farmall 450 tire size

henryrit · Jan 29, 2015

I'm in the processes of restoring my 450 and can't make up my mind on what tire size I wanna go with, 14.9, 15.5 ,16.9, . If I go with the 16.9's I will buy new 14" rims, it will be a show tractor, maybe a pull once and a while at a show or two, I've been tossing it around and can't make up my mind, the 14.9 will be the cheapest then 15.5s then 16.9s, any thoughts greatly appreciated, thanks

Brownie450 · Jan 29, 2015

Dads came out with 15.5s. The local tire dealer who
replaced the originals with the same size called them "little dummies". They were lots smaller than the originals.

1950 MFD · Jan 29, 2015

I have 15.5s on my 400 and wish I had 16.9s.

Zachary Hoyt · Jan 29, 2015

15.5 is a low profile tire, the same height as 13.6 but wider according to my understanding.
Zach

D Slater · Jan 29, 2015

Unless you are asking what tire sizes came on a 450 use what you like. If not trying to pull a 4 or 5 bottom plow or other heavy load continuously it doesn't matter. If it has a IH wide front use 14.9 in my opinion, it will help with the front looking higher than the rear.

mkirsch · Jan 29, 2015

Agreed. 14.9's are the best all-around.

15.5's are wider but lower. They will make the tractor look like it's running uphill.

16.9's are too big unless you are just raking hay. The tractor will be exceptionally fast in all gears.

State of Jefferson · Jan 29, 2015

My SMTA had 16.9's when I bought it. I thought it looked like a top-fuel dragster. Replaced em with 15.5's. I like them. Runs uphill a little now, but my front tires are a bit taller than they should be...

Ben

DeltaRed · Jan 29, 2015

I agree.14.9 is the 'correct'/most appropriate size.I'm not sure if 15.5 was even around in those days.But the "correct" size was whatever the dealer/farmer ordered.

DR. EVIL · Jan 29, 2015

Seems odd to me that anybody would suggest anything other than a 15.5 since that's what 90% of the 450's came on.

15.5's were a new size created after 1954 when all the sizes changed to section width and not tread width anymore.

dej(Jed) · Jan 29, 2015

I am running 16.9's on my M. I pull with 18.4's.

mkirsch · Jan 29, 2015

15.5's are too short.

sd pete · Jan 29, 2015

15.5 is factory for the 450

Old-F20 · Jan 29, 2015

Weird......

I have a 450 gasser that my dads uncle bought new and is all original. It has 13.6's on it

Ive got 13.6 Field and roads on my 450LP and it'll pull a 4 bottom just fine with no problems

DR. EVIL · Jan 29, 2015

Well, now that we know what every M and F-20 has for tires... The 450 gas Dad had from 1964 to 1968 had brand new 15.5 Good Year Super-Torque tires on the back when he got it. Dualed up great with some old General 12-38's that came on the '51 M when it was brand new. And sat level front to back with 6.00x16 or 6.50x16 on the narrow front end.

I could maybe see using 18.4's on a dedicated pulling tractor, but NOT on a parade tractor that may only pull a time or two.

What any of you guys would do to your tractor makes no difference. It's what Henry wants to do, his money, his choice, he needs good info, not a bunch of somebody's pulling tractor pipe dreams.

D Slater · Jan 29, 2015

I know a F-450 was the first IH tractor to use the 15.5 tires on 14 inch rims. But the poster didn't ask what was original or came on them. His choice what he likes the best. Since a IH wide front makes them higher in front, it was just my opinion that I would use 14.9 to level it some.
All tire brands are not equal though. Have measured some 15.5 and 14.9 that were practically the same height.
Strangely a 450 operators manual printed in 1958 lists 12x38 or 13.6 as the standard size if no tire equipment was specified and optional 13X38 with no mention of a 15.5.

Dblair · Jan 29, 2015

the Nebraska test no. 612 for Farmall 450 used 15.5 x 38 rear 6 x 16 front .

henryrit · Jan 29, 2015

It had 15.5s on it and 6.50s on the narrow front and it did look like it was running up hill.

KevinBfromIllinois · Jan 29, 2015

I would go with the 16/9s that way if you do some tractor rides you get a little more road speed.

D beatty · Jan 29, 2015

Here's a Farmall 450 with 15.5 on rear and 600 on front and it runs level and maybe a little high on rear.

kent@junction · Jan 29, 2015

15.5's - 6.00x16 were on dads 450D put lots of hours on it

dej(Jed) · Jan 30, 2015

I guess now you can't even say what size tire you run. Lordy , Lordy, Lordy--they came from the factory with 15.5's on them! The Gospel ahs been spoken. Someone must be having a bad day. LOL

The Dukester · Jan 30, 2015

Most 450's came with the new wider low profile 15.5-38 rear tires. A few farmers noticed they were a little smaller diameter than the 13-38's that had came on most of the earlier 400's and Super MTA's and while they liked the wider idea they didn't like the smaller diameter...and the dealer I worked for actually replaced the 15.5's on a couple 450's he sold with 13-38's. Both buyers were gonna put mounted pickers on their new tractors and wanted the higher skinnier 13-38's instead. Actually the modern 14.9-38's that are the replacement for the older 13-38's have a little more footprint than the wider but shorter 15.5's. You'll get arguments from the users of both sizes....I personally think the 14.9's look better on a 450, and on a 560 16.9's look better. I think 16.9's look a little too big on 450's, but with 6.50-16's on the front they don't look so bad.

D beatty · Jan 31, 2015

I had 13-38's on my M and they looked small on that tractor and tractor set nose high with 6.00- 16's on the front. 13-38's would be to small on a 450 and 15.5-38 look and work great on a 450 and it has 6.00-16 on front and sets level. I still break traction with 15.5's. I think they look great on a 450 and she sets level.

DR. EVIL · Jan 31, 2015

Not unusual for IH operators manuals to not list all sizes of tires available. I bought BOTH tires/wheels/rims and ops manuals/parts books at FARMALL.

Parts book is by far the better source of what was available.

D Slater · Feb 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 19:03:48 01/29/15) Here's a Farmall 450 with 15.5 on rear and 600 on front and it runs level and maybe a little high on rear.

Looks like you have Armstrong or titan tires. Going back to what I posted about all brands not equal.
On a M and SMTA, level concrete. Have a set of 14.9 firestones and a set of 15.5 titans. Firestone have 1/4 inch worn off the tread and 13 PSI. Titans have 11.5 PSI. From floor to center of axle titans are 5/8 inch higher at axle if 1/4 inch is added to the firestones measurement. Really only 1/8 inch would be added if 1/4 worn but I called it 1/4 just in case.
IH wide front with 600X16 on the titan tractor and in the length of frame rails the front is 5/16 higher.

farmall 450 tire size

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