Installing rear spacers on L2501

[Chanceywd]

I have received my spacers and getting ready to install so I can use chains. I am wondering if anyone could offer experience with handling the rear 15 x 19.5 loaded R14 tires. Are they too much for one guy to handle working slowly and carefully. Does the weight become more than you can control if you keep them upright?

Thanks in advance,
Bill

 

[6feettogo]

Do you have a hardware dolly that you can use to set the tire on after you raise the tractor?

 

[85Hokie]

Bill,

the trick there is to get the tire off the ground just enough to pull away.

Break the nuts - jack the tractor up - remove rim/tire and roll away on level floor. The further you roll the more likely the alignment will be off.

If you can get anyone else to help - that will make it a lot easier.

I just did this, this past weekend, my tire is about 50% the size of yours, took almost everything I had to lift it off the ground!

Many will say have a set of forks or another apparatus that will allow you to pick up and set back into place. I did not have any of that!!! I did find myself using a small piece of wood as a shim, so when I rolled the tire back into alignment I used the shim to raise just enough to get two lugs on.

One last thing - make sure you only jack up the ONE side - not the entire rear off the ground, the weight from the other side will tip the tractor and mess the alignment off.

IT takes patience and a good smart plan!

 

[johnjk]

Unless you have a hoist or crane to lift that tire back up, leave it upright. When I did spacers on my B3200, I did what 85Hokie state, leaning them against the FEL frame once off. The closer you keep them to the tractor the less chance of dropping or getting hurt. I also had a jack stand under the axle in the event the jack failed. You want the weight of the tractor just off the wheel and then walk it off the studs. Slow and steady with side to side action vs top to bottom (if that makes sense). Think of the wheel as a clock. Work it 9 to 3 not 12 to 6.

 

[SDT]

I have received my spacers and getting ready to install so I can use chains. I am wondering if anyone could offer experience with handling the rear 15 x 19.5 loaded R14 tires. Are they too much for one guy to handle working slowly and carefully. Does the weight become more than you can control if you keep them upright?

Thanks in advance,
Bill

I've removed/installed much larger loaded tires/wheels without help multiple times but one must be careful and choose a proper work area.

I position a bottle jack under the tractor in an area that it will lift one wheel at a time. Position the jack such that you can reach both pump lever and lowering valve while in a position to control the wheel/tire. Lock the brake on the wheel opposite the wheel/tire that you are removing. Move gear or range selector to neutral such that the wheel can be turned manually.

Loosen all lug nuts, unload tire with jack, and remove lug nuts leaving one or two finger tight. Now raise jack just enough that you can finesse wheel tire away from hub by rocking back and forth. You can lean the tire toward yourself a bit but do not go so far that gravity is pushing it strongly toward you. Be certain that the tractor is positioned far enough from obstacles such that you can easily bail out if necessary. Roll wheel/tire away from tractor and lean against suitable structure.

Upon installation, rock wheel/tire back into position similarly as done upon removal. Raise or CAREFULLY lower bottle jack as necessary. Wheel bolts will likely not be properly indexed with wheel studs. This is why you must place transmission in neutral prior to installation as you may not be able to reach the transmission controls while holding the wheel/tire vertically.

Turn hub as necessary. Install lug nuts and torque to specification after lowering jack enough to prevent wheel/tire from turning. Repeat other side.

I have removed/replaced loaded wheels/tires as large as 15.5X38 without assistance using this method.

It may be a bit unsettling the first time, but you are working with a wheel/tire that is small enough that you will likely not have serious problems.

If you should lose control of the dismounted wheel/tire, simply get out of the way and let it fall. You would not want it to pin you, especially if no one else is around.

SDT

 

[Chanceywd]

Well it sounds like what I was thinking of doing, the walking it off and keeping upright then leaning against the loader frame. I have had the ones on my 8N off many times and handled them that way but they aren't loaded. Just was unsure about the weight factor being loaded and was looking for experience.

Just to be clear I am not new to this kind of work, thinking i can do it alone but my better half had toe surgery yesterday so she isn't up to helping for a while. She would normally be my second set of hands.

Thanks you,
Bill

 

[OrangeKrush]

My tire is half the size of yours and if I remember right being filled it gained right at a 100lbs each.

 

[ayak]

I used my backhoe (along with some jack stands for moral support) to help fine tune the lift just so I could slide the (filled) tire off the lugs. I’ve also used a wheel dolly at times. If you put a little air under the other tire you’re not currently working on, you can make your life a whole lot easier if you spin it so everything lines up better for the tire going back on. If one of those rears starts to fall or otherwise get away from you, don’t be a hero.

 

[Chanceywd]

Well I took an hour and a half to put them on, not too bad. I have the L2501DT gear model. I tried both levers in neutral and the brakes off but I could not get a wheel to rotate by hand to line holes up. Maybe the hydraulic pump is locking it up then?

Anyhow I was able to get one stud started and then with some careful jacking get the second one and the the 4 bolts. The wheels were not too bad weight wise and didn't feel like they would tip over too quickly.

Thanks to all for your input and suggestions!

Maybe the chains this afternoon!

Thanks again,
Bill

Skip that thought on the pump I was thinking like the 8N.

 

[SDT]

Well I took an hour and a half to put them on, not too bad. I have the L2501DT gear model. I tried both levers in neutral and the brakes off but I could not get a wheel to rotate by hand to line holes up. Maybe the hydraulic pump is locking it up then?

Anyhow I was able to get one stud started and then with some careful jacking get the second one and the the 4 bolts. The wheels were not too bad weight wise and didn't feel like they would tip over too quickly.

Thanks to all for your input and suggestions!

Maybe the chains this afternoon!

Thanks again,
Bill

Skip that thought on the pump I was thinking like the 8N.

If your tractor has transmission driven PTO, the PTO will need to be disengaged if anything is connected or if PTO brake equipped.

 

[85Hokie]

Well I took an hour and a half to put them on, not too bad. I have the L2501DT gear model. I tried both levers in neutral and the brakes off but I could not get a wheel to rotate by hand to line holes up. Maybe the hydraulic pump is locking it up then?

Anyhow I was able to get one stud started and then with some careful jacking get the second one and the the 4 bolts. The wheels were not too bad weight wise and didn't feel like they would tip over too quickly.

Thanks to all for your input and suggestions!

Maybe the chains this afternoon!

Thanks again,
Bill

Skip that thought on the pump I was thinking like the 8N.

Bill,

sounds like you did it just like the rest of us ....... I had to hold my tongue just right to get the first lug on however!!!!!

 

[Chanceywd]

If your tractor has transmission driven PTO, the PTO will need to be disengaged if anything is connected or if PTO brake equipped.

I checked that. I haven't used the pto yet just checked it for operation a while back. Just have a back blade on. It hasn't moved for a few days and it has been cold. maybe if i had drove it a little first? Maybe the brakes just dragging from cold fluid too? But it was in and all dried off so I worked thru it. Just pleased the tires were not too much to handle by myself.

Bill

 

[ayak]

Do ya have 4WD on yours?

 

[Chanceywd]

Do ya have 4WD on yours?

Bing Bing Bing! We have a winner. I went up and checked and yes I had it in 4WD!

Thank you! I wanted to put the chains on and I like to jack it up and rotate them but was trying to figure out why I couldn't.

Thanks for your help!
Bill