Vehicle fitment guide
John Deere 318 Tire Size
12 in-stock tires match this fitment. Most ship from Cleveland next day.
FRONT TIRE
16x6.50-8
2-ply recommended
REAR TIRE
23x10.50-12
4-ply recommended
- Some sizes low
- Most ships from Cleveland in 1 business day
- 30-day fitment guarantee
Sizes verified against manufacturer service specs and cross-checked with owner forums — not scraped from a listing.
Owner-operated since 2004 · Free shipping to the lower 48 · Ships from Cleveland, OH in 1 business day
John Deere 318
TIRES FOR YOUR JOHN DEERE 318
16 tires fit this machine — 12 in stock today.
Sorted by recommended fit. Kenda first — direct from manufacturer.
REAR TIRE SIZE 23x10.50-12
4,854 tires shipped at this size in the last 12 months — off the same Cleveland shelves these come from.
FRONT TIRE SIZE 16x6.50-8
2,148 tires shipped at this size in the last 12 months — off the same Cleveland shelves these come from.
OWNER NOTES
What we see with the 318 around Cleveland.
The 318 is the 18-HP Onan-powered Weekend-Freedom-Machines-era garden tractor John Deere built from 1983 to 1992. It's the model the WFM forum debates more than any other, partly because it was sold with both an ag-tire option and a turf-tire option from the factory, and partly because the standard 23x10.50-12 turf rear is harder to find clean than it used to be — Goodyear left the lawn-and-garden market years ago, and original NOS rears often turn up at swap meets with dry-rotted sidewalls.
What 318 owners ask about most:
- The 16x6.50-8 front is shared across the Wheel Horse C-series and the late IH-era Cub Cadets, so a front-tire order on a 318 can sometimes cross over to a neighboring antique machine — just don't assume the rears match (the C-series runs a narrower 23x8.50-12 rear). The cross-make spine works in this size family in a way it doesn't on the modern lineup.
- The ag-spec 318 ran a 4.80x4.00-8 front, which is a different rim from the turf 16x6.50-8 front. That's the first thing to confirm when an owner calls about a 318 — turf or ag, and which rim is on it.
- The 332 (the diesel sibling) and some late-production 318s were sold with 26x12-12 rears as a factory option for heavier attachment work. The model number alone isn't enough to confirm a rear fitment on this machine; check the sidewall.
UPGRADE OPTIONS
When the OEM isn't the right answer.
3 common situations + the tires we recommend instead.
FOR FACTORY TURF SPEC, WORKING MACHINE
A modern Kenda or Deestone 23x10.50-12 turf rear is the practical answer for most working 318s. Cheaper than NOS, comparable wear life, and no dry-rot worry on day one — original Goodyear factory rears that turn up at swap meets often have sidewall cracks before they ever roll.
FOR PERIOD-CORRECT SHOW SPEC
Owners restoring a 318 to original paint usually want a turf rear that matches the factory tread pattern visually. NOS or reproduction options exist; check the sidewall date code before paying NOS prices because the rubber ages even when the tire never rolls.
▸ Period-correct turf options
FOR THE AG-SPEC 318
The ag-tire-option 318 ran a 4.80x4.00-8 front on a different rim from the turf 16x6.50-8 — same model number, different wheel. Confirm which rim is on the tractor before assuming the standard turf front fits, especially on a machine you’re buying sight-unseen.
▸ 4.80x4.00-8 ag-front confirmation
SAME FITMENT, DIFFERENT MACHINE
8 other machines take similar tires.
Same 23x10.50-12 rear and 16x6.50-8 front fitments.
COMMON QUESTIONS