Replacement Rims For Skid Loader for Snow Tires / Studs Snow Plowing ?

[busted_knuckles]

Hi all, as the heat of summer approaches, Im in full swing prepapring for next winter. Id like to know if anyone has researched a replacement 16" (sixteen, not sixteen and a half) rim for the skids with the 8 bolt wheels. Im assuming all the machines run the same bolt pattern / circle with the 8 bolt wheels (Ive got a 1999 New Holland Lx885). Dont know if this bolt pattern is the same at the light trucks, and then there is the offset? Id like to run some dedicated light truck Load Range E snow tires for plowing snow this winter, and Im pretty sure they dont make 16.5"s anymore, the 16"s in LRE dedicated snow are hard enough to come by. Wanted to ask this question, before I spend several hours trying to figure it out, cant be the first one wanting snow tires on their machine? For those of you that live in the snow belt, and have not run dedicated "Snow" tires made in the last 10 years might not understand what Im up to, if you have run some of the good, computer designed / generated tread patterns of late, on a car or truck, you then know the fantastic performance of these tires and why Id want them on my skid. Anybody " been there, done that " or know any good reason not to do it, or what works better. I cant run chains, but could run studs, prefer to run just good tires. Comments? thanks for your time and input, Bill

 

[skidsteer.ca]

Bill
I believe there are some tires call "wolf paws" or "snow wolf" that are studded and designed for skidsteer use. I remember a post on www.plowsite.com about that awhile back. ( I hate linking to them because they won't allow you to post a link to any other forum, but the info you want is there)
The bolt pattern on all 8 stud skids is the same, 8 lugs on a 8" diameter bolt pattern, The offsets do vary, but you should be able to find something that will work because the tires are much narrower. www.surpluscenter.com had some 16" rims with this bolt patern awhile back for $20 (? memory)
I searched for 16 X 6 8 BOLT GALVANIZED STEEL
but they are out of stock. It said to contact them about more stock. Belive these are used on some farm implements so you might want to try you favourite tractor dealers to..

Not sure how thick, but winter use should be easier on them. Unless you have a 2 speed machine I'd also go for the tallest tire you can get to increase ground speed. I thought about this last winter but it seemed like overkill just for the 1 hour it takes to plow my yard.
Hope that helps, let us lnow what you do.
Ken

 

[busted_knuckles]

Bill
I believe there are some tires call "wolf paws" or "snow wolf" that are studded and designed for skidsteer use. I remember a post on www.plowsite.com about that awhile back. ( I hate linking to them because they won't allow you to post a link to any other forum, but the info you want is there)
The bolt pattern on all 8 stud skids is the same, 8 lugs on a 8" diameter bolt pattern, The offsets do vary, but you should be able to find something that will work because the tires are much narrower. www.surpluscenter.com had some 16" rims with this bolt patern awhile back for $20 (? memory)
I searched for 16 X 6 8 BOLT GALVANIZED STEEL
but they are out of stock. It said to contact them about more stock. Belive these are used on some farm implements so you might want to try you favourite tractor dealers to..

Not sure how thick, but winter use should be easier on them. Unless you have a 2 speed machine I'd also go for the tallest tire you can get to increase ground speed. I thought about this last winter but it seemed like overkill just for the 1 hour it takes to plow my yard.
Hope that helps, let us lnow what you do.
Ken

Hi Ken, thanks for the help and the reply, interesting site, the "surpluscenter", found some other nick nacks I could use from there! Taking the info you provided I figured out there is an ag rim (as you suspected), that will work great (16x8 I think it was), for about $65 a piece plus shipping. Rated at 5k per wheel, think they would hold up fine, understanding the lateral load is probably more important that the vertical load on these machines. When I get everything together, I will post details and pics, guessing at least a month or more before I put it done. Talk to you guys later, Bill

 

[Idoitall]

Hi Ken, thanks for the help and the reply, interesting site, the "surpluscenter", found some other nick nacks I could use from there! Taking the info you provided I figured out there is an ag rim (as you suspected), that will work great (16x8 I think it was), for about $65 a piece plus shipping. Rated at 5k per wheel, think they would hold up fine, understanding the lateral load is probably more important that the vertical load on these machines. When I get everything together, I will post details and pics, guessing at least a month or more before I put it done. Talk to you guys later, Bill

You might try this company. They've been in business for over one hundred years and make all kinds of wheels. I know several folks that have bought military wheels from them and they are very good.
http://www.stocktonwheel.com/