Running Gear Rims?

I have an 8 ton running gear with 6-hole, 15 inch rims on it. It has a small, 150 bushel, gravity box on it that I use to haul feed from the elevator 5 miles back to the farm. I put 4 new tires and rims on it 2 summers ago.

Well, last week I was headed home on the blacktop, about 15 mph, and noticed the wagon was wobbling a bit so I immediately pulled over on the shoulder. When I got out to investigate I noticed the center ring, where the lug holes are drilled, was broken out about 2/3 of the way around and causing the wobble. The center ring of the rim was still bolted tight to the face of the hub. I figure I could have gone about 100 feet more and it would have snapped the rest of the center out.

I had 80 bushels in it at the time, just came off the elevator scale and netted about 4,500 pounds of feed. I have probably put 100 miles on these wheels over the past 2 years, total of 80 on blacktop then 20 on gravel.

The rims are stamped "Titan", not sure if they were U.S. made or not as I think Titan has factories all over, but I got them from our local farm tire dealer and he knew what kind of wagon I was mounting them on, and the purpose, when he ordered the tires and wheels for me.

Do you think I just got a "bad" wheel, or do they rate implement/wagon wheels for certain load weight and my dealer got me ones that were too light? I just want to have an idea before I take the wheel in to talk with him.

Thanks in advance for any advice/information.

I have seen similar, but it was usually due to abuse, overloading, etc. It does not sound to me like you were abusing those wheels though. I think I would go have a talk with the dealer that sold them to you.

check your tie rod alinement if it was on the ft. had that happen on a 63 ford in my younger days. after i hit a bale of hay tried to drive it home ended up walking about 5 miles. it had good old ford steel rims.

I have a friend that farms 600+ acres and hauls all grain with gravity boxes. I see many rims just like you describe laying next to the shed or are on a wagon. In his case it is overloading and driving too fast both on the road and in the feilds. I borrored him my gravity boxes this past fall. One came home with a slightly bent front spindle, and the other came back with two new tires and rimes on it and a few new steering components. Not sure what to do about the bent spindals on the red box. I think it is a westendorf(?) 10 or 12 ton, and not sure if I can get new ones or if it is OK being bent. Sure does look funny

Dave, Westendorf is located right down in Onawa, Iowa. Do a google search.

There is a difference in thickness of the centers, thus the strength as well.

Rims are too light weight. You need heavier rims, probably bigger tires for the load. Shoup sells reinforcement plates to patch the rims, but the rims need to be thicker steel.

Each rim has a rated load in addition to offset, width, diamter, and bolt circle.

I compute you need tires and rims good for at least 2625 pounds each.

Gerald J.

A 150 bu wagon on six bolt rims is not overloading the rims unless they are light duty rims. We used to put 500 miles per year on six hole rims (11L15 tires) under 200 bu wagons and never had a problem that I can remember. We did this for 19 years, running back and forth to town in the fall.We're always careful about speed, though, never over 15 MPH loaded. These are Westendorf gears with the factory supplied rims.

Now my curiosity is up. I'm gonna go out to the shed and look at the weight rating in them. Jim

The rims on my wagons have centers that are 1/4" thick but I couldn't find any weight ratings. Jim

BRENT IN IA was it a front wheel ?