The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 2-ton tires

My 1954 2-ton has highway-rib 8.25-20 on the rear and 7.5-20 on the front. In spring muddy (or any wet period) it won't move up even very slight slopes if they are not gravelled, which I need it to do. In addition to wanting to drive around the farm, I plan to go to the quarry a number of times and haul back 5 tons of gravel each (twenty miles of paved road.) The tires have been on there at least twenty years and have evidence of crazing. I've been told not to try to carry such a load with these old tires, though they have good tread.

I have seen offered for sale tires called "Highway Rib" and others called "Traction". I would like to put the "Traction" ones on, but I heard that they would affect the handling adversely. Does anyone know if this is true? I thought maybe just the fronts being "highway" would be OK.

Thanks much for any help.

you should be able to go with traction on the rear and hiway on the front. Is that what you are asking?

Tread depth and weather cracking have nothing nothing to do with a tire's ability to carry a load, but age does. Back in their day, nearly all farm trucks had traction tires on the drive and highway on the steer. I don't think any American manufacturer makes a traction tire any more but something like a Samson Chinese tire isn't bad. https://www.nebraskatire.com/truck Make sure you get what they call the mud and snow or open shoulder tire. A traction tire with a closed shoulder tire that is made for highway traction will fill up with mud and be just as slick as what you have now.

This is exactly what I was asking. Thanks so much!

There is such a Samson Mud&Snow tire and I hope my local tire man can get these. There is one by Power King (Super Traction HD) sold be Simpletire.com that looks identical to the Samson and yet costs $30 less with free shipping (!). I note that Miller has this same Power King traction for $60 more and then shipping. Miller's also will be out of stock for about a month. Am I missing something in this marketing? Or...is comparison among products and companies something not proper etiquette on the forum?

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