Ags or R4's in heavy timber country

Maka · 10-14-2006, 12:52 PM

Hi All,

For those of you who have the experience I would like to discuss. As a dealer in very heavy timber country I have people skidding logs, cleaning slash etc..

The R4's are wider more stable, less wear on the tire it seems and less resistant to tire damage due to rocks and slash and less damaging on the ground. Good traction in most conditions. We are rocky and sandy not much clay.

R1's are great in the slick stuff (far better than R4's), get much more traction when needed.

An earlier post brought this up in a post on which tractor but I would like to keep this to just tires in the woods.

I have a customer who has a 43hp tractor with a Tajfun winch. He is hard on his stuff and when he got it went with R1's for traction. He punctured a tire at about 100 hrs and ate the lugs up on rocks so came in and bought Titan R4's and has had no damage to the tires after 400 hours and has no compalint about traction in our type of soils.

What do you use in what type of soil conditions and what are your experience if you have used both types? This may help others who are considering this for forrestry uses in various areas.

I am not advocating one over the other as in some areas clay may be a factor and the R1's would be better where on rocks and slash R4's may be better.

For our area and forrestry use R4's seem to be the preference.

Maka

Todd_C · 10-15-2006, 12:41 PM

I live in a heavily wooded area in SW Virginia. The soil is composed of shell and bedrock. I have R4 tires on my compact tractors and these tires do a good job. The tires have done well and held up well. I do agree that R4 tires are a poor choice for muddy conditions. I have been in several tight spots because the R4 tire does not self clean. This is not the tire of choice for wet marshy areas. My experience with the R4 in snow has been positive.

JoeR · 10-15-2006, 06:09 PM

I too use R4's in my sandy soil. Works well, and does not do too much damage to the turf. I also agree, they do not work well in muck/mud. When I get near the edge of a swamp, I am grateful for 4wd and my FEL. I have used my FEL more than once to get me out since the R4's lost traction. Of course, I do not make it a habit to get into muddy situations.

Joe

Doc_Bob · 10-15-2006, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeR

When I get near the edge of a swamp, I am grateful for 4wd and my FEL. I have used my FEL more than once to get me out since the R4's lost traction. Joe

I have R1s. Got stuck in a swamp. FEL saved me. 4WD and AGs helped, but if I had been bush hogging without my FEL, I would have been stuck.
Bob

Deerlope · 10-15-2006, 07:19 PM

Neither the R-1's or the R-4's are worth a hoot on ice so when I am skidding log in the winter I use a set of Valby ice chains. Rear wheels only.

Boondox · 10-15-2006, 07:20 PM

Maka -- You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned your soil type. Here in Vermont the woods are full of mud and clay, so Aggies are commonly used. I've had one puncture, and that was my fault for running over my own Peavey. And even with the Ags, there have been times I had to winch myself out of muck. My neighbor has R4s on his M-series Kubota and I've had to winch him out of trouble several times when his tires loaded up with mud and spun.

It must be great to have well drained soil to work with!

Pete

johnk · 10-15-2006, 07:32 PM

My soil is all clay and muck and I use R1's. Really can't compare the two because I never used R4's. Looking at how my R1's plug I couldn't imagine R4's or others. Haven't gotten stuck but came **** near a few times...

jbrumberg · 10-15-2006, 07:47 PM

Boondox:

I agee with you. R-1's are good at "gooing" forward, but they do not work as well in reverse (I have been stuck a few times

). I have not yet experienced a tire puncture with R-1's, but I have had a couple of valve stem rip offs. Many of the threads in TBN indicate that R-1's are more susceptible to punctures than R-4's. Jay

johnk · 10-15-2006, 07:59 PM

I think it all depends what brand and ply tires you have. I have seen R1's in 4 PLY and 6 Ply............

Doc_Bob · 10-15-2006, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnk

My soil is all clay and muck and I use R1's. Really can't compare the two because I never used R4's. Looking at how my R1's plug I couldn't imagine R4's or others. Haven't gotten stuck but came **** near a few times...

Not bad

. Try that kind of mud with R4s!!!!!!!!! They would look like slicks.
Bob

10-14-2006, 12:52 PM	#1 (permalink)
Maka Platinum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Moyie Springs, Idaho and Kalispell, Montana Posts: 972	Ags or R4's in heavy timber country Hi All, For those of you who have the experience I would like to discuss. As a dealer in very heavy timber country I have people skidding logs, cleaning slash etc.. The R4's are wider more stable, less wear on the tire it seems and less resistant to tire damage due to rocks and slash and less damaging on the ground. Good traction in most conditions. We are rocky and sandy not much clay. R1's are great in the slick stuff (far better than R4's), get much more traction when needed. An earlier post brought this up in a post on which tractor but I would like to keep this to just tires in the woods. I have a customer who has a 43hp tractor with a Tajfun winch. He is hard on his stuff and when he got it went with R1's for traction. He punctured a tire at about 100 hrs and ate the lugs up on rocks so came in and bought Titan R4's and has had no damage to the tires after 400 hours and has no compalint about traction in our type of soils. What do you use in what type of soil conditions and what are your experience if you have used both types? This may help others who are considering this for forrestry uses in various areas. I am not advocating one over the other as in some areas clay may be a factor and the R1's would be better where on rocks and slash R4's may be better. For our area and forrestry use R4's seem to be the preference. Maka

10-15-2006, 12:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
Todd_C Silver Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Southwest, VA Posts: 207	Re: Ags or R4's in heavy timber country I live in a heavily wooded area in SW Virginia. The soil is composed of shell and bedrock. I have R4 tires on my compact tractors and these tires do a good job. The tires have done well and held up well. I do agree that R4 tires are a poor choice for muddy conditions. I have been in several tight spots because the R4 tire does not self clean. This is not the tire of choice for wet marshy areas. My experience with the R4 in snow has been positive.

10-15-2006, 06:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
JoeR Platinum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 535	Re: Ags or R4's in heavy timber country I too use R4's in my sandy soil. Works well, and does not do too much damage to the turf. I also agree, they do not work well in muck/mud. When I get near the edge of a swamp, I am grateful for 4wd and my FEL. I have used my FEL more than once to get me out since the R4's lost traction. Of course, I do not make it a habit to get into muddy situations. Joe

10-15-2006, 07:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
Deerlope Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northern, New York Posts: 1,386	Re: Ags or R4's in heavy timber country Neither the R-1's or the R-4's are worth a hoot on ice so when I am skidding log in the winter I use a set of Valby ice chains. Rear wheels only. __________________ M-5040 w/cab, 05 RTV 900, Where the maple sap flows

10-15-2006, 07:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
Boondox Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Vermont Posts: 3,562	Re: Ags or R4's in heavy timber country Maka -- You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned your soil type. Here in Vermont the woods are full of mud and clay, so Aggies are commonly used. I've had one puncture, and that was my fault for running over my own Peavey. And even with the Ags, there have been times I had to winch myself out of muck. My neighbor has R4s on his M-series Kubota and I've had to winch him out of trouble several times when his tires loaded up with mud and spun. It must be great to have well drained soil to work with! Pete __________________ Kubota L4630HST, LA853, Farmi 501 winch Kubota KX121-3S, angle blade w/ float, hydraulic thumb www.GatewayToVermont.com

10-15-2006, 07:47 PM	#8 (permalink)
jbrumberg Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Western MA Posts: 1,876	Re: Ags or R4's in heavy timber country Boondox: I agee with you. R-1's are good at "gooing" forward, but they do not work as well in reverse (I have been stuck a few times ). I have not yet experienced a tire puncture with R-1's, but I have had a couple of valve stem rip offs. Many of the threads in TBN indicate that R-1's are more susceptible to punctures than R-4's. Jay

10-15-2006, 07:59 PM	#9 (permalink)
johnk Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: western NY Posts: 1,479	Re: Ags or R4's in heavy timber country I think it all depends what brand and ply tires you have. I have seen R1's in 4 PLY and 6 Ply............

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