned upon, or shunned, or whatever...

Really not a lot of rhyme or reason to it... and the thing is, most Amish/Mennonites I've experienced are no more or less "pious" than any "church going" moral person in the community is, for the most part... Plenty of stories from real-life situations where the neighbor was screwing his neighbor's wife in the milking parlor, or other sorts of things that supposedly the Amish/Mennonites are "immune" from due to their "lifestyle". I've seen plenty of them cuss and drink beer, etc... Not exactly what you'd expect "pious" people to do.

Beard and hat and NO rubber tires or no beard, no hat, and with rubber tires, in the end PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE... Some are "good" and some are "bad". I've seen some Raumsprunge stuff that makes some Spring Break escapades look like church camp, too...

Later! OL J R


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

r82230 said:


> When stick (nail, old horse shoe or whatever) pokes hole in oxygen leaves, he doesn't have that worry. :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> Larry


Yep... but he doesn't get horsepower to the ground as effectively as rubber tires, plus he doesn't have any disks left in his back by age 45 either...

To each his own... LOL

OL J R


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

BTW steel wheels on the roads are ILLEGAL in most places, aren't they??

Glad to see that is being enforced... LOL

Later! OL J R


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

luke strawwalker said:


> Yep... but he doesn't get horsepower to the ground as effectively as rubber tires, plus he doesn't have any disks left in his back by age 45 either...
> 
> To each his own... LOL
> 
> OL J R


Steel wheels and an air ride seat.


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

In Wisconsin there is a rule if you tear up the road with tracks they can fine you up to 3x the cost to repair the damage.
Never really heard of any IoH kaws enforced. Wonder about the ice skates this time of year.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

Wethay said:


> Steel wheels and an air ride seat.


Still shake twice as hard as rubber tires and an air ride seat... LOL

Later! OL J R


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