Michelin Tweel vs NDX Grassmaster: Which Airless Mower Tire Should You Buy?
Last updated: August 2, 2026. Prices and availability verified against our live catalog on this date.
Farm & Trail stocks both of the leading airless tire systems for zero-turn mowers: the Michelin X Tweel Turf and the OTR NDX Grassmaster. Because we sell and support both, this comparison has no reason to favor either one. Both eliminate flat tires. They get there with different designs, at different prices, and they do not cover the same positions on your mower. Here is how to choose.
The Short Answer
Choose the Michelin Tweel if:
- You need airless front caster tires. The Tweel line covers casters (13x6.5N6, 15x6N6 and more); the NDX Grassmaster line covers rear drive positions only.
- You want a one-piece factory-built tire-and-wheel unit with no separate tire, wheel, or bead, and the longest track record in the category.
- Your machine is on Michelin's OEM fitment list and you want the exact drop-in spec, including XL load-rated versions for heavy commercial decks.
Choose the NDX Grassmaster if:
- Price per corner matters most. In the overlapping rear sizes, NDX runs roughly $110 to $170 less per tire than the comparable Tweel.
- You want a conventional tire-on-steel-wheel assembly with sidewalls that mounts like the wheel you are replacing.
- You want a tread choice: Grass Master (turf) or the Zero T II pattern.
Price Comparison by Size
These are our current regular prices per tire-and-wheel assembly. Sale pricing changes frequently; the linked category pages always show the live price. Compare per unit and include shipping in any cross-retailer comparison. All assemblies below ship free within the contiguous US.
| Position / Size Class | Michelin Tweel | NDX Grassmaster | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front caster, 13 to 15 inch | 13x6.5N6 from $199.00; 15x6N6 from $249.00 | Not offered | Tweel only |
| Rear, 23 to 24 inch light | Not offered in this size class | 23x10.50-14 and 24x9.50-14 from $496.99 | NDX only |
| Rear, 24x12 class | 24x12N12 from $670.00 (XL from $680.00) | 24x12.00-14 from $559.99 | NDX about $110 less |
| Rear, 26x12 class | 26x12N12 XL from $799.99 | 26x12.00-16 from $629.99 | NDX about $170 less |
Design: One-Piece Unit vs Tire on Wheel
The Michelin X Tweel is a single molded unit: a heavy-gauge steel hub, poly-resin spokes that carry the load and absorb impact, and a bonded tread band with a shear beam under it. There is no air chamber, no bead, and no separate wheel. You bolt it on and the entire assembly is the tire. Michelin rates the high-performance tread compound for a wear life of two to three times a comparable pneumatic at equal tread depth, and the full-width spokes are what give it lateral stability on side hills.
The NDX Grassmaster takes the opposite approach: an airless tire with real sidewalls, mounted on a conventional steel wheel as a bolt-on assembly. It looks and mounts like the pneumatic assembly it replaces. Because the construction is a tire rather than a spoke system, the sidewall behavior is closer to what operators are used to.
Neither can go flat. The practical difference is where the compliance comes from: spokes on the Tweel, tire body on the NDX.
Fitment Coverage
This is the decision point most buyers miss. The Tweel Turf line covers both front casters and rear drive positions across an OEM fitment list that includes Ferris, Exmark, Scag, Bad Boy, Hustler, Gravely, John Deere, Kubota, Toro, Spartan, and many others, with bolt-pattern and offset variants per machine. If you want a fully airless mower, front and rear, the Tweel is currently the way to do it.
The NDX Grassmaster line covers rear drive positions in 14 and 16 inch wheel sizes with 4x4 and 5x4.5 bolt patterns across several offsets, with fitments for Bad Boy, Bob-Cat, Bush Hog, Country Clipper, Cub Cadet, Dixie Chopper, Exmark, Ferris, Grasshopper, Gravely, Husqvarna, Hustler, John Deere, Kioti, Kubota, Scag, Spartan, and Wright, depending on size and offset. Front casters stay pneumatic or move to Tweel.
Either way, fitment is bolt-pattern-, offset-, and deck-specific. Verify before ordering with our fitment guides or call 877-203-4939:
Cost Over the Life of the Mower
The honest math: an airless rear pair costs more up front than a pneumatic pair. What you are buying is the elimination of downtime. For a commercial crew, one flat during a route costs more in lost mowing time than the price difference between pneumatic and airless. For residential use, the case is about never dealing with unseated beads, slow leaks, or a dead machine at the far end of the property. The Tweel's longer rated tread life narrows its price gap against the NDX over multiple seasons; the NDX's lower entry price wins if your hour meter is low.
Running both: a common commercial setup is Tweels on the front casters, where debris strikes and curb impacts kill pneumatics fastest, with either brand on the rear. There is no requirement to run one brand at all four corners.
Spec Summary
| Michelin X Tweel Turf | NDX Grassmaster | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | One-piece airless unit: steel hub, poly-resin spokes, bonded tread band | Airless tire with sidewalls on a steel wheel, bolt-on assembly |
| Positions covered | Front casters and rear drive | Rear drive |
| Sizes at Farm & Trail | 13x6.5N6 to 26x12N12 XL | 23x10.50-14 to 26x12.00-16 |
| Bolt patterns | Model-specific (4x4, 5x4.5 and others, with offsets) | 4x4 and 5x4.5, multiple offsets |
| Tread options | Turf tread (multi-directional) | Grass Master or Zero T II |
| Rated wear life | 2 to 3x a comparable pneumatic (Michelin rating) | See product listing |
| Price range (rear) | $670.00 to $810.00 | $496.99 to $629.99 |
| Warranty | See product listing | See product listing |
| Shipping | Free (contiguous US) on listed sizes | Free (contiguous US) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Tweels and NDX tires sold individually or in pairs?
Both are sold and priced per individual tire-and-wheel assembly at Farm & Trail unless a listing specifically says pair or set. Compare per-unit prices when shopping.
Can I put NDX Grassmaster tires on the front casters?
The Grassmaster line we carry covers rear drive sizes only. For airless front casters, use the Michelin Tweel caster line.
Do airless tires fit tractors?
No. The Tweel Turf and NDX Grassmaster lines are for zero-turn mowers. Michelin makes separate Tweel lines for UTVs (Tweel UTV), skid steers (SSL), and material handling (TMF).
Which one rides better?
Both are firmer than a properly inflated pneumatic. The Tweel's spokes are designed to dampen impacts and its full-width spoke design adds side-hill stability; the NDX's sidewall construction behaves more like a conventional tire. If ride quality is your top concern, call us at 877-203-4939 and tell us your machine and terrain; we run both and will give you a straight answer.
Bottom Line
If you want the full airless conversion, front and rear, or your machine is on Michelin's OEM list: shop Michelin Tweel Turf. If you want airless rears at the lowest cost per corner with conventional mounting: shop NDX Grassmaster. Still deciding? Read Are Michelin Tweels Worth It? for the full cost math, or call 877-203-4939 for a fitment check on your exact machine.