Best rear tire for a 656 Farmall

Fullern90

Member
My 656 has the pressed steel 34" wheels that were most likely axle duals of another IH tractor and has 18.4-34 rear tires. Since I am going tmfir the original look I want to go back to cast centers and 38" rims. I read that the 656 had 15.5-38s from the factory which coincidentally my 544 Farmall has exactly that. How would you guys feel about a 16.9-30 Firestone Field and Road for a 656? I don't want a 18.4 because it just looks dumb on a 656 but I feel that 16.9 wouldn't be bad because obviously I'm putting a little more power to the ground than than the 544.
 
The 18.4x34 on pressed steel are very common on the 656. I see more 656's for sale with the 34's than 38's. If I were to guess, I'd say more 656's came with 34's than 38's.

16.9x38 is a good look for these tractors.

18.4x38's would look dumb.
 
Most 656.s i have seen had 15.5 x38. Quite a few were used as bucking tractors on Farmhand F 11 or F 25 loaders.
 
I have a 656 hydro with 15.5-38's and when they wear out I am going to put 23.1-34's on it as I feel more rubber will give more cushion.
 
Barnyard, i bought a new Hydro 70 diesel for swathing, baleing, and corn planting, i thought that was going to be the real cats meow, well it came with 15.5 x 38's. It wouldn't pull a 4 row corn planter where the 4 wheel drive had cultivated the day before,well that was enough of that for 1 year, i traded the the 15.5 and rim, for some used 18.4 x 38's,The big thing was it raised the drawbar and the added footprint helped too,at least i didn't get stuck in dry dirt.
 
Gene, My Farmall 656 Operator's Manual with a print date of 2-1-66 states on page 71 "Tractors are equipped with cast iron rear wheels and demountable double-bead rims, which mount on slidable axles and are equipped with 15.5-38 tractor-type, agricultural-thread tires. Power adjusted wheels and rims are available for 15.5-38 tires." There is no mention of other size rear wheels or tires in the ten pages or so in my manual.
In looking in my Parts Catalog for 656 Tractors the only rims shown for cast rear wheels is the one for 15.5-38 tires and a different rim for the smaller 13.6-38 or 14.9-38 tires. There are several disc type wheels for the smaller 13.6-38 and 14.9-38 tires and two others noted for 16.9-34 and 18.4-34. The 34" disc type wheels might be applicable to the International 656 as the TC-114 part catalog is titled "Part Catalog 656 Tractors" while the Operator's Manual is titled Farmall 656 without mention of the International Utility 656 model tractors.
I have a SMTA with 16.9-38 tires and I believe I measured them at one time a few years ago and since my 656 has the IH original fenders I think I determined that if I switched them to the 656 there wouldn't be clearance for the tire with the fenders installed due to the larger tire diameter, Hal.
 
My Farmall 656 has what I think you call wide coverage fenders - the original fenders which are flat on the top and houses the front lights, Hal.
 

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