Are snowcat tires really special?

[Smiler]

I am getting ready to purchase 6 new tires for my Ski Dozer. Two of my current tires are almost new Fall Line tires, but the rest are original from 1973. The original tires are 8 ply, now all the new tires are 10 ply. I have also found some 8 ply trailer tires at 25% the price of Fall Line tires. I’m sure the Fall Line will say that a snowcat tire is special above and beyond the Load Rating. Is anyone running trailer tires on a Ski Dozer?

[Melensdad]

I don't have a Ski Dozer, but I know of Snow Tracs that are using "hand truck" tires for bogie wheels instead of the rare Tellborg (sp?) originals and are having no problems running them.

Clearly not all tires are equal, but if the trailer tires are load rated the same as the original Fall Line tires then I believe you should be good to go.

[snowbird]

I've got a 1973 SV200 SkiDozer. I think all my tires are sort of "regular", but the front one is foam-filled. I think it would be pretty important not to have that one go flat in the middle of nowhere.

[Mainer]

Take the Trackmaster tires... they are implement tires... used from tractors. They're heavy duty for...tractors. Do they need to be more heavy duty for snowcats?
Well, no matter if they are Fall Line tires or not... many people foam fill regardless... and if you've seen foam filled tires ever 'worn'... you'd know the tire ain't hardly a part of it! Tires that have been almost completely shredded still getting folks back home due to that foam fill... it sure wasn't the difference between an 8-ply and 10-ply. I'd go with the 25% tire for all and then consider foam-filling the leading and lagging tires.

[weatherby]

What I learned when looking for tires for a Thiokol 601 is that, tires on a lot of snocats are whats considered abnormal or bastard sizes, and that's what makes them so hard to find and so expensive, it's NOT that there made any better than any other tire made to the same standards, it's just there size that usually makes them unique to a snocat. No-matter what air-filled tire you buy, it will never be better than the lowest quality "foam filled" tire.

[Smiler]

Great information everyone!!!

I have solid front tires, so I think I will get my FallLine’s foam filled and run them on the rear. The trailer tires can be the three in the middle, and if money permits I will foam fill them also.

[Smiler]

Looks like I can get foam filled 8 ply trailer tires for half the price of an air filled 10 ply snowcat tires. One helpful hit I found when looking for places to foam fill, look for places that do it in-house it’s much cheaper.

[Melensdad]

Originally Posted by Smiler

...One helpful hit I found when looking for places to foam fill, look for places that do it in-house it’s much cheaper.

Some of the AG/Tractor/Equipment dealers in my area will foam fill at reasonable prices.

[couchloafer]

I have used these guys several times in the past.......wasnt very expensive, maybe $15.00 tire
http://www.wingfootct.com/locations/list.asp?TireFill=Y

[Alaska Snow Cat]

Originally Posted by couchloafer

I have used these guys several times in the past.......wasnt very expensive, maybe $15.00 tire
http://www.wingfootct.com/locations/list.asp?TireFill=Y

Wow what a difference in price from your Wing Foot dealer and the one in Anchorage. I have been paying $100 for a mount and foam fill for about 15 years for a 12"-13" tire. The Bombie tires I had done prior to that were about $60. I think you have the right idea Smiler on your set up. I put 30+ hours on my snow cat a week all winter long and don't want any break downs because I used light duty parts. For recreational or light use less quality tires will probably last as long as the expensive ones.

[Smiler]

My local WingFoot sends out the foam filling so they are still about 15% higher than GCR Tires which fills on site. The price I was given for each 5.30x12 tire was $39.00. I’m excited because now I have enough extra money to replace all the wheel bearing and seals.

[mkntrakes]

the biggest difference between trailer tires and snow cat tires,trailer tires run on the tread and snow cat also run on the tread but snow cats load the side wall where trailers don't,,most trailer tires don,t have a strong enough side wall to handle the tire guide side load on the tire all terrain tracks don,t load the side wall as much as snow tracks my experience has been that if you have a light machine trailer tires will work just fine as long as they are not foam filled heaver machines like BR 250 and lmc 1200 need a heaver side wall tires like the monorail or alpine guide tire or the tire guides will tear up the tires

[Smiler]

Mkntrakes

Why do you not suggest foam filling the trailer tires?

I currently have a mixture of tires; FallLine, Monorail, and Original. The FallLines sidewalls seam the weakest even though they are 10 ply.

[mkntrakes]

Originally Posted by Smiler

Mkntrakes

Why do you not suggest foam filling the trailer tires?

I currently have a mixture of tires; FallLine, Monorail, and Original. The FallLines sidewalls seam the weakest even though they are 10 ply.

when you foam fill trailer tires the foam is stiffer than the tire so the tire flexs and the tire guides tears up the side wall
are the falline tires the alpine guide tires

[Smiler]

The FallLine tires just say FallLine SNO CAT SPECIAL…

[Blackfoot Tucker]

My understanding is there are different materials used for foam filling which have different properties and also different pricing. You may want to do some research on what foam would be best and then shop for pricing.

[JimVT]

I had Les Schwab foam my bombi tires $50 each.
Jim