Converting from Lug bolts to lug nuts on my BX2200

[JeremyBX2200]

So one of the biggest pains I run in to when messing with my BX2200 is that the tires use lug bolts instead of lug nuts. It makes mounting difficult since I have to try and hold the tire, line it up and thread in the bolt.

Have people converted these to use studs and lug bolts? Any drawbacks on doing this? I did a quick search and didn't find anything. It looks like a simple enough thing to do.

 

[85Hokie]

I have had the exact same problem - here is what I did to help that situation.

Jack the tractor up the LEAST bit to get tire off

Find cardboard or thin wood to ramp the tire into position - you may have to spin the tire a bit to get the pattern to line up. Get one bolt started with at least 360 twist then get another bolt opposite from that one started.......

 

[Vigo]

It is commonly done on cars and if the thread is one used by a car you can probably even buy a set of conversion studs on ebay or amazon pretty cheaply.

But even if it's not a common thread, you can still just get bolts that size. If they can be threaded in from the back side of the hub to stick out as lug studs, that is by far the simplest solution. If they can't be threaded in from the back, you can thread them in from the front and cut the heads off to make them studs, but you would need a thread die of that size to be able to do that easily so that you could leave the die on the bolt before cutting the head off, and then running the die off the cut end to straighten up the last thread which was cut. I usually try to 'bevel' the cut end a bit with a file or grinder before running the die off of it, too.

 

[JeremyBX2200]

It is commonly done on cars and if the thread is one used by a car you can probably even buy a set of conversion studs on ebay or amazon pretty cheaply.

But even if it's not a common thread, you can still just get bolts that size. If they can be threaded in from the back side of the hub to stick out as lug studs, that is by far the simplest solution. If they can't be threaded in from the back, you can thread them in from the front and cut the heads off to make them studs, but you would need a thread die of that size to be able to do that easily so that you could leave the die on the bolt before cutting the head off, and then running the die off the cut end to straighten up the last thread which was cut. I usually try to 'bevel' the cut end a bit with a file or grinder before running the die off of it, too.

From a quick glance it appears they can be threaded in from the backside.

 

[Vigo]

If that's the case this will be a VERY easy conversion. You must buy bolts a little longer than the wheel bolts you already have, and you will either want to use lock washers, or thread sealer, or tack weld the bolt heads to the hub so that when you are tightening down lug nuts on the other end, it doesn't try to 'unthread' the bolts out from the hub any.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I noticed on my old L35 that it had 2 studs and 4 bolts. I thought that was odd, but most of the tractors on the dealer's lot were that way. After taking a rear wheel off, it makes sense.

 

[shelkol]

I got studs from the Kubota dealer to replace the bolts on the back wheels. The front wheels are 9/16-18 and I couldn't find studs. I wound up buying replacement studs for a truck that was 9/16-18 and cut the head off then installed them using red locktite. Of course with all the dies I had I did not have a 9/16-18 and had to buy one. So much nicer having studs.

 

[Motion]

Suggest making two pilot pins to aid in locating the tire/rim onto the hub then install the existing bolts. Or convert only two bolt holes to studs with nuts. I you elect to install studs use a high quality thread locker (Loctite 271) or if possible install a nut on the rear side to lock the stud.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Just replaced the fronts on my BX23S with 725hrs...simple 10 minute job.
1st, spin hub to get holes at 12,3,6 and 9 o'clock
2nd , use large 'drift' to get rim aligned/held at 12 o'clock hole,use left hand.
3rd, use right hand and EASILY thread bolt into 6 o'clock hole
4th, repeat for 3 and 9 o'clock holes
5th, remove 'drift', install final bolt
6th, tighten them all up....

it took me longer to type this than to actually get the 4 bolts in

the 'drift' I use has a 3/8" blunt point, 3/4" hex bar at the 'handle' end and about 15" long.

 

[mikester]

You could add wheel spacers to change to stud mount.

I find a good hydraulic car/truck or bottle jack does the trick, you gotta get the wheel hub at just the right height and catch one lug and it gets easier after that. Mounting Big heavy tractor tires onto studs isn't any easier...it's not like a car tire you can manual pick up and rotate into position.

 

[Henro]

How often do you remove the wheels?

For me, almost never...never thought I had an issue.

Am I in the minority, I wonder?

I did install wheel spacers a couple years ago...my rear tires are foam filled and really heavy. Still, never realized a potential issue with my BX2200.

Hope these are not famous last words...

 

[mikester]

How often do you remove the wheels?

For me, almost never...never thought I had an issue.

Am I in the minority, I wonder?

I did install wheel spacers a couple years ago...my rear tires are foam filled and really heavy. Still, never realized a potential issue with my BX2200.

Hope these are not famous last words...

Not very often for me. I took my rear tires off on my current tractor once in the past 7 years when I installed the cab.

On my previous tractor I broke the valve stem on my loaded tires after hitting a branch. More likely the corroded valve stem popped off when a branch looked at it funny. I found it was easier to call the farm tire service guy and let him make a house call to pump out the calcium chloride, install a new inner tube, and re-fill in the field.

If you have good, smooth concrete floors to work on installing tires isn't too bad.

 

[DustyRusty]

I used grade 8 bolts and red Loctite to hold them in place. Installed wheel spacers in the rear, and then mounted the tires and wheels. When I sold my tractor it wasn't worth the effort to take the spacers off, so I left them for the new owner. Haven't gotten around to installing the spacers on my BX23S, but will one of these days when I feel I have the strength to do so.

 

[JeremyBX2200]

How often do you remove the wheels?

For me, almost never...never thought I had an issue.

Am I in the minority, I wonder?

I did install wheel spacers a couple years ago...my rear tires are foam filled and really heavy. Still, never realized a potential issue with my BX2200.

Hope these are not famous last words...

I don’t do it a ton, but I have a set of turf tires and a set of AG tires. Depends on the work I am doing with it. I pulled the rear tire off to do my hydraulic service this year.

Front tires aren’t nearly as bad, but I had to swap out to my turfs when I noticed a leaking valve stem on my AG.