# Front Wheels/Tires size 6430 Premium - loader not at ground level



## ravildi (Mar 5, 2019)

I have recently purchased a 6430 Premium which came with front rims 28 inch and rear 38inch and custom loader bucket attachment. I now have a JD 4 in 1 bucket and the loader fully down does not come to ground level due to the oversize front tires as it sits 4 inches above ground level. The custom bucket that came with the tractor was manufactured so compensate for the higher front wheels. JD dealer here advises change complete front tires/rims/centers. Did the 6430 come standard with 24 inch rims and how wide were those rims please? 
The current front 28 inch rims have an outer tires diameter at 50 inches so if I was to lower the front by 4 inches to have the loader touch the deck then the outer tire diameter size would need to be 42 inches. These 28" rims effect the tractor in 4x4 as it's not a matched front/rear combo. 
Any one have feed back on this issue and would appreciate any leeds on used front wheels/tires/centers complete to fit. JD dealer here says over $3K to replace 2 front tires/rims/centers. thnx.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Welcome to the forum Ravildi. I looked at tractordata.com but it doesn't show what size rims the 6430 comes with. Have you tried contacting your dealer?


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## ravildi (Mar 5, 2019)

Thanks Hoodoo Valley
Yes have contacted dealer. They suggested putting 24 inch rims with 14.9 - 24 R1 tires. Was hoping someone with a 6430 might see and offer what they have on their unit. I will post photo of current tires and loader height to show problem. Really like to get some used replacements if possible to save costs.


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## ravildi (Mar 5, 2019)




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## dozer966 (Dec 30, 2014)

If your handy with torches and welder I would modify the quick attache on my implement. Cost would be reasonable. I shop for my steel at my local salvage yard.
By the way welcome to the forum


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I saw one for sale with the following tire sizes.

18.4R38 In. 146A8 R1W Radial(*460/85R38 *149A8 R1W Radial)
13.6R28 In. 123A8 R1W Radial(340/85R28 127A8 R1W Radial).
Tractor data specs out 12.4R24 for the front, and 16.9R30 for the back.


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

Have one of these JDs, same loader too. OEM tire sizes are: 14.9R24 on the front and 18.4R34 on the rear. The front rims are 15" wide, JD parts ID number on mine is AL117901.

Take a look at your wheel center, if it has JD #L208789, it will be compatible with the correct rim size. The ones in your pictures are adjustable wheels, just like on mine.

A tractor salvage yard will likely be the most cost effective source of wheels, but any ag tire retailer can do a quick match to verify matching front to rear tire sizes needed on your tractor. They have tables by model of tractor because size swapping is very common. The good thing about a salvage yard is they will usually give you a fair trade for your old rims and wheels. The bigger ag tire dealers will too.

If you take your serial number to the JD dealer they will be able to scare up a build sheet for your tractor that lists how it is equipped and any gear ratio options done at the factory.

You already know you can rip out the front differential or break a planetary by running mismatched ratios front to rear from the wrong pairing of tires.


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## ravildi (Mar 5, 2019)

RC Wells said:


> Have one of these JDs, same loader too. OEM tire sizes are: 14.9R24 on the front and 18.4R34 on the rear. The front rims are 15" wide, JD parts ID number on mine is AL117901.
> 
> Take a look at your wheel center, if it has JD #L208789, it will be compatible with the correct rim size. The ones in your pictures are adjustable wheels, just like on mine.
> 
> ...


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## ravildi (Mar 5, 2019)

Thanks RC Wells
Then by your specs my rear tires are incorrect as well, which is entirely possible. I have 460/85R38 on the rear. I haven't scared any replacements up on the internet yet but with those numbers I might have a better chance. I am hoping these oversize wheels were for a reason and someone gave some thought to the ratio as you pointed out there can be serious implications to mismatch sizes. If anyone has a good wheel/tire seller I'd be happy to hear. I will try and return it to original specs. 
If you pass by your tractor could you tell me the height of the front tires (diameter) please.


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

The front tires are Michelin, and measure 50.75 inches in diameter. The tire documentation says 49.6 inches in diameter, so probably in the 50 inch ball park. Radials deflect quite a bit. 

I do not know what you expect to pay for the tires, but I suspect it would be well worth a trip to the AG tire dealer and evaluation of F/R gear ratio compatibility of what sizes you have. Four new tires, front and rear, new front wheels and you have bought the tractor once again.

I also figure on four sets of front tires will wear out to one set of rears. So when the Ag tire distributor comes by he brings his conversion charts for my tractors, and I price shop and may change sizes if the savings are there. 

I took a minute to put my Frontier pallet fork system on the loader, same John Deere goofy lever pull quick mount you have, and the forks set well above grade on this tractor too. So, I checked my JD 6140, and same story. These tractor forks are used on boxes of onions, melons, broccoli, seed bags, sugar beet seed, pallets of grain seed bags, etc., and run on rough ground. No problem at all, just dip the forks and push to load from the ground. The tires deflect considerably, run 23 PSI on the fronts, so the tractor squats as it picks up and slides under the load. Unloading is on truck beds where the forks drop to the truck bed and slide right out dirt free.

I have a Challenger with the Woods fork system that drops and rides on the ground, and nobody wants to get stuck using it as it drags dirt on top of the forks when working in the fields. It is the "new guy" that gets stuck with it rig. The new guy also gets the privilege of sweeping the truck beds of dirt between hauls too!


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## ravildi (Mar 5, 2019)

Thank you RC Wells, great information and very interesting.
Your front wheels being 14.9R24 Michelin are the almost the same diameter (51 1/4") as my 14.9R28 Goodyear (i'll double check the pressure as I have 26psi) i have attached photos of those heights. The above ground height of my rear tires is 65 inches on 460/85R38 Firestone. My front axle ratio is stamped as 19. I have contact my local dealer in the hope to unravel the question about the tire sizes and if the diameters match JD combinations for that tractor even though it appears the 28" fronts were not standard. 
I have also asked about the frontier forks and if they were designed to sit above grade with the loader down and not like a fork lift which pans out on the deck. I have also asked for JD to weigh-in and offer the diameter of front and rear tires to know that the 4x4 will be matched.


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## Dieselt (Oct 7, 2018)

ravildi said:


> I have recently purchased a 6430 Premium which came with front rims 28 inch and rear 38inch and custom loader bucket attachment. I now have a JD 4 in 1 bucket and the loader fully down does not come to ground level due to the oversize front tires as it sits 4 inches above ground level. The custom bucket that came with the tractor was manufactured so compensate for the higher front wheels. JD dealer here advises change complete front tires/rims/centers. Did the 6430 come standard with 24 inch rims and how wide were those rims please?
> The current front 28 inch rims have an outer tires diameter at 50 inches so if I was to lower the front by 4 inches to have the loader touch the deck then the outer tire diameter size would need to be 42 inches. These 28" rims effect the tractor in 4x4 as it's not a matched front/rear combo.
> Any one have feed back on this issue and would appreciate any leeds on used front wheels/tires/centers complete to fit. JD dealer here says over $3K to replace 2 front tires/rims/centers. thnx.





ravildi said:


> Thank you RC Wells, great information and very interesting.
> Your front wheels being 14.9R24 Michelin are the almost the same diameter (51 1/4") as my 14.9R28 Goodyear (i'll double check the pressure as I have 26psi) i have attached photos of those heights. The above ground height of my rear tires is 65 inches on 460/85R38 Firestone. My front axle ratio is stamped as 19. I have contact my local dealer in the hope to unravel the question about the tire sizes and if the diameters match JD combinations for that tractor even though it appears the 28" fronts were not standard.
> I have also asked about the frontier forks and if they were designed to sit above grade with the loader down and not like a fork lift which pans out on the deck. I have also asked for JD to weigh-in and offer the diameter of front and rear tires to know that the 4x4 will be matched.
> 
> ...


Good morning, I have been down that road before. If all efforts with tires fail check the distance of unused shaft on your lift cylinders. I would disconnect them and let the bucket rest on level ground as it should. Measure the distance of the cylinder pin holes and then your cylinder fully closed. Take them to a reputable machine shop and have them cut the extra off and re-weld. This will be much much cheaper. Just my two cents from years of building loaders. Note: ensure that you don't have lift rests, if you do those will need to be relocated as well.


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