Recently the owners of my gym decided that they wanted to start incorporating some exercises involving a heavy tire. Movements like the tire flip, tire jumps, and wood chops with a sledge hammer are just a couple of great functional exercises that can be performed using a heavy tire. But that begs the question, how to find a heavy tractor tire for your gym?
After a little searching we were able to find two tires. One for free and the other for a small fee. So below I’m going to go over the places and steps we followed to find the heavy tractor tires for our gym.
How to Find a Heavy Tractor Tire for Your Gym
Before You Start Looking
Price
One of the first things you need to determine when looking for a heavy tire for working out is how much you want to spend. Or if you are trying to find one for free. Obviously having a budget, even a small one, will go a long way in speeding up the process of finding a tire. And if you are looking for free options, there is a good chance you will find something. It just may take a bit longer to find the right option.
Delivery
Knowing how you are going to get the large tire from the purchase location back to your house or gym is an important part of the process. You are going to need a truck and probably a few people to help you get the tire lifted into the bed. Tractor tires often weigh more than 400 lbs, even in work condition. So make sure you take this into account when choosing a vehicle and few friends to help you.
Size & Weight
I’ve put this last on this list because for most people, as long as the tire is large, heavy, and you can flip it. The exact weight won’t be a huge factor. That said, most larger tractor tires used for flips range between 400 lbs and 600 lbs. With some weighing more than 900 lbs. If you are interested in knowing the tires exact weight, here is a link to a tire sizing and weight chart to better help you decide. Tractor tire size and weight chart.
Where to Find a Tractor Tire
Now that you have a better idea of what you are looking for, and know how you are going to get it home. Let’s take a look at the best places to find a heavy tractor tire.
Facebook Marketplace
One of the easiest places to look for heavy tractor tires is on the Facebook Marketplace. No matter what market you are in, the country or in the city, there are often tires available for sale on the marketplace. From people trying to sell old tires off their tractor, to people selling their old gym equipment. Typical price for a tire off the Facebook marketplace is around $100. So if you have it in your budget, this may be the easiest way to find what you are looking for.
Tractor Supply Store
The next spot on your search list, and possibly the first if you are looking for a free tire should be the nearest tractor supply store. Simply Google “tractor supply store near me” and make a list of the ones located near you. And then reach out to them asking if they know where you “might be able to find and old used tractor tires?” It might take a few calls and if they don’t know of any places off the top of their heads, make sure to ask for the contact info for their local tractor tire shop. This will be your next stop/call.
Tire Shops
I know what you’re thinking. This should be higher on the list, right? But the truth is for most people living in medium to large cities, there just may not be any tire shops that handle heavy equipment. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a try. And you are more likely to have success by finding a more rural tire shop.
Heavy Machine Supplier / Heavy Equipment Rental
Now this is a hidden gem for those of you living in big cities. And while they may not have many tractors, there are plenty of pieces of heavy machinery that use tractor tires. You just have to find them. So jump on Google and find any heavy machine suppliers in the area. Give them a call and ask if they have or know where you might find any used tires. Our gym actually got our free tire from a heavy machine rental supplier that had several old tires in the back of their facility. In fact, we only got one because the others there were too big / heavy for our needs.
Junkyard
Last on our list of places to find a large tire is the junk yard. The biggest downside to going the junkyard route is that while you can call first, you will most likely have to go and search the junkyard to find what you are looking for. If they even have it. The second downside is that if you do find the tire you are looking for, there is a good chance it will require pulling the tire off an old vehicle. As in dismount the wheel and tire, then remove the tire from the wheel. All extra steps that can require special equipment.
Conclusion
Before you begin looking, make sure you have a budget in mind. Have a way to transport the tire, and that the tire is the right weight for your intended need. Making sure that it is not too heavy or light. Once you know what you’re looking for, you now have a list of options when it comes to finding a heavy tractor for your gym. It may take a few weeks to find the right tire, but once you do you will have an awesome piece of functional gym equipment.
