Hustler 950 swim with GBC Gators?

[ezryder]

I can now post a educated reply to my own question. A Hustler 950 WILL swim with 22x11-8 GBC Gators!
Finally--I have some forward motion and some left/right control. Seems to swim pretty good actually.

Now to get it watertight. Crossed my buddy's small pond and took on a couple gallons of water. Nothing the bilge pump can't handle, but bearings, and flange seals are next on the list.
I'm a happy camper though. At least I can now cross the crick confidently, and have the tires to pull me out the other side.

I do notice the 6-ply tires ride worse than my 2-ply tires. That's to be expected, and I'm running about 2 1/2 lbs. Gonna try 1 lb and see how that does next trip.

Also can't turn around in my yard anymore as these tires pull up chunks. And it Does turn a little harder, especially at slow speeds.

[ezryder]

Little update--the Gators WILL lose a bead at 0lbs. Found out the hard way. Wasn't really running 0lbs, I was running about 1 1/2 lbs and I had a bead leak on one front tire that put it at 0. I was trying to get a decent ride out of the Gators, they do ride pretty stiff. Anyway-went down steep creekbank and when I hit bottom of the dry creekbed the right front lost its bead seal.
Wish I'd taken Brushcutters advice now and ordered new wheels from Matt when I ordered new tires, I'd be running 25" Gators now on 9" rims.
Anyway--new wheels are ordered from Matt. Hopefully that will resolve the problem.

Gotta say, I'm pretty impressed that Matt had the time to personally IM me and make me a deal on the wheels, even in the middle of this big business transaction he has on the table. Definatly a class act! Thank You Matt!

[brushcutter]

HOOOEEEE! you gonna love dem Oxloks!

[ezryder]

They're sittin' in the garage. Gonna get em changed over Monday. Then comes the TEST.

[ezryder]

Well got the tires mounted on the new wheels. Haven't had a chance to ride yet. Kinda apprehensive. My guy at the tire shop said the tires didn't seem to mount any different than my old wheels. I thought that when he aired them up, the bead would seal with a POP! Alas---no pop.

[Mike]

He may not have gotten the tires over the bead of the wheel. I have seen them mount and not be completely over the bead rolled in the wheel even though they appear to be. You should test them before you put them on your machine. Take the cores out of the valve stem to let all of the air out of the tires. If the tires didn't pop fully over the bead, they will slide back off the wheel. If they mounted correctly, they will stay on the wheel. You should be able to tell without too much trouble. That will save you from debeading a tire on the machine.

[brushcutter]

Indeed, Mike, there will be a gap between the tire and rim. When the Mudbugs seated I was in my truck, about 50 yds from the tire store with the windows up and still heard the first one pop into place. Kinda scared me, I thought they had blowed my tire up! EZ, did you by chance check to see what the seating pressure was, 25x12x9 Mudbugs were 36 psi. I think the Rawhide IIIs were 18, quite a difference.

[ezryder]

Been gone camping all last weekend, and gotta work all this weekend. Hopefully I'll get to try it out Monday or Tuesday next week. I haven't done anything with it yet except mount the wheels/tires back on the machine. I'll double check the seal at 0lbs when I can.

[brushcutter]

EZ, have you gotten to try them out yet?

[ezryder]

Nope. Hopefully Monday. Supposed to go riding with a buddy Monday depending on what the weather does. Pulled it out of the shed and parked it in the garage this morning so I can double check the beads before I go.