Tire replacement system for four-wheel-drive compact tractor
AssigneeBridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
InventorsKenneth L. Allen, Jeffery L. Wilson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system is provided for refitting a tire system on a four-wheel-drive compact tractor which typically comes equipped with a set of industrial tires mounted on standard industrial size wheels. The tractor has a frame size falling within an industry classification of extra large frame, large frame, mid-frame or small frame. A set of replacement agricultural tires or turf tires is provided. The industrial tires are replaced with the replacement agricultural tires or turf tires without changing at least the front wheels on the compact tractor. The replacement tires are selected so as to maintain a front tire overspeed within manufacturer specified ranges for the majority of tractors falling within the industry classification.
Claims20
A method of replacing a tire system on a compact tractor, said tractor being a four-wheel-drive tractor, said tractor being designed for use selectively with standard industrial size tires on standard industrial size wheel rims, standard agricultural size tires on standard agricultural size wheel rims and standard turf size tires on standard turf size wheel rims, at least some of said standard agricultural size wheel rims and said standard turf size wheel rims being different in size from said standard industrial size wheel rims, the tractor having a frame size falling within an industry classification selected from the group consisting of extra large frame, large frame, mid-frame and small frame, said method comprising:
- (a) providing a compact tractor equipped with a set of two front and two rear standard industrial size tires mounted on two front and two rear standard industrial size wheel rims;
- (b) providing a set of replacement agricultural tires or replacement turf tires, the set of replacement tires including two front replacement tires and two rear replacement tires having rolling circumferences such that a front tire overspeed for the tractor with the set of replacement tires installed is maintained within a manufacturer specified front tire overspeed range for the majority of tractors falling within said industry classification;
- (c) removing at least the two front standard industrial size tires from the two front standard industrial size wheel rims;
- and
- (d) mounting at least the two front replacement agricultural or turf tires on the two front standard industrial size wheel rims, thereby converting the tractor from industrial tires to agricultural or turf tires without replacing the two front standard industrial size wheel rims.
A set of replacement agricultural or turf tires for a four-wheel-drive compact tractor having a frame size falling within an industry classification selected from the group consisting of extra large frame, large frame, mid-frame and small frame, said tractor being designed for use with standard industrial size tires on standard industrial size wheel rims, standard agricultural size tires on standard agricultural size wheel rims and standard turf size tires on standard turf size wheel rims, at least some of said standard agricultural size wheel rims and said standard turf size wheel rims being different in size from said standard industrial size wheel rims, comprising:
- two front replacement tires and two rear replacement tires, all having a tread type selected from the group consisting of agricultural and turf treads, at least said two front replacement tires being sized to fit on standard industrial size wheel rims;
- and
- wherein said two front replacement tires and two rear replacement tires have rolling circumferences such that, for a majority of tractors falling within said industry classification, front tire overspeeds for said majority of tractors with the set of replacement tires installed are maintained within front tire overspeed ranges specified by the tractor manufacturers, so that the set of replacement tires is suitable for use on said majority of four-wheel-drive tractors falling within said industry classification.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.