Rubber or Air

[olabob]

Rubber Wheels or Air wheels For a mid Sized Toro Floating deck!!

[vipermanz]

i would definetly go with pnuematic (air filled) wheels if it was the drive wheels, for the front casters i would check into solid rubber.

[tlcservices]

foam filled is the way to go

[gene gls]

Foam filled front wheels only lasted one season on my Walker. The deck recives a lot more shock because they are solid and if they drag when hanging over a curb while mowing they wear a flat spot. I switched back to rubber.

Gene

[ArboristSite]

Gene, What size of tires did you use or what deck was it (different tires on different decks)? Were they the solid rubber tires offered from Walker or were they after market? Just interested.

I found the smaller the tire, the worse they perform when they are solid. Also, I think the Walker brand tire is much nicer than after market or foam filled. Obviously, for best results air filled is the best. If you are in an area that they flatten all the time, you may need to use these instead of gaining a better ride. I think the headache would out weigh performance. Nothing worse than being out somewhere with a flat......or keep a solid tire for a spare, this way you have back up that you can count on.

[gene gls]

ArboristSite:

They were stalk Walker solid tires for the 48"GHS deck. I guess I'm lucky, I have only had 2 flat tires in 13 years.

Gene

[ArboristSite]

You are a lucky guy. Not bad. I have more than that on my truck in a year. You have the smaller solid tires and yeah, they aren't my favorite either.

[sdwally]

We use poly filled tires on deck castor wheels only. If used on the power unit, the operator will get bounced around a little more and the power unit will start to develop frame cracks. For us the poly wheels last about five to six years before needing to be replaced. Will worth the extra cost not to have flat castor wheel tires.

[NJemerald]

ONLY 2 flats in HOW MANY YEARS???:laugh: :laugh: I WISH!!!
Funny .. we were JUST concidering changing over to the solid rubber tires on our walker decks... :laugh:

So you guys would stick w/ air over rubber?? from comments made..

sdwally... what/where are these poly filled tires you are referring too?? what is the difference?
thanks
Bryan

[ArboristSite]

Well, if you get lots of flats, then you got to do it in my opinion. You are wasting time fixing flats if not. You deck doesnt seem to give as much as with air filled, so the ride isnt nearly as nice. The larger the solid tire the better it will handle, but then you have to worry about weight. Good luck. With two flats in that many years....I would arrange a Las Vegas trip. You are one lucky guy. :D

[ojonesy]

why not have the best of both worlds, pnuematic tire assemblies
filled with a soft polyurethane fill...no flats and it rides better than foam because the fill acts as a shock absorber. You can have your casters filled or buy them ready to go.

[Richard Martin]

Exmark now has a solid tire for the front of walkbehinds that has the necessasary amount of give. You have to buy the wheel and tire together. It should be a direct replacement for your Toro.