jtwat

Member
Hey everyone, I have a 1957 Major and need some rear tires. They are 16.9-26
I have room for a taller tire like a 18.4-26 but they are hard to find used. New tires are $500 each so that option is out of the question. What other options are there? Are there any other rims that would fit a Major off another make tractor?
Thanks
 
Hi
What country are you in?, unless it's a digger/ industrial, In Australia with there own cast centers , or been modified before. 26" rims are unusual on a major from what I know of stock tractors. in the UK majors had 16.9 x 30's or 12 or 13 x 36" and in North America the odd one had 36's and the more common is 30's and 12 or 13x 38's for tire size. Somethings off here for some reason, but if you can find the major 6 stud wheel pattern with those rims/ good tires in a wreckers. you should be good to straight swap if you got clearance under the fenders unless somethings off there to.
Tires cost $500 each or more new now for most rear tires to fit the major so you might be no better off in the end, with rim costs and finding good used tires or good tires on the rims.
Regards Robert
 
I'm in Central Florida and there are not many combines around here. The tires are wheels are what have been on the tractor since I've owned it. (15-20)yrs.
It had wheel weights on it too until I took them off.
Are there any other make tractor that uses the same 6 lug wheels I could swap? I see many take-offs online still on rims but dont know it they would fit a Major.
 
Hi
I'd sure like to see pictures of those wheels to see what you have. The English factory ford 4000 tractors had a 6 stud pattern the same, but the other factory versions had 8 stud. everything else I can think of other than the wheels I already told you about will be next to impossible to find close to you, or in North America I'm thinking as there aren't many about over here if any for some things.

The take off wheels will probably have the wrong center stud pattern or rim pattern and need adapter plates making and fitting in a machine/ welding shop and cost more $ to convert them from 8 to 6 stud or what ever they have.

To be totally honest there is no $200 cheap fix unless you get lucky and find the tires used to fit your rims at a sensible price.
I have been doing old majors for years and if the tires need replacing it can make the tractor so expensive it's not worth buying fixing and selling. The only guy that makes money on the tractor is the seller and the parts guys. Been there done that and quit doing it L.O.L. I just buy them for my own collection now and tire prices are killing restoring for fun now to, as everybody wants good used tires and they are getting harder to find and news the only option round here for major tires. The last used matched pair of well worn 30" cost me $500 in Iowa and I had to ship them to the Manitoba Canada border and drive into North Dakota and fetch them.
Regards Robert
 
Only other would be an E27N Fordson. Are you sure you don't have replacement rims welded to the old center piece? Up here, when we see a 26 inch tire, we automatically assume: "combine". I have a
pair on an old WD Allis, (direct bolt-on), and they don't look bad.

Light farm tractors are usually 28 inch or 24 inch. (Ford, Allis). They go up to 30, 32, 34, 36, 38
etc. I think I saw some old Oliver tires up to 42 inch.
a199631.jpg
 
Looks to me like a Fordson Major wheel center has been
turned down to a diameter that fits a combine rim and
then welded into place. It can be used again with
a less rusty 26 inch rim.
 

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