A brief guide to tires for lawn mowers

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A brief guide to tires for lawn mowers

When buying a lawn mower, you must have taken the pains of gathering information for understanding the equipment in as many details as possible so that you could get the right equipment. However, this is not the only time that you have to do pre-purchase research. When the time comes to replace lawn mower tires, you need to do a similar exercise because these tires are unique and there are a few factors to consider so that the selection is right. If you are not aware of it, you could land up in buying the wrong one.  Primarily, the treads and tire shoulders make much difference between tires. What are the essential aspects to look into when buying tires for lawn mowers are discussed in this article?

Types of tire shoulders

First, you must know what the tire shoulder is. It is the portion of the tire sidewall and the tread, and normally these can be a square type or round type.  The shoulder is important in tire selection because whether or not marks of mowing left are there remains mowing marks on the grass depends on the shoulder design. Round-shouldered tires are best suited for places where people do not want any marks of mowing the grass like what you find in golf courses.  The sidewalls of the tires are thin to make it flexible for absorbing shocks that prevent formation of marks on the grass. However, these tires do not last long because of lower ply rating.

Square -shouldered tires have thick shoulders and dig deeper in the ground due to its sudden movement and likely to leave marks on the turf that it pulls up.  The tire has broader tread area as its design is flat.

Tread design of tires

The tread design of tires makes it distinctly different from one another not only in appearance but also in its functionality.  Tread design is important because it decides on which wheels of the mower it will be suitable. Tires with ribbed and smooth treads are appropriate for turn wheels where during reverse movement the wheel turns through 360 degrees. Moreover, these tires do not leave any mark on the turf after mowing.  The drive wheel needs tires that allow better traction and tires with more aggressive treads be most suited, but it would leave mowing marks on the turf. Choose the type of tread based on the kind of mowing finish you desire and the frequency of use of the mower.

Understanding tire size

It is imperative to know what the numbers mean about tire size because the size of tire is critical for its fit and proper functioning.  Tire size 18×8.5 -8 has its significance. The first number relates to the height of tire in inches, the second number denotes the width, and the third number tells the diameter of the rim or wheel on which the tire is mounted.  Although you may sometimes find some symbols along with the numbers, the sequence of dimensions remains unchanged.

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