Tirs - turf vs R4 (industrial) which ones?

[jimmyj]

I am getting conflicting tire advice from different dealers. One is telling me to get R4's and the other says turf tires are best.

They will be on either a Kubota L3400 or a John Deere 3320 (haven't decided which one to buy yet). Uses to include loader work up to 1000lbs (manure, general purpose, no hay stacking though), towing, snow clearing but no mowing. I do have to negotiate some slopes and muddy spots.

I have a tractor with ag tires now and it's rough on the lawn when I'm just travelling (particularly when it's a bit moist). The one dealer tells me the turfs are the way to go and that with 4wd I won't have to worry about mud or snow. He says the R4 tires are awful on slippery ice and snow due to the "flat tops" of the treads. The other dealer says that the turfs will fill up with mud too much and I'd be better off with R4's. My limited experience has been that the turfs are not very good in mud at all or on ice. Chains would be a must but I have never had 4wd.

P.S. The turf tire dealer was not in favour of loaded tires and the R4 guy was.

What do you guys think? I think the R4's, loaded would be better.

 

[B8FISH]

I think the R4's would stand up to loader use better in the long run (especially with the weight you mentioned)--they are OK in snow but not so hot on ice/snow build up--chains would be a big help and make for a very sure footed winter beast.

 

[KennK]

I have R4s on my JD 3320 and they've done VERY well for me. I do a combination of mowing (belly mower), FEL work (gravel and manure), and snow removal (FEL & rear blade). The tires have done quite well in the snow. Not great on ice, but I think only chains will really work on ice. I have chains, but haven't bother to put them on in two+ years. The only time I damage my lawn with them is on real tight turns with very wet ground, or kinda stupidly tight turns with MFWD on.

 

[tractorsanmore]

Sounds like you 'd be better off with loaded r4's

 

[SPYDERLK]

I am getting conflicting tire advice from different dealers. One is telling me to get R4's and the other says turf tires are best.

They will be on either a Kubota L3400 or a John Deere 3320 (haven't decided which one to buy yet). Uses to include loader work up to 1000lbs (manure, general purpose, no hay stacking though), towing, snow clearing but no mowing. I do have to negotiate some slopes and muddy spots.

I have a tractor with ag tires now and it's rough on the lawn when I'm just travelling (particularly when it's a bit moist). The one dealer tells me the turfs are the way to go and that with 4wd I won't have to worry about mud or snow. He says the R4 tires are awful on slippery ice and snow due to the "flat tops" of the treads. The other dealer says that the turfs will fill up with mud too much and I'd be better off with R4's. My limited experience has been that the turfs are not very good in mud at all or on ice. Chains would be a must but I have never had 4wd.

P.S. The turf tire dealer was not in favour of loaded tires and the R4 guy was.

What do you guys think? I think the R4's, loaded would be better.

Once you eliminate R1s cuz they mark your turf you are pretty close to a draw in your situation. The R4s are tuff but it is not apparent that you need this. The turfs are very ground compliant, aiding initial traction up to the slip point - - after which both suck. Loading is a good move on either set.
larry

 

[pat32rf]

Jimmyj- Up here we have a combo of rock,mud,snow,ice and sandy gravel, on hills. I've got loaded R4s with a set of homemade chains and still manage to get my JD 4x4 stuck on occasion. Most of the time its because I've broken thru in deep snow and can't get a purchase with the loader to push myself back out.
Our lawn is built on a gravel base and as long as I watch the turns I don't tear up the grass, just keep it in 2wd and make sure that you are moving before you crank the wheel.
I don't think that you would be happy with turfs when trying to do manure work, plus if you are going to be using the bucket to capacity my owners manual tells me to either load my tires or/and add a huge ballast box.
What dealers have you talked to?

 

[NH-Rob]

I love my turf tires, the rears are loaded, but for what you are going to be doing I would think the R4s are the way to go. Turfs will plug up with mud easy but so will R4s( got them on the skid steer).
Rob

 

[RalphVa]

Turfs aren't worth spitting on with mud. Of course, I've heard others say the same thing about R4s in mud. For what you want to do, R4s are probably better. For ice with R4s, you could at least have enough lug on them to put some metal screws into the lugs. That might eliminate having to use chains, which help a lot on ice or very slippery snow. On dry snow, turfs are fine.

Not sure chains would help in the mud. They'd probably ensure that you get yourself dug in really deep. That was my experience with chains. They break away quicker than bare tread (either turf or R1s) and just start digging. In mild mud, they'll dig their way through (and make some hellacious ruts).

Ralph

 

[SPYDERLK]

Not sure chains would help in the mud. They'd probably ensure that you get yourself dug in really deep. That was my experience with chains. They break away quicker than bare tread (either turf or R1s) and just start digging. In mild mud, they'll dig their way through (and make some hellacious ruts).Ralph

Interesting observation.
larry

 

[Daggerdoggie]

Turf tires are fine on snow and ice. I have a very steep, blacktop driveway and I plow it with a back blade. I have had very few problems in 9+ years plowing with turf tires.

Mud is a different story. The turf tires fill up with our clay mud very quickly and soon turn into slicks with very little traction at all.