# Wheel Swap



## MortamerPA (Feb 5, 2015)

Hi all,

I recently acquired an Ariens ST270. The machine runs well, but the solid core tires have seen better days. The previous owner gave me a set of new 4.10-4 tires. Has anyone done this swap? If so, have they found direct replacement rims to switch to a pneumatic tire? Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

We have some members who have done that for Gilson and Craftsman/Murray machines. The first step would be to make sure you can get your old wheels off. Then measure the axle diameter and get wheels with the same size axle hole. You will also need the similar standoff length on the back and hold for the mounting pin. You can cut / drill and spacer those to some degree as long as you get close.


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## jrcjr (Sep 23, 2017)

I had great success making my own hubs (a little cutting/a little welding) to adapt a split rim to the Ariens ST270.

Martin R-64DM 6" split rims (About $15 each)
Carlisle 13-4.00-6 XTrac Tires (About $25 each)


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

jrcjr said:


> I had great success making my own hubs (a little cutting/a little welding) to adapt a split rim to the Ariens ST270.
> 
> Martin R-64DM 6" split rims (About $15 each)
> Carlisle 13-4.00-6 XTrac Tires (About $25 each)



I've done a number of wheel/hub swaps on Craftsman units and modified a couple of the hubs to make them work. I for one would like to see your work, do you have an pictures of the modification process?


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## jrcjr (Sep 23, 2017)

No pictures of the process. (Work bench was too messy for that. LOL) 

But I plan to take some pictures soon of the finished product, and since the hub is just a metal plate welded on a piece of tube, it's fairly easy to backtrack the process mentally. 
- Cut metal plate or bar to size (I used 3/16 thick steel plate 4-inches square)
- Remove burrs from cut edge so it sits flat
- Measure for hole pattern and mark on plate
- Drill one hole
- Bolt plate to rim and line it up
- Transfer punch to mark other three holes
- Unbolt
- Drill other three holes from the transfer punch marks
- Measure and mark the plate to center the tube
- Cut tube to size
- Line up tube on plate
- Tack weld
- Check for square
- Weld
- Check for fit and adjust tube if necessary for length or inside diameter
- Drill mounting hole in side of tube

All in all, the only tools I used were.
- Basic marking, measuring, and squaring tools (tape measure, layout square, prick punch for scribing lines, center punch and transfer punch for making marks for drilling)
- Drill Press
- Sawsall
- Jigsaw
- Welder
- Belt Sander (optional) for removing burrs and reshaping some parts, but files work just as well


Picture of what I purchased (tire, tube, and split rim) and what I made (hub) separated from each other.
Picture of hub close up on driveway.


Link to more pictures (on my personal webserver):
http://gaenggai.mine.nu/snowblower/


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

Simple yet elegant solution there. Took a look at your website pictures, I've had a couple of larger engine Ariens and the axel hole was much further out from the tractor chassis IIRC, did you redrill the axel holes or is that where they were located originally? I could see it being a problem if you didn't do due diligence and keep the axel greased up (as in the hub rusts to the axel).


Is there some reason other than keeping it simple why the axel hole wasn't drilled out or the wheel is on the inside of the new hub assembly?


Just curious. Main thing is it works and sure looks like it does.


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## jrcjr (Sep 23, 2017)

Unless the previous owner made modifications (such as replacing the transmission entirely), I think those are the original factory holes as there are no other holes, flats, or keyways in the shaft.

As far as my backward mounting goes (mounting the hub flange on the outside of the wheel as opposed to the inside), I did it that way to keep snow out and keep the threads of the bolts from being damaged or picking up dirt/debris.

May also close up my little 1/16th inch locator hole in the middle of the bolt pattern, or maybe press a grease fitting into it just to make it look groovy. LOL

Edit Note: Speaking of the shafts, they were pretty rusty from the original wheels, but the rust is a light layer and fairly dusty. Either the shafts have been hardened for corrosion resistance, made of a material that rusts slowly, or the slight wobble from the clearance between shaft and hub creates a light scouring action.
No matter how you slice it, I hit the shafts with a little bit of plumbers emory cloth and added some white lithium grease to the shafts to keep them free of corrosion in the future.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

If you don't need it for lubrication, think about using anti-seize on the shafts where the wheels fit. What made me change my mind and do anti-seize instead of grease goes back to a really sad machine I initially bought as a part unit. This thing was buried in a snow bank for who knows how many years. It was seriously rusty and a lot was rusted up solid on it. Thing was when I went to disassemble the auger assembly, the usual auger rakes rusted onto the auger shaft didn't happen. Whoever worked on it before me coated the auger shaft with anti-seize before they reassembled it and those suckers just slid right off.


I've since been doing it my units and those I rebuild for resale. Where I can I clean up the respective shaft and paint it with Rustoleum paint. Prior to reassembly I put a liberal coating of anti-seize where the wheels and auger rakes go. I even took one of my machines a year or two ago I'd worked on maybe 3-5 years before. Everything came apart just like you hope for. No rusted together parts etc. 


I don't discount grease, great stuff but this (to me at least) seems to make more sense in selected situations and seems to work great.


Just a thought


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## jrcjr (Sep 23, 2017)

Thanks HCBPH!

I always keep both regular grease and anti-seizing compound on hand (in the form of white lithium grease and/or spray), and try to keep parts that need it coated accordingly. : )


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