It seems that size does matter - wheel , rims

[nagostino]

Hi there,
On a Cub Cadet 106
The wheel bearing on the front left wheel must have seized and did some damage to my rim. Would jbweld and a new bearing be a viable option? I also replaced the spindle for the front wheel recently and was curious if there could be any connection to the recent wheel damage. Maybe the bearing did't seize and there was something different with the spindle that caused the issue. There was a gouge on the spindle that I have now filed out but, I don't know if it caused the bearing issue or was a result of it.
I found what I thought was a wheel match. I picked up a rim from a yard. Upon further inspection, I noticed that the tire valve was on the opposite side of the rim. I put it on to give it a try and it also seemed to be just a bit narrow. Adding a couple of washers might keep it in place. I bought new bearings but they seem to be just a hair loose. Maybe a little shim is needed. All this adds up to a more complex tire change than I would have thought. Will using this wheel cause me more problems? Should I keep looking for a rim that it a better match? Images attached. LMK what you think.

 

[PACub100]

I may be wrong but I believe you got a rim off an Original...
I'd find another rim. I'd also use some fine grit sanding paper and smooth out where there was a gouge in the spindle.

Changing the tire is a treat alone in itself...after that, you're not going to want "engineering" other things just to get it working.

 

[mgwin]

Original rims were 4" wide, these are 6".
The two center pics appear to be the same rim, and the two outer pics, I assume are of the other rim. The two center pics look like a IH rim, but the other one does not.
This rim may have came off of another brand of GT since the valve stem is on the "back side." It could be too wide for the spindle, thus causing the retaining bolt to "wallow out" the hole as it turns.

 

[hydroharry]

Nick - it looks to me like your replacement wheel is from a wide frame Cub Cadet. Your 106 is a narrow frame and the wheels had the wide offset with the valve stem hole towards the outside. The wide frame tractors had the narrow offset and valve stem towards the outside. Pretty certain you'll have to find the correct wheel.

Also, the bearings are supposed to be a "press fit" into the wheel. If the bearing fits loose (meaning you can just install it by hand, or if you barely tap on it it slips in) you can try to tap around the circumference area of the wheel so the bearing will fits tight. It should require hammering on a block of wood to press the bearing into place.

Also, when you mount the wheel to the spindle there is to be maximum 1/32nd" end play (per the Service Manual). If you have more than this you need to shim the outer end of the spindle between the thick flat washer and bearing.

 

[mgwin]

Harry,
I did not know that. I thought all 6 in. rims were the same. Now I am going to have to check my 6" rims!
Now that I am looking at the pics a little earlier in the day (LOL), is the first pic the same type rim as the fourth pic? They look a little different other than the wallowed out hole.

 

[hydroharry]

Ya Marty, I mentioned this about narrow frame and wide frame wheels awhile back when someone else was doing something with wheels. I have narrow frame wheels on my 169 because they give the front a wider stance which I like.

Now, in Nick's 1st pic I can't see the entire wheel so it's really hard to compare to the 4th pic - but we do know the hole for the valve stem in the 4th pic is on the narrow offset side of the wheel. If Nick tried to use this wheel with the valve stem toward the inside I believe the stem would hit the spindle and he'd tear the stem right out. If Nick tried to mount the wheel with the valve stem toward the outside I don't believe he could slide it far enough on the spindle to attach it.

 

[mgwin]

Harry,
You are correct. I checked my 6" rims, and the rims that came on my 100's have the deep offset. I also have 6" rims on a 128, and they have the shallow offset. I have a spare wide frame rim also.
I am getting ready to work on a 1000 for a friend, and it has the shallow offset rims also.
If the wide frame rim would fit on a narrow frame, It would be up on the axle a lot.
After looking at the wide frame set I have, it appears that is what is the case for Nick's problem, as you stated. Thanks for educating us!
I am obsessed with old narrow frames (especially the first two series), and am not much on the newer models. Eventhough the newer ones are nice too.

 

[hydroharry]

Marty - it's not obsession, it's called "Yeller n' White FEVER" !!!!!!!
(and by the way, once you know everything Charlie has to shoot you. That's why I'm still around. I don't know everything yet, but I'm getting there.)

 

[mgwin]

 

[nagostino]

I may be wrong but I believe you got a rim off an Original...
I'd find another rim. I'd also use some fine grit sanding paper and smooth out where there was a gouge in the spindle.

Changing the tire is a treat alone in itself...after that, you're not going to want "engineering" other things just to get it working.

I may be wrong but I believe you got a rim off an Original...
I'd find another rim. I'd also use some fine grit sanding paper and smooth out where there was a gouge in the spindle.

Changing the tire is a treat alone in itself...after that, you're not going to want "engineering" other things just to get it working.

Thanks I was able to sand out the spindle. Feels pretty good.

 

[nagostino]

Nick - it looks to me like your replacement wheel is from a wide frame Cub Cadet. Your 106 is a narrow frame and the wheels had the wide offset with the valve stem hole towards the outside. The wide frame tractors had the narrow offset and valve stem towards the outside. Pretty certain you'll have to find the correct wheel.

Also, the bearings are supposed to be a "press fit" into the wheel. If the bearing fits loose (meaning you can just install it by hand, or if you barely tap on it it slips in) you can try to tap around the circumference area of the wheel so the bearing will fits tight. It should require hammering on a block of wood to press the bearing into place.

Also, when you mount the wheel to the spindle there is to be maximum 1/32nd" end play (per the Service Manual). If you have more than this you need to shim the outer end of the spindle between the thick flat washer and bearing.

That sounds right on Harry. The bearing do just slide in. I'll try the tapping. Your description of the wheel sounds good too. Guess I'm headed back to the yard. Do you have any leads on Cub graveyards in MD, PA, WV?