Tractor Tire Types- how many are there and uses ?

Billy NY

Well-known Member
I have seen some interesting old tire patterns here and there, but thought it might be an interesting and informative question I don't recall seeing here before.

How many kinds of different tractor rear or front, antique or modern tires are there and whats the use or preference for use ?

Feel free to post images or what have you.

The one that comes to mind is like on this old JD LI I found in '09, wish I could have gotten it bought, but could not, the tires were lugged, at an angle and a little curve to the lug, and all the lugs were connected, what was the purpose of those ? (I had a darned photo of the LI, but the phone was "laundered briefly and dried completely, but never came back on, had a few good shots on that one !)
 
This old Firestone pattern was popular in its day for some reason. I can tell you this,at parade speed on asphalt they rode rough as a cob.
a106048.jpg
 
That particular Firestone pattern came along in the late '40s...before that, the lugs were straight and connected.

We had those on our '49 JD 'A'. For no good reason I can think of, I didn't think they held the ground as well as the open-tread Goodyears.

Stan
 
I've been told by pullers that they aren't worth a darned. I never took a pair out in the field and worked them. That tractor is just a chore tractor,used around the yard feeding cattle.
 
Its kind of hard to tell at an angle but those look like rice and cane tread, also used in the woods on log skidding tractors.
 
I had tires like that on my JD B when i got it, they worked ok fitting but could spin easy on wet grass
 
My dad"s "47 JD B came with similar tread - Firestone, if I remember. Think they were OK, when they wore out, he put a conventional tread on, probably that was what was available.
 
Grandpa always said they were good for winter because the chains wouldn't fall down between the space in the center of the open style of tire.
 
I agree with Stan, Firestones from mid 40's. Earlier Firestones had straight lugs, closed center.
Big debate at the time was whether the closed center, or open center such as Good Year pulled better.
B.F. Goodrich had open centers, but the end of lug looked like a check mark.
Rice tires would have lugs a lot taller than these.
Willie
 
My Dad's C had the closed center Firestones. He said they were useless in mud or any wet surface and only good thing was for chains in the winter. When he traded C for SC he insisted on Goodyear open centers.

JimB2
 
We always called that tire a rice tire. I think they were used in the rice and cane fields in the south, but I see them on B's and C's Allis-Chalmers, a lot!
 
When new they were abvertised as field and road as the closed center was to make them last forever but like other post said they were worthlss in mud and snow. The new B in Aug 47 came with them and after first snow chains were the normal now they are collectable and pretty when restored on an old tractor.
 

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