Screw in studs for push mower wheels?

[D-train]

I just purchased two front wheels for a push mower. It's a front wheel drive and the wheels were BALD. I paid $70 total. We all know how this works... the mower is about 6 years old. In another 4 years (I have larger lawn now) these wheels will be bald again. ...and by that time, they will be obsolete. So I was thinking about screwing in some plastic treads (think of the soft spikes on golf shoes, only harder) and then replacing those when needed.

I thought about some star washers, but they aren't thick enough. ...any other thoughts out there???

Thanks,

Mark

 

[no704]

In 6 years you will be ready for a z-turn rider.

 

[four.cycle]

 

[Kscardsfan]

I’d say buy a better mower after a decade.

 

[four.cycle]

^ no... ten years a walk-behind is barely broken in if it's being used only for residential service.

tires on the self-propelled models go bald because people run them on pavement.

 

[Tools4Me]

Two methods that I have seen talked about online that are rumored to work well. Screwed on repurposed mountain bike tire treads or sheet metal screws by themselves. I have successfully used the sheet metal screw only method. It helped improve traction for ascending steep sections of the lawn whenever the grass was a bit wet/slippery. Where I live, I don't always get the luxury of mowing the lawn when it's dry.

How to Get Nonslip Mower Treads

Retread old, bald lawn mower tires with a knobby bicycle tire for extra traction on hilly terrain.

www.familyhandyman.com

Better Lawn Mower Traction

Get a grip in your yard with your lawn mower with this genius tip. No more spin-outs and slips on hills with your lawn mower.

www.familyhandyman.com

 

[four.cycle]

^ I have not tried this myself yet because every self-propelled model I build gets sold almost immediately.
I do have a Toro RWD model here that I might try this on. I've had the tire out in the pile for over five years - just haven't found a suitable "victim" yet.
If and when I get to it I will report back. Looks to me like it would work great but it might rip up wet grass a bit.

 

[lardy1]

Reminds me of studding motorcycle tires for ice racing.

 

[marak]

I had a lawn business for over 20 years and often had 25+ customers (and up to 35 or so some years) whom I mowed for weekly. Mower wheels would wear thin after a season (mower was a RWD Toro). Replacement wheels were not a solution as they were pricey and would also wear out in one season. I kept a mower for typically five years. Once the original wheels were beginning to show wear I would retread the drive wheels with bicycle tires and used screws for a mechanical fastener. This was back in the 1990's and I recall using different adhesives in conjunction with the screws, but don't recall what I used; it seems like screws alone were sufficient if placed close enough together. To this day, I keep a stash of bicycle tires.

 

[Ton ton]

I generally wait until the grass is dry. I don't have a self- propelled mower. Just regular push mowers is what I use.

 

[D-train]

Thanks for the input/links!

I won't disagree that use, or at least turning on a concrete surface does accelerate wear... But that is very minimal in my case. These tires just wear. I won't bother stating the size of the lot that I am cutting because that will just bring people in stating that I should have a bigger machine. Which isn't the point of this thread.

I thought about just shooting hex head screws into them. The bike tire option seems cool, but I'm willing to bet a bike tire is over $20 today. ...and if I did all four wheels... To keep the machine level... There goes the cost advantage. (no comments needed about keeping the machine level either)

Thanks,

Mark

 

[four.cycle]

^ Go to ANY tire shop OR bicycle shop and get them for free.
It costs them money to dispose of them.