Tractor tires

[MikePA]

Walt, as you can see from all the responses which tire is better is exclusively a function of how you will use the tractor. Based upon what you said you were going to use the tractor for, <font color=blue>...doing alot of landscaping initially, then mowing, snow plowing, yard maintence, etc.</font color=blue>, I recommend R4s, primarily because of the need to do landscaping, mowing and yard maintenance duties. I have R4s and there have been times when I wish they were R1s (when working in the pasture or around the barn). There have also been times when I wish they were turfs (when mowing the yard when the ground is soft). This is probably why R4s are viewed as a good tire for all around use.

 

[I_am_the_Walrus]

Well said Mike.....

 

[chim]

This evening was my first chance to try out the R4's in snow. I had been a bit concerned that they would provide enough traction. My main driveway is blacktop and is about 300' long with a pretty good slope towards one end, and a parking area near the house. Another gravel drive about 200' long connects about halfway in to provide access to the LPG tank and a shed.

I have a Ford 1210 (16HP, HST,4WD,R1's) that I've been using for years. Being familiar with the performance of this tractor using a 60" rear blade gave me something to compare the new tractor with.

Last Spring I got a B7500HST with a FEL and R4's. Until today's 6-8" of snow, I had only been able to compare the two on grass, dirt and mud. The R4's worked just fine. After work today I was able to do a side-by-side comparison of the two tractors. My son and I went out to play in the snow on both tractors.

The Kubota was dragging a heavier 72" rear blade, and moved more snow than the Ford with less slipping around. The Ford seemed like a lightweight compared with the Kubota. My fears about the R4's in snow were totally unfounded.

We did driveways for a few neighbors when we were done at our place, and finished much too quickly. Nearly all the snow was cleared by driving through it with the blade on an angle. The FEL did come in handy for cleaning up where the driveways met the road, and for scraping up packed-down spots. Sure hope we get more snow soon..................chim

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hi,

I put chains on my R4s and they worked real well everywhere I wanted to go today in our first snow worth mentioning, about 5 inches. I have a pretty good grassy slope to get up, from down back where the tractor sleeps up to my driveway/parking area.

I had no problelm at all backing up that slope [after dragging some snow down it], or going up and down my short driveway...a driveway that always gets comments from friends...who keep begging me to do something to make it smoother and less steep at the top.

Now I wonder how those R4s would have performed without the chains! Maybe just fine.../w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

Bill

 

[chim]

Bill, I didn't go on a grassy slope, but when fooling around I went through the lower lawn dragging a pile of snow just to see how it would go. It drove through without much effort. You could give the bare R4's a try and see how it goes. My first tractor was a Cub Lowboy (2WD) with a front blade. That thing needed chains if we got a heavy frost. One reason I bought the Ford was to avoid having to use chains. The Cub was known to dig holes in the driveway before it was blacktopped. I did that a number of times. After we went with the blacktop, I was concerned that chains could make some nasty-looking scrapes

Neither tractor would drag snow up the hill on our driveway tonight. For that stretch we plowed downhill. This snow, for whatever reason, had the first 1/2" or so "welded" to the driveway. The FEL was able to peel most of that layer up, but I had to use some down pressure on the bucket.

While clearing my Brother-in-law's parking area, I discovered a trick to save the sod at the edges of the blacktop. For most of the scraping, I kept the bucket tilted a couple degrees forward. When I got just about to the edge of the blacktop, I curled the bucket slightly and kept moving onto the grass. This allowed the bottom of the bucket to float up a bit onto the snow but still push the pile onto the lawn...............chim

 

[BigDave]

Bill,

I ran my rear chains with my R4's, and left the front chains off today...the rears were solid. The fronts didn't perform as well, with a couple of incidents where the wheels were turned, but the tractor wanted to keep going straight. I'll try chains front & rear next time to see if there is an improvement. I don't think I am brave enough to go without the chains; I don't have anything that will pull the tractor out of a ditch.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

BigDave,

Be interested in hearing how the chains on the front perform. I don't have any chains for the front, and guess with the little bit of snow removal that I have to do, I probably can get away without them...

Let us know how they work out!

Bill

 

[hazmat]

Dave,

we got 4" of white stuff last night. I don't have any chains & noticed the same problem (front wheels turned, tractor going straight).

This occored on the steep section of my driveway when I was driving forward to reposition. I was plowing backwards with the rear blade. I had the FEL off (already hit the fence twice while watching the blade behind me).

 

[BigDave]

Hazmat,

The FEL can be a dangerous thing...I hit the garage door guide rail the other night and bent it up pretty good. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif I was EXTREMELY careful when I was clearing snow near my car. It paid off, no dents. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[John_Mc]

Bill -

What kind of chains are you using on your R4's?

John Mc