Let's talk about tires

My TO20 still has the 4x19 wheels and tires on the front and it has 11.2x28 on the rear. I am considering switching the front rims to run 6x16 on the front. I know John(UK) had said that putting the 6x16 on the front will make it steer a little harder but the reason I"m thinking about is because of weight. I do most of my raking hay with that 20 and sometimes it hard to keep the front end on the ground. Are any of you all running loaded 6x16 wheels on the front of yours? My rear tires are loaded but like I said they are 11.2x28. Is it true that if I go to a 12.4x28 it will dig a little better when plowing because of it being a taller tire?

Jason I've had my fronts loaded since I got mine 2 years ago. Had a flat last fall the 600x16 weigh's around 200lb per Tire. Previous owner had it done years before,drives like new .NO shake or shimmie on the Road don't take the steering wheel out of Hands in plowed ground.400lb of weight below the center of Tractor,makes a diffrent machine.Try it youll love it. Steve.

In my opinion , tire size in snow doesn't matter . Loaded rears & tire chains on snow & ice gets you better traction .You get more ground clearance with the larger tires especially when doing field work in the spring & summer . Now , this is my past experience & opinions & I approve this opinion . God bless , Ken

How are you getting taller tires? They are both 28 inch? What did I miss?

A 12.4 is a slightly taller tire than an 11.2. For example BKT tires the overall diameter of the 11.2 is 1205mm but the 12.4 is 1260mm. They are both for a 28 inch rim but the outside diameter is different between the two.

In Carlisle the 11.2 is 48.3 inches in diameter but the 12.4 is 50.3 inches in diameter. So it also depends on who makes the as to how much taller the 12.4 is.

Having both a 20 and a 30 on the farm, I can say that you will enjoy the 16" fronts. Both have fluid and the 20 also has inside cast weights on front. Steering on either one is enhanced and sometimes for fun I can steer with my feet placed on the steering arms. Both of these tractors have been on the farm since the early 50's and mostly sit in the garage now in favor of much larger tractors. You shouldn't regret the tire swap and in regards to larger back tires, both now have 12.4-28 and again this is an improvement. Enjoy gray.

Second attempt. Am I the only one who accidently hits a wrong key and loses the whole typed out post?
Anyway, yes, I have a pair of Goodyear 12.4x28's that are 4 inches taller than a decent 11.2x28, and much wider. Seems alot has to do with brand and ply rating. When you think about IH JD and others who used 36 or 38" rears for decades, because of traction and plowing power... I won't argue with their engineers about that theory. I don't 'like' those brands, but ya got to respect their power.
As for fronts, as John told you, 4x19's are like free power steering, but yea, rather light for some jobs, like a plow hitting a stump or big root?
I have a set of cast weights on 6x16's, very different, but not any harder to steer than 16's without the weights. I want to try solid rubber in a pair of 19's one of these days.
I would think along the lines of John UK again, we, without factory dimensions and operator's manuals...we are setting ourselves up to do something-s wrong. Adjusting hitch? worn shares? Coulters??? Wrong tire sizes and positions? Funny how we have such a miserable time nowdays, yet fresh from the dealer 60 years ago, people had fewer hangups.
I have a respectible collection of wheels and tires, about everything that was for sale on Craigslist the last couple years. If you want to experiment with a pair of 24's, contact 2 tractors, he isn't that far from you... and he is allergic to extra tires...

12.4 speed gain, power loss for plowing??