How Much Is a Tractor Tire? | Real Price Ranges

A tractor tire can cost anywhere from about $90 to $1,850 per tire, with size, construction, tread, and service driving the spread.

Tractor tire prices swing a lot more than car tire prices. A skinny front rib tire for an older utility tractor might cost less than a dinner out for four. A large radial rear tire for row-crop work can cost more than a used mower. That gap is why broad answers miss the mark.

If you’re pricing a replacement, the first thing to pin down is the size on the sidewall, then the job the tractor does most days. A mowing tractor, loader tractor, and field tractor can all wear tires that fit the rim yet land in different price bands. Street prices checked while drafting in April 2026 show that the tire itself is only part of the bill. Tubes, ballast, freight, and mounting can turn a “good deal” into a painful total.

What changes the number on the tag

Four things move the price more than anything else:

• Size: Diameter and section width do the heavy lifting. Bigger rear drive tires jump in price fast.
• Bias or radial: Bias tires are common on older and smaller tractors. Radials usually cost more.
• Tread family: R-1 farm lugs, R-1W deep lugs, R-4 industrial tread, turf tread, and front rib tires do not price the same.
• Load rating: More ply or a higher load index raises the bill, especially on loader tractors and road use.

Brand still matters, but not in a neat “cheap versus pricey” way. In farm tires, the gap often comes from casing strength, tread depth, ride, stubble resistance, and how well the tire holds up under ballast and loader work. That’s why two tires in the same size can be hundreds of dollars apart.

Bias and radial do not live in the same price lane

For many compact and utility tractors, bias tires are still the low-cost entry point. They’re common in older sizes, easier on the wallet, and fine for light to medium work. Radials cost more up front, yet the price jump can make sense when the tractor sees long field days, more road travel, or heavier draft work. Titan’s note on bias and radial construction sums it up well: radials tend to last longer and usually cost more.

Pressure settings matter too. A tire that carries the load at the right pressure will usually wear more evenly than one run too hard or too soft. That will not slash the sticker price, but it can change what you spend over a few seasons. Before buying an expensive rear pair, it helps to scan a maker’s load and pressure tables in a Firestone technical databook or a matching data sheet from the brand you plan to buy.

How much is a tractor tire by size and job?

The table below gives a grounded market snapshot. These are per-tire street-price bands, not installed totals, and they reflect common listings from current farm tire dealers instead of one-off clearance deals.

Common size	Usual job	Typical price per tire
6.00-16	Front rib tire on older small tractors	$90-$140
7.50-16	Front tire on utility tractors	$100-$190
11.2-24	Rear tire on compact and small utility tractors	$250-$400
12.4-28	Rear tire on older utility tractors	$300-$700
14.9-28	Rear tire on utility and loader tractors	$310-$575
16.9-30	Rear tire on mid-size field tractors	$460-$820
18.4-38	Rear tire on larger row-crop tractors	$650-$1,120
480/80R38	Large radial rear tire for field work	$990-$1,850

Those numbers tell the story fast. Small fronts are still modestly priced. Rear drive tires are where the bill climbs. Once you move from bias 18.4-38 territory into large radials like 480/80R38, the price can jump by many hundreds of dollars per tire. Buy a pair and the gap gets real in a hurry.

Why some 14.9-28 tires sit near $300 and others push past $500

Same size does not mean same tire. One 14.9-28 may be a plain bias R-1 with a lower load range. Another may have a heavier casing, deeper lugs, or a stronger brand reputation with loader work. That gap also shows up in 16.9-30 and 18.4-38 sizes, where higher-priced brand bias tires can creep toward entry radial money.

There’s also the work mix. A tractor that spends its life pulling in soft ground asks for a different tire than one that wears a loader and sees gravel, concrete, and road miles. If the tractor does loader duty every week, a cheap rear tire can stop feeling cheap once sidewalls start to suffer.

What the full replacement bill usually looks like

Most owners do not pay the sticker price alone. The tire may be the headline number, but the installed bill is what hits the card.

Here are the add-ons that catch people off guard:

• Mounting and dismounting: Small fronts may be modest. Large rears are another story.
• Tube and flap: Many older wheels still use them, and worn tubes are false economy.
• Liquid ballast: Loaded tires cost more to service. Draining and refilling adds labor and material.
• Mobile service: Handy on a dead tractor in the field, but not cheap.
• Freight: Oversize farm tires can carry a nasty shipping charge.

Extra cost	Usual add-on	What it covers
Mounting	$25-$120 per tire	Shop labor, bead work, valve service
Tube or flap	$30-$150	Tube-type setups or worn tube replacement
Ballast service	$75-$300+	Drain, refill, and extra labor on loaded tires
Mobile call-out	$100-$250+	Travel plus on-site mounting work
Freight	$50-$250+	Oversize shipping that is not built into list price

A rear pair that looks like a $1,000 job on the screen can land closer to $1,300 or $1,500 after service, tubes, and ballast. On larger radials, the installed total can push far past that. If you’re comparing quotes, ask one direct question: “What is my out-the-door total with every fee and service included?” That one line saves headaches.

When paying more makes sense

Not every tractor needs the priciest tire in its size. Still, there are times when the jump is easy to justify.

Loader tractors and hard surfaces

Loader work twists sidewalls, adds weight, and beats up shoulders. If your tractor carries feed, gravel, or pallets every week, a stouter tire can pay for itself in fewer failures and less downtime.

Road travel and long field days

If the tractor spends real time on the road or pulls hard for long stretches, better casings and better pressure management tend to pay back more cleanly than they do on a tractor that mostly idles around a small acreage.

Ballasted or heavy-mounted setups

Loaded rears, mounted equipment, and front ballast all stack weight onto the tire. In those cases, chasing the lowest price can backfire. Matching the load rating to the tractor’s real work matters more than saving fifty bucks.

How to spend less without buying the wrong tire

You can trim the bill without taking a bad gamble. Start here:

• Match the tire to the tractor’s real job, not the harshest job it might do once a year.
• Compare installed quotes, not tire-only prices.
• Check whether your rim setup needs tubes before you order.
• Replace in pairs on driven axles when wear is badly uneven.
• Measure tread and sidewall condition on the mate tire before buying only one rear.
• Ask about date code, freight, and stock status before paying.

Used tractor tires can save money, but they’re only worth the bet when the casing is sound, the sidewalls are clean, and the tread is still honest. Cheap used rears with weather checking or old repairs can turn into paid labor twice: once to mount them, then again to replace them.

What most buyers end up paying

For many owners, the real-world answer lands in a few broad buckets. Small front tires are often around a hundred bucks each. Common compact and utility rear tires often sit in the $250 to $700 range. Mid-size field rears often land from the mid-$400s into the $800s. Large rear radials can climb from around $1,000 to well past $1,700 each before service.

If you’re standing in the shop asking, “How much is a tractor tire?” the honest answer is this: the size on the sidewall gets you close, but the tractor’s job tells you what you’ll truly pay. Get both right, and your quote starts to make sense.