Front Tires - Firestone 3-Rib or Vredestein V61 5 Rib?
 

Hello again fellow IHCC'ers!

The front tires on my 1650 are dry rotted and one of them is slowly losing air - it's time to replace them. After reading various posts on tires on this forum I decided that, based on the primary use of the 1650 (plowing [some garden plowing on a graded hill and plan for snow plowing], tilling, no mowing) it sounds like I should go with ribbed tires.

My question to you is - should I go with the Firestone 3-Rib or Vredestein V61 5 Rib? I see both of them available at Miller Tire.

I'd be glad to answer any questions you have before provided a response. Again - I intend to mainly use this tractor for ground engagement and plowing (some on hill, some on flat ground).

Thanks for your time!

I use the 5 rib tires for everything you say you'll be doing and love them. I mow a fairly steep ditch with my 1450 or 1782 and they stick to it very nicely. Around here, plowing snow also means there is usually a layer of ice underneath it and nothing does too good on that.

I have the Firestone tri ribs on the 1211 and it did great at plow day on Saturday, I had no issues controlling the tractor, I also used it to mow Sunday and they did great there as well.

I would go Firestone. V61s look better on like a super or a 782 ect.
That's just my opinion

Firestone all the way. Got em on my 1650, and they work great for everything, plus if you'll be doing a lot of dirt work with them their self cleaning unlike the 61's that gather up the dirt in the grooves...
But the bottom line, your money, your tractor.

Here is another vote for Firestone tri-ribs, I have three machine 's with these and love them. I personally feel they have a tougher side wall.

Vredestein V61 5 Rib, I like the wider looking footprint.

Vredestein V61 5 Rib gets my vote - for only 1 reason. I plowed snow this past winter with the Big Firestone Tri ribs and they were horrible. I had heard they don't do so well in the winter plowing snow and I can confirm this.

Firestone Tri ribs look great, perform great on grass, dirt, and most anything but snow plowing. When the snow blade is turned and snow is deep the cub will easily slide sideways. I've used Vredestein V61 5 Ribs, turf tires, original implement looking wide front tires, and narrow tri ribs for snow plowing and the Firestone Tri ribs might be the worst of the bunch.

Firestone Tri ribs make your steering feel like power steering. I guess I really like these except for the snow plowing.

Odd, got the Firestone's on the 1650 with a 54" push blade and never had an issue turning...
http://s31.postimg.org/6jkigzpi3/DSC04527.jpg
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I like the V61's. They did great in the snow, when I had them on my 782. I have them on my 982. The V61's won't tear your yard up while turning as well.

Front tires.
 

:Morning: I have the Firestones 3 v-ribs on my 149 and the work great from plowing snow, mowing and tilling. They were purchased from Miller tire. :American Flag 1:

I went with the Firestone 3-Rib. Any tips on mounting them? I already have Harbor Freight's mini tire changer. I saw in another post that someone was stretching them width-wise (with pieces of wood inside which would be removed at mounting time) ahead of time to help mount them. Should I do that to help get a better seal so they blow up to seat them on the bead?

I paid $10 at the tire shop to have them mounted, so much easier than fighting with those small tires.

:Morning: Those 4 plys can be hard to mount. Not much stretch. I am not sure about the pieces of wood, unless you block them up and get some heat on them. Like setting them out in the sun for a while. Then the HF changer may work. If it were me, instead of going to all that trouble, I would take olds45512 advice and take them to the tire shop. :American Flag 1:

i always mount all mine but of course ive never had the firestones... i just buy the deestone tri ribs and save 100 dollars, but they are nice though... but anyways, if you use a tire spoon and a long crappy screwdriver and straight dishsoap its a breeze... the first side is all grunt and hands, throw the rim into it hard, (make sure its the right side, as one is narrower than other) and then one final flip over with the screw driver...second side you have to work around and use your knee alot behind the most recent section of tire you flip over bead....if that makes sense???? takes 2-5 min depending on practice.... i paint my rims in the center before i mount them so they wont rust, but i let the air back out of the tires and slip vinyl tape just under the bead and bag and tape the tires off and paint them after mounting...just me but i get the best results this way....good luck...take shrader valve core out when mounting and put a straight air chuck or blow gun in their too get bead seated..be careful happens quick..then reinstall valve and place to proper psi....

X-2, work smarter, not harder.:beerchug: