Are these tires interchangeable?

[FLtractor 8]

Evening, 

 

Attempting to learn all i can about my Wheelhorse 856 and garden tractor in general. 
when learning about wheels and tires.. would these front tires from a 414-8 that are 6.50 fit on 856 5.50 and vice versa ? Rear tires 414-8 : 23x8.50-12 fit on 856: 23x8.00-12?  Attached picture for reference 

thank you 

Edited Friday at 01:51 AM by FLtractor

[kpinnc 13,511]

The rear wheels on both pictured machines are the same, at 12x7.50. Those can be swapped. You can actually go up to 10.50 width with turf tires. 

 

The fronts are not the same. The wider 6.50 tires can be made to work with both, but the narrower front tires on the 856 may not fit the wider 414-8 wheels. Maybe with tubes?  

Edited Friday at 03:19 AM by kpinnc

[ebinmaine 70,398]

  On 4/4/2025 at 3:18 AM, kpinnc said:

The rear wheels on both pictured machines are the same, at 12x7.50. Those can be swapped. You can actually go up to 10.50 width with turf tires. 

 

Keep in mind that the back set of the wheels is different on other manufacturers. That can be made up for with spacers.

  6 hours ago, kpinnc said:

The fronts are not the same. The wider 6.50 tires can be made to work with both, but the narrower front tires on the 856 may not fit the wider 414-8 wheels. Maybe with tubes?  

 

Spindles can be swapped around from the '80s or '90s all the way back to the 60s.

[Retired Wrencher 5,625]

@FLtractor I have seen people put on early B series Like  a B-80 B-100 models that where made in the early 70`s size tires on these S/gen tractors. Cannot say How they would steer because of the width. 

[ebinmaine 70,398]

  On 4/5/2025 at 9:38 AM, Retired Wrencher said:

@FLtractor I have seen people put on early B series Like  a B-80 B-100 models that where made in the early 70`s size tires on these S/gen tractors. Cannot say How they would steer because of the width. 

 

 

B series and C series front wheels in the mid 70s are the same. It's the rears that were different.  

 

It's pure physics that a wider tire should have more friction thereby increasing effort. However the mid 70s front tires are still plenty easy to move as long as the tread isn't super aggressive.  

 

 

[ebinmaine 70,398]

  On 4/4/2025 at 1:50 AM, FLtractor said:

when learning about wheels and tires.....

 

Check out this thread: 

 

 

 

 

 

You'll see some reeeaaalllyy wiiiiide back sides in there. 

That'll give you an idea of what one can get away with.  

 

 

On the front, if you swap the steering spindles from the donor tractor to your own you should be able to use wheels from most other standard sized models. 

[Handy Don 13,267]

  On 4/5/2025 at 10:53 AM, ebinmaine said:

pure physics that a wider tire should have more friction

Well, maybe the normal force (weight?) and coefficient of friction can muscle their way into the equation as well! 😁

[ebinmaine 70,398]

  21 hours ago, Handy Don said:

Well, maybe the normal force (weight?) and coefficient of friction can muscle their way into the equation as well! 😁

 

 

Absolutely. 

[8ntruck 7,340]

Well, wider tires have a larger contact patch, which reduces the amount of downloaded per square inch of contact area.  Then on the other hand, a wider tire allows for more tread edges perpendicular to the travel direction.

 

In general, wide tires for turf, mud, and sand.  Narrow tires for snow.