How Much Does a Tractor Tire Weigh?

In order to find the size of your tractor's tire you must first look at the tire’s sidewall, or the innermost side of the tire. Important information about your tire and its manufacturer will be branded in this location. Usually they look like a mixture of letters and numbers, but these are the measurements of your tire.

How are tractor tires measured?

Something to keep in mind is that traditional tire measurements will be in inches, but metric tractor tires are instead listed in millimeters. There is a third option called radial tractor tires, which have two numbers separated by a period.

The first number in the measurement pertains to the tire’s width, which also determines flotation - wider tires more likely have better traction.

The second number indicates the tractor tire’s rim diameter. This is to note whether a tire will fit a certain sized rim. If your tire has three numbers, its first number pertains to the tire’s height, the second number is its width, and the third is its rim diameter.

For example, a tractor’s tire size could be read like this:

Standard Tractor Tire Measurement

The standard tractor tire measurement reads as 11.2X20.

Metric Tractor Tire Measurement

You can tell if a tractor tire is measured in metric size by the fact there will be an R, as well as a slash. The R means that the tire has radial construction. An example of this is 650/65R38.

Radial Tractor Tire Measurement

Radial tractor tires have two numbers followed by a point, another digit followed by an “R” and then another number. An example of radial tractor tire measurement is 11.2R20.

Typical Tractor Tire Weights

There are usually four general sizes of tractor tires - small, mid-sized, large, and extra large tractor tires.

Small Tractor Tire Weight

Small tractors, sometimes known as compact tractors, usually have tires that weigh around 300 pounds and measure 17.5 by 25 feet. Compact tractors are used for things like mowing, landscaping and animal management.

Mid-Sized Tractor Tire Weight

Mid-sized tractors usually have tires that weigh around 400 pounds and measure 20.5 by 25 feet.

Large Tractor Tire Weight

Large tractors usually have tires that weigh between 400 - 800 pounds and measure 23.5 by 25 feet.

Extra Large Tractor Tire Weight

Extra large tractors usually have tires that weigh around 1,000 pounds and measure 26.5 by 25 feet.

What kind of fluid are tractor tires filled with?

The reason you might put fluid into your tractor - also known as putting ballast in your tractor tire- Is to help with gaining traction on slippery surfaces. Adding ballast to your tires can also help with balancing your tractor when using attachments such as bucket loaders.

There are multiple options of fluid to fill your tractor tires with and reasons to consider before making your decision.

Water

Filling a tractor tire with water is the most affordable option, but can cause issues if you live in colder climates. Water is easy to use, but since it freezes it can cause issues such as making it feel like your tread is flat or it could pop the tire off the rim when it expands.

Calcium Chloride

Typically sold in flake form which is mixed with water, this solution was the most popular choice for tractor tires because it can resist freezing down to -50℉. The major drawback is that it is known to cause rust.

Polyurethane Foam

This option provides a “no-flat” tire experience as well as the ability to never need to check your tire pressure since you fill the tire with foam. This option weighs up to 50% more than water per volume. The caveat to this all is that you will need to cut the tire off or buy new wheels in order to change them.

Antifreeze

There are two types of antifreeze that could be used - 1. Ethylene Glycol and 2. Propylene Glycol - but we suggest using the second option since it isn’t toxic. This option adds no weight to the water that you will need to mix with it, but resists freezing down to -40℉

How much fluid do you put in tractor tires?

Now that you know about the different types of fluid or ballast, how much do you use to fill up your tires? For the longest time, experts have stated that a 75% fill to your tire is what is recommended. Different manufacturers might suggest otherwise, such as John Deere, who suggests a 40% fill for liquid ballast.

Conclusion on tractor tire weights

Tractor tires can weigh anywhere from roughly 200 pounds to around 1,000 pounds, with the average tractor tire weighing around 500 pounds.

Looking for more info on tractors? Read the following articles regarding tractor cost, the most popular tractor brands, and 5 of the most useful tractor implements.

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