My trick to mounting small tires involves soapy water, two flat blade 6" screwdrivers, and three pairs of Vise-Grips,,

Lube the tire bead with soapy water so it will slide on the rim.

You pry the tire on the rim with the screwdrivers,,

The Vise-Grips,,!??
Clamp one pair on the rim where you start mounting the tire,
As you succeed in getting some of the tire on the rim with the screwdriver, clamp another pair of Vise-Grips on the rim to maintain your success,,

Pry some more tire bead on the rim, then ,, again, clamp the third pair of Vise-Grips on the rim, further maintaining your success.

Repeat until the tire bead goes on the rim.

The biggest problem is that the tire and rim are like holding on to a greased pig,,
the Vise-Grips fixes that,,

I just this week added a tube to a 4.80 X 8 4 ply bar tread tire on a tiller,,
This is the exact technique I used.

The reason the screwdrivers are so small is that large screwdrivers or tire irons easily slip in the rim,, and pinch a hole in the tube,,,
THEN, you get to start over,,, :biggrin2:


:bigthink:

i will try myself, i no the smaller the harderer, i got plenty of hair, vise grips, and soap for the pig its the patients i ll look for. i may go with the tires recamended to help in the steering as to mine is alittle hard.

You might be surprised how much less steering effort there is if you take the CV joint apart on the steering shaft and put fresh grease in it. I've taken a half dozen apart in the last few years investigating what I thought was harder than usual steering. All responded nicely to the attention.

I think most of them never get any attention and that means the grease is25 to almost 30 years old.

If I could get the steering wheel off, I would!

"a willingness to get dirty are good to have on hand" Says it all.

may try that, is it behind steerin wh or underneith on a 1641

The joint is underneath the battery tray. No need to remove the steering wheel, just take the bolt out of the shaft and pull the upper shaft up and lay it on the seat. Then, service the joint.

https://www.partstree.com/models/164...r-steering-43/

PS. I always remove the battery tray.

that sounds like may be some work, does it improve that much to be worth it? i was thinkin maybe suicide nob

You thinking long term or short term?

A part like that running dry is never good. Like your mower bearings.

it did take lube a month ago when i went over the whole tractor, the deck wouldnt and im all 4 good maintanance. the places i mow also are like corn mazes (turn turn turn) rather than 2-3 acres back and forth. i ll look at it today and i will hollar back. ps the weather we been haven i may put swamp buggy tires on it