Is the tractor an accessioned object being kept in non-operating
condition or a tractor that is still being operated? Are the tires
original equipment to the tractor or period replacements while it was
still in use, or modern replacements? Is the concern to preserve the
tires themselves as examples of period tires or to preserve the tires to
physically support the tractor (operating or non-operating?).
Many WW II era tractors still have original equipment tires on
them with original tread patterns that are very nice to keep whether the
tractors is being operated or not. If the tires happen to be
wartime-made synthetic rubber (look for red dots on the sides) then they
may still be in very physically stable condition and may last a long
time into the future even if still being used. The wartime synthetic
rubber is amazing stuff.
Tractor tires that have been run on hard road surfaces will wear
quickly, but tractor tires that stayed on the farm and mostly only ran
on soil and grass can show virtually no wear even after decades of use,
depending on what farm tasks the tractor was used for (but the best
looking old tires may suffer from advanced "dry rot" and no longer be
structurally strong).
There are quite a few newly made reproduction tractor tires
available now with original-style tread patterns made from old molds
that have been re-discovered still in use in foreign counties (where
they were shipped when the patterns became obsolete in the US) and from
new molds made to serve the ever growing collectible tractor hobby
market. Depending on what your situation with the John Deere tractor
is, you might want to consider saving the old tires by removing them
from the tractor and placing them in the best storage conditions
possible and replacing them with modern reproductions. The entire wheel
assemblies could probably be swapped out relatively inexpensively for a
tractor model as common as most 1946 John Deere models.
Three companies that handle tires for vintage tractors and tire
repair and preservation supplies are:
M. E. Miller Tire, Wauseon, Ohio: http://www.millertire.com/
Gemplers, Janesville, Wisconsin:
http://www.gemplers.com/index.aspx?src=25GMGGL&s_kwcid=gempler|266700602
5
Wilson Tires, Marengo, Ohio:
http://www.ohiobiz.com/central-ohio/Wilson-Tires.html
Tire companies such as the ones above still sell tire "boots" or
liners which are tire casings that have had the tread cut off the
outside so that the liner can be fitted inside of a damaged or worn tire
to give it structural strength to return to service or just to give the
old tire proper dimension for static display.
Tire companies also sell various tire coatings that can provide
a sealing effect to reduce oxidation and to blacken the tires to restore
the cosmetic appearance. Tire putty is also available to re-sculpt
damaged areas. None of these are museum conservation treatments, of
course, but they may be options to consider depending on what the status
is of the tractor and its tires within your museum's collection.
Supporting vehicles on jack stands does minimize the chance for
the tires developing a flat spot and for sidewall cracking. If a
vehicle isn't supported on jack stands, then moving the vehicle or
rotating the tires by jacking the vehicle up temporarily can also help
minimize the physical deformation of the tires. After years of talking
with tire manufacturing representatives and dealers and numerous veteran
restorers and collectors, it seems that tires actually survive the
longest if they are rolled occasionally with weight on them because it
causes the chemicals originally blended into the rubber compound to
reduce oxidation and deterioration of the tire to work from the inside
to the outside as designed by the tire maker. When tires site without
being used, the outer surface "dries out" and "dry rot" works from the
outside in with oxidation. The best preserved tractor tires I've
personally seen after surveying literally thousands of collectible
tractors over the years are tires on tractors that were left covered in
mud and occasionally put to light use annually. The flexing of the
tires ever so often when the vehicle is moved around some appears to
help to slow deterioration of the rubber compound to a degree as was
designed by the makers. Obviously this isn't a museum conservation
treatment but this is what the observation of collector vehicles
provides as interesting evidence of the possible long life under certain
conditions of a rather inherently hard-to-preserve category of things.
Some tire paints applied long ago by owners have seemed to provide
similar surface protection against oxidation as the mud mentioned above.
Again, I'm not recommending this as appropriate for accessioned museum
vehicles, but it is interesting to see the occasional set of very old
tires still in excellent condition when a particular set of
circumstances has occurred.
One of the biggest agents of deterioration found in tractor
tires is calcium chloride solution ("water") pumped into the tires to
add weight (ballast) for pulling power. Calcium chloride is highly
corrosive to the tractor rims and wheels once it leaks out the valve
stem or any holes in the inner tube. If your tractor's tires happen to
still have "water" in them it would be best to get it removed by a
professional tire service company.
Todd Stockwell
Curator of Agriculture, Industry and Technology
Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites
650 W. Washington Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2725
(317) 232-8270
________________________________
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Nancy Dollard
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 2:13 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Preserving Farm Equipment
Please respond to the list as this is an area of concern for us as well.
I am actually more concerned about preservation of the tires on a 1946
John Deere tractor.
Thanks for any leads or suggestions.
Nancy Dawson Dollard
Supervising Ranger, Open Space
City of Walnut Creek
925/943-5899 ext 2135
________________________________
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of L Poling
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 9:58 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Preserving Farm Equipment
Greetings! I am wondering if anyone can offer advice on how to
treat/preserve old farm equipment. We have several large pieces
including a manure spreader, seeder, and a few wagons. Unfortunately, we
do not have room in our barn for storing these pieces during the winter
months so we have been covering them with tarps. The donor had
previously treated these pieces by brushing old motor oil on the metal
and creosote on the wood. One other source suggested brushing the metal
with WD-40 and treating the wood with an equal parts mixture of boiled
linseed oil and turpentine.
Thankfully, the donor is willing to pay for any chemicals/supplies
necessary, as well as new tarps. Are the methods listed above
acceptable, or is there a better way to treat these pieces?
If you would like to respond off-list:
[log in to unmask]
Many thanks for any suggestions or advice!
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If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).