Rear tires on JD B

Cavalier

Member
I have a 1943 B that I got at an auction. It runs great now after extensive work. Thanks for a good friend who is a better mechanic than me. But I do notice that it has 13:38 rear tires and wheels. The owners manual for that model shows it with 10:38. I expect to change them back to 10:38 but what would be the reason someone would go to 13's other than they were cheap and available? The tractor has a forward pitch because of the oversize tires.
 
Good chance it has rim for of some thing like an A or 60 since the rims for the 10X38 which is the new number 11.2X39 would be to narrow for a 13X38 or the new number 14.9X38. Ya you could mount the 13X38 in the narrow rim but they would look awful funny
 


DO NOT put 11.2x38 on your "B"..they are absolutely TOO Small..

I now have 13.6x38 Firestones on my Late Styled "B" ( From an "A" and it looks really, really "Right"..

I used my JD 520 to mow a lot and put the old tires and rims on it from my JD 720D. and it seldom if ever leaves any tire marks and since the tread is worn down, turning does not tear up the grass as much..
Besides, they only need about 4# air pressure and all the weather cracks closed..!!
Yes, they do nook too large on that one, but it serves the purpose..

I would NOT install the "Original" 10x38" (11.2x38).. go at lease ONE size Larger and you will be a Happy Camper...

11.2x38 size is just mis-leading ..it MUST NOT be a True equivalent of the 10x38..it ALWAYS looks too small on any JD "B" , IH "H", or Ollie .
 

13x38" is equal to 15.5x38" in the "Newer" measurement..

14.9x38 is much taller than 15.5x38" (excepting for the GoodYear "Titan" 15.5x38") which is as tall as a 14.9x38.

The 13.6x38 is not as tall as the mentioned 2 larger sizes, but will require 12" to 13" wide rims..

12.4x38" IS what you need and WANT...
 
I wouldn't change them for the sake of change. I think in this day and age all new tires will be worth more than the tractor itself.
 
"<font color="#6699ff">[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]The owners manual for that model shows it with 10:38.[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]</font>"

Here is information from the <a href="http://www.petestirestore.com/Antique-Farm-Tractor-Tire-Size-Conversion-Chart_b_10.html">Antique Farm Tractor Tire Size Conversion Chart</a>.

Note the [b:654c4848f0]Old Tire Size[/b:654c4848f0] of 10-38 equates to the 11.2-38 [b:654c4848f0]Conventional Tire Size[/b:654c4848f0].

Take a look at a pair of 11.2-38 Firestone tires on "John B" our 43B.

a163769.jpg" width="650"


Hope this helps.
 
13-38 is a 14.9 - 38 the 15.5 is an oddball that was created later to mimic the height of 13.6 but be wider.
 
I bet the prior owner was trying to increase the pokey 10 mph road speed with the bigger tires.

Dad bought a '40 styled B with the 4-speed Trans in December 1969. It had almost bald 9-38 Goodyear tires
on it when we got it. We had a better pair of mismatched 11-38's that speeded it up a tiny bit, but still
too slow.
 
Like everyone says you'll need a good buget....wheels and tires....would be a ton to spend on tractor and probably worth as much as tractor....11-38 a good fit for those...some used 12-38's....traction was never really an issue with about 25 h.p. Some used the skinny tires due to crop row width as the tricycle was meant for row cropping...you might look around and find someone with an A that may have mismatched small tires and wheels and do a swap....better still maybe you could trade out....just a ton to buy new stuff....
 
my 49 B i put 13.6 x38 on it , looks great , remember tire size today is different then in the 40's , also mine has cast centers which weigh a ton w/ 1 set of original weights i think are 300 lbs. each & i still have traction problems when pulling bin wagons loaded with grain ( not overly big wagons either), it wont spin loose but does paw for life on the hills coming out of the field , going to add some liquid next. just depends what your using it for as to what kind of traction problems you will encounter ,here in the rolling hills of PA a traction problem could scare the dung out of ya or get ya killed.
 
I think that was with small tires???? 10-38? They move with something bigger. Also depends on where the fast idle is set :)
 
(quoted from post at 15:17:23 06/23/17) "&lt;font color="#6699ff"&gt;[b:0bb5162e28][i:0bb5162e28]The owners manual for that model shows it with 10:38.[/i:0bb5162e28][/b:0bb5162e28]&lt;/font&gt;"

Here is information from the &lt;a href="http://www.petestirestore.com/Antique-Farm-Tractor-Tire-Size-Conversion-Chart_b_10.html"&gt;Antique Farm Tractor Tire Size Conversion Chart&lt;/a&gt;.

Note the [b:0bb5162e28]Old Tire Size[/b:0bb5162e28] of 10-38 equates to the 11.2-38 [b:0bb5162e28]Conventional Tire Size[/b:0bb5162e28].

Take a look at a pair of 11.2-38 Firestone tires on "John B" our 43B.

&lt;img src="http://photos.yesterdaystractors.com/gallery/uptest/a163769.jpg" width="650" /&gt;

Hope this helps.

I appreciate all the input but hearing many options. I would like the tractor to stand level but now leans forward due to the oversize rear tires. The fronts are 5x15 as was on the original B from the factory. I am not doing field work but certainly taking it through different type terrain from time to time. I need to pull the rear wheels anyway to replace the seals so maybe I can get something on there then that keeps the tractor level and also functions well.
 

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