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Gunn 
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Joined: 22 Mar 2010
Location: Maryland
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 Topic: Tube or tubeless tires for my 1961 D15?
Posted: 20 Jan 2026 at 7:17pm |
I have a 1961 D-15 Hi-crop tractor (s/n: 3801). I am getting ready to purchase new 12.4-38 tires for my 38x11" rims (see photo). These are not the current wheels on my tractor.
I'm trying to determine if I need to purchase tubeless or tubed tires. Are these rims compatible with tubeless tires? I'd prefer to go tubeless if possible.
I am planning on sand blasting and painting the wheels before adding the tires.
Thanks,
Tom
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1961 D-15 Hi-Clearance
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PaulB
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Rocky Ridge Md
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Posted: 20 Jan 2026 at 7:29pm |
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If your rims are solid and not rust pitted from being fluid fill tubeless tires will work without problems. Give your rums a good close look after sandblasting before you repaint them and spot weld any holes that might appear.
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If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere.
Real pullers don't have speed limits.
If you can't make it GO... make it SHINY
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steve(ill)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: illinois
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Posted: 20 Jan 2026 at 7:40pm |
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check the hole size where the valve goes... Make sure you get a valve that FITS.. or you might have to drill the hole alittlel bigger..
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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IBWD MIke
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Joined: 08 Apr 2012
Location: Newton Ia.
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Posted: Yesterday at 7:53am |
I put a new pair of 18.4x34's on my 756D last summer, mounted tubeless. Just this week I put a tube in the right one. It just would not stay up. Very slow leak but annoying all the same. So the tube went in the tire/rim that looked almost factory new. And yes, I wire-brushed and painted the inside surface. No obvious puncture found in the tire. Left rim, which has some pitting, seems to be fine. If it starts to leak, it will get a tube pronto. Had it to do over again, tubes right out of the gate! Tried to save a few bucks, you know.
Edit; I should add that mounting them tubeless was not fun. Had to wrap a strap around and crank it as tight as possible to get them to 'take'.
Edited by IBWD MIke - Yesterday at 7:56am
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DrAllis
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
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Posted: Yesterday at 7:57am |
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I just can't imagine going tubeless on a farm tractor rear tire or any farm implement tire for that matter.
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HudCo
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Joined: 29 Jan 2013
Location: Plymouth Utah
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Posted: Yesterday at 8:58am |
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i would never have a tractor tire mounted up tubeless even if it was just to parade and show
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SteveM C/IL
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Shelbyville IL
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Posted: Yesterday at 9:09am |
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I've got tubeless planter,grain cart,field cultivator 545B wheel loader and combine tires. Prefer tubes on tractors and recently had to mount a loader tire. PIA. Big rachet strap around center. Good way to get hurt trying to release ratchet.
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Gunn
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Joined: 22 Mar 2010
Location: Maryland
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Posted: 14 hours 54 minutes ago at 6:41pm |
Thanks everyone. I assumed that tubeless was the hands-down way to go, but apparently I'm mistaken. Glad I made this post! I figured being able to plug a tubeless tire was easier than having to replace a tube, if I ever had a puncture.
I'll be doing the mounting myself, so that is a consideration as well. So now I'm thinking I need to buy a tube-type tire and a tube. As long as that will fit this rim I have, I'm fine with that. I just wasn't sure if my rim required a certain tire or not.
Thanks again,
Tom
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1961 D-15 Hi-Clearance
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DiyDave
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Gambrills, MD
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Posted: 12 hours 59 minutes ago at 8:36pm |
If your tires are radials, be sure to get a radial type tube. Not sure where I heard it, but I heard it... 
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AC720Man
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Posted: 11 hours 54 minutes ago at 9:41pm |
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The one thing I’ve learned over the years for myself is let those that have the equipment and knowledge do the work for me. I’ve mounted a few tires but the aggregation wasn’t worth it. Pay the $50/tire and just pick it up and install it on the tractor. If the tube gets damaged while being mounted it’s on him. My local tire dealer gives me a great deal on tires and mounting because I always have him do my work, whether it’s tractor tires or vehicle tires. He wants the work to pay his bills/employees, and I like the less stress of dealing with it. It’s much safer also.
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1968 B-208, 1976 720 (2 of them)Danco brush hog, single bottom plow,52" snow thrower, belly mower,rear tine tiller, rear blade, front blade, 57"sickle bar,1983 917 hydro, 1968 7hp sno-bee, 1968 190XTD
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DrAllis
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Posted: 8 hours 59 minutes ago at 12:36am |
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In these difficult days of poor quality everything, I use radial tubes in bias ply tires. They are thicker and more robust and last longer. They also cost more, but you get what you pay for.
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Jim.ME
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Joined: 19 Nov 2016
Location: Maine
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Posted: 3 hours 40 minutes ago at 5:55am |
While some get away with mounting tubeless tires on rims designed for tube tire, it is not correct. The rims in your picture are for tube type tires. The bead seating area is different on rims designed for tubeless tires.
I agree with DrAllis on using radial tubes whether the tire is radial or bias.
Make sure you have the tube "right side up" when you install it. The stems are offset and can/will rip out of the tube if installed wrong.
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IBWD MIke
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Location: Newton Ia.
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Posted: 2 hours 46 minutes ago at 6:49am |
 DrAllis wrote:
I just can't imagine going tubeless on a farm tractor rear tire or any farm implement tire for that matter. |
Okay, give me the 'why' of that. Not trying to be smart, just trying to understand things better. Tires I put on that 756 are 'Tubeless can be mounted tube type'.
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Gary Burnett
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Posted: 2 hours 35 minutes ago at 7:00am |
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Anything I run off road I want a tube in the tires especially on older rims
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Mikez
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Posted: 1 hour 19 minutes ago at 8:16am |
If rim is good and clean enough go tubeless. We run tubeless on all our hay wagons. Had a new rim for our D15. Tire guy came to put new tire on that and fix flat on 200. He said go tubeless on new rim. The tubes have become to unreliable. He always stood by new tire mounted if leaked but says the tubes are failing due to poor quality. With even good name manufacturer. The 200 ended up new tires but the rims weren’t in good enough shape to go tubeless so they got tubes. So far they have been good though. Dad had a brand new tube out of box, for lawn mower, aired it up sprayed with soap and the whole thing foamed up with bubbles. |
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DanielW
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Joined: 19 Sep 2022
Location: Ontario
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Posted: 31 minutes ago at 9:04am |
This is personal opinion, but I think what you use your equipment for and your land type should play into it. At our Southern farm in (comparatively) smooth land and only doing field work, a fair bit of our equipment is tubeless. I don't like it, but that's really personal preference. Most of the tubeless stuff does the job just dandy with no problem. As long as it's sealed right the first time.
At our Northern farm in the rough/rocky Canadian shield however, where we use much of our equipment in the bush as well as for field work, tubeless tires have always been a disaster. It only takes one case of you sliding and coming against a buried rock when doing field work, or a rock/stump in the bush to push it off the bead. Then you're pooched, trying to get the bead to re-seal enough to get home, or jack up and change a tire in an awkward, remote location.
I can't really see any reason not to put tubes in. As long as they're the correct tubes and installed properly. The problem I find these days is that few tire shops take the care needed to install tubes properly. They'll not clean the rim thoroughly, not dust the inside of the tire, not make sure it's not being pinched when inflated, and not do a deflate-reinflate after getting the bead seated. All of that is critical for a tube to last. But if done correctly, a tubed tire should last at least as long/longer than a tubeless one, and you don't have to worry about small leaks around a stem or bead that's no perfectly sealed. And you can work on rougher ground with more confidence that you're not going to cause a flat if you come against something that wants to push it off the bead slightly. I've taken to doing most tire work myself, just because it's impossible to find a tire shop that takes the care/time to put a tube in properly. |
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