Tires Turf tires - traction?

[JimS]

I have a Kubota L3600 with Ag tires. Wife complains about the tires on the lawn but have resisted changing them. I try to avoid running it on the grass right around the house when the ground is soft.

I use the tractor for brush hogging, a little pulling of small stumps and some FEL work. Sometimes I need the traction of the Ag tires even with 4 wheel drive and locked differential. I also have some hills that are about at the limit of what I am comfortable going up and down.

How much of a difference am I going to see if I go to turf tires?

 

[RoyJackson]

If you do go to turfs, you'll probably want chains for everything else.
You might consider going to R-4 Industrials. They'll provide more traction then turfs.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

I wish I had 2 sets of tires....I have Ag's and they are great for the winter but, I wish come April I could just change them out and go with turf's through the summer and fall......ding ding ding ding $$$$$$$$$.:laughing:

No question that you will not have the traction that you get out of your Ag's.

Not to hi-jack the thread but.....How many operators have 2 sets of tires on rims for different seasons.??

 

[oldballs]

I kinda like the idea of two sets. Having already bought a "spare" front tire/wheel due to the the leaky front tire problem, it would seem sensible especially for someone who is really in business with their tractor or subject to extremes of operations. I guess there is no "one size" fits all to tractors or tires. Using rear chains could be more convienent or economical. Maybe I'll do that.:confused2:

 

[ramoffroader]

You will get plenty of traction with turf tires. They have a bigger contact patch on the ground than AG tires. Yes they are not great in mud. Plowed snow for 3 winters and they will work better than you think.

 

[MMagis]

You will get plenty of traction with turf tires. They have a bigger contact patch on the ground than AG tires.

That's great for a race car, on concrete. Not good for a tractor in dirt or wet grass.

 

[Doug_D]

With turf you will slip going up a grass covered hill on a damp day. If you work your machine any at all (pushing, loader, pulling, etc.), you will quickly learn to hate turf tires. Trying to find a nice way to say that turf tires will turn your tractor into a mower.

After only 2 weeks of owning an F series mower, I had the turf tires taken off and bar\cleat tires installed. Even on a slight slope I was tearing up all kinds of turf slipping. I still have the turf tires down in the barn...Guess I should ebay them. They will never be on another machine I own.

Sorry, but with 3 kids and a job, I am not always given perfect conditions to mow. Sometimes I just have to get out there and get the job done....Guess I could wait and get out the haybine later :laughing:

 

[TripleR]

Sorry, but for what you describe I don't believe turfs will work well for your use. I have found industrial (R4) to be a fair compromise, but compromise nonetheless.

 

[jdfire]

Lots of valid opinions on here, both for and against turfs. No style of tire will be great at everything. I will just add that I have turfs on my tractor and have been happy with them. I added a set of rear chains this year which made a big difference dealing with snow and mud. I do a variety of tasks with my tractor, including boxblading, disking, brush hogging, FEL work, and backhoe work. When dealing close to the house I like that the turfs don't tear up the lawn.

 

[TripleR]

Smaller tractors don't seem to have as much trouble with traction using turfs as larger tractors. We have used them on both and have compromised on our Massey Ferguson 375 by having turfs on the rear and Ag's on the front, otherwise traction is unacceptable.