R4 vs. Turf Tires

   / R4 vs. Turf Tires #1  

BRENTK

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Apr 21, 2000
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2
I will be purchasing a JD 4300 in the next week or two. I am undeceided on which tire to get. I would like the R4 for loader work and snow removal, but I am concerned it will rip up the lawn while mowing. For those of you with tractors of this size and R4's, has turf damage been a problem?

Thanks in advance for your advice.
 
   / R4 vs. Turf Tires #2  
Brent I drive my 4400 with R4's on turff all the time. Only when the ground is wet after a rain is there a problem. I do not have a finish mower, but do alot of work with the loader & tiller. I am very happy with the R4's. Chris
 
   / R4 vs. Turf Tires #3  
I have R4 tires, and the only time that I get a rut is if the ground is wet, or very damp. They work great with the front end loader. I am very happy with mine also. I use my tractor mainly to mow my yard, and don't think I would have been happy with the turfs after having the R4's.
 
   / R4 vs. Turf Tires #4  
I think turf tires are very special-purpose tires and really truly useful only for turf applications. R4's are much more versatile and durable. You can use them for turf applications with a little care, but if you do much loader work, I think you'd regret getting turf tires.

Mark
 
   / R4 vs. Turf Tires #5  
I've been boosting turfs for awhile, saying that I didn't have traction problems. That changed. I wanted to take off a turf over-burden to prepare a pad for a construction trailer. Had to take small bites with the scraifiers down one notch on a 6' box blade until I got the turf off. The traction was OK on dirt.

I don't use the tractor for mowing, so it will be R4's for me. However, I'll probably wait until the loader finishes off the front tires, or I pick up enough nails from our demolition that I can use the rear tires for colanders.
 
   / R4 vs. Turf Tires #6  
R4's. I went with the Ags and am happy with the traction but to do it over again I'd defintitely go with the R4's. AS Mark said, more versatile and won't impress the ground too much unless REALLY soft. I think the R4's also have more plies and are more puncture resistant.
 
   / R4 vs. Turf Tires #7  
Yes, the R4's are definitely more puncture resistant, durable and weight capacity. My first Kubota had turf tires because I didn't know any better. I had them two weeks, during which time I had 4 or 5 flats to locust thorns. After pushing a stick through one of the front tires' sidewall and ruining it, I made the switch to R4's and have never looked back.

Mark
 
   / R4 vs. Turf Tires #8  
It may make a difference on the type of soil you have. My nine year old B1550 has R4's and my newer B2400 has turf tires. I found that here in Florida where the soil is really just sand, the R4's can tear up a lawn - especially when it is as dry as it has been.
JB
 
   / R4 vs. Turf Tires #9  
I can see that happening - I lived in West Palm Beach for 3 years. I guess down there you'd just about need two machines if you needed a loader and wanted to mow grass, too.

Mark
 
   / R4 vs. Turf Tires #10  
I tried both before I bought and went with the r4s, have mowed the lawn a few times and no damage, you just have to be careful on a wet lawn and no sharp turns at fast speeds. R4s didn't leave any impressions on lawn either.
 
 
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