Most manufacturers offered tractors to be purchased with with variations of; full steel, rear steel/front rubber, or all rubber. I never heard of an example where there was a rear rubber/front steel combination yet. There might be. ?
During the war years
1942-46, rubber was rationed, Most rubber products were only manufactured for military purposes (example: tires were used for personnel vehicles...jeeps, deuce and a half's) which took precedence over civilian needs. Most full steel tractors during the war were sold during the first couple of years
of the war. By 1944 or so, tractors got back to being on rubber as demand for rationing lessened.
As stated before, the steel wheels could be cut down and be fitted to a rubber tire rim. This was done for many different reasons. In my area, roads were beginning to be stoned or paved. Laws and ordinances were enacted to prevent steel-wheeled equipment from damaging the newly constructed road. Also, it was proven that tractors fitted with rubber tires performed better, using less fuel and producing more horsepower.
There would be no reason to revert back to steel from rubber when using the tractor to farm with unless you are Amish. I can see doing it to complete a correct restoration.
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