Industrial tire vs Turf tire

[ruffdog]

There are many threads on this subject:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/john-deere-buying-pricing/194768-r4s-turf-tires.html

 

[ruffdog]

Are you in soft soil? R1's will dig the best. Are you driving over sharp rocks or stumps and doing lots of loader work in the dry? R4's are a tough/stiff tire. Is most of your work mowing or on ground that is not mud or sharp rocks? Turfs can do it. R4s are horrible on packed snow or ice. They have large flat big blocks of tread with no tread sipes. That is why there have been articles about people using tire groovers to get some traction. The off road truckers know those big blocky tires work good climbing rocks and mud but are terrible on ice. The R4 tires will slide sideways right down a slick hill because they have ZERO tread to bite. The R4 tires are very stiff and it is a difference you can feel if you drive two identical tractors except for the tires.

Each of the tires are great in their own element, but to say R4's work better in snow over turfs is just silly.

 

[RalphVa]

Surprisingly, an R4 tire will rip up your grass less than an R3 turf tire. Reason is the R4 skids sideways more because of the design of its bars. I don't like mine because of this, but the little fronts seem tougher for FEL work than the R3s were. No problem with toughness in the rear ones. I also get skittish when on a side slope, as I'm afraid the whole tractor will slide sideways. If I had my choice, I'd get the R3s. Think they're more expensive than R1 ags but probably the same as R4 industrial.

Ralph

 

[Threepoint]

OP, be aware that this is a frequently debated topic with multiple threads on it here on TBN. I love my turf tires on all three tractors and would not have R-4s. If you'll be running on rough ice and hard pack, even several inches of loose snow (as I suspect you will up your way) think seriously about turf tires. The traction is quite good with them already, better in those conditions than R-4s, and if you ever need chains, chains will actually have more bite on turfs because of more chain-to-ground contact. (On R-4s, some of the links fall between the treads). My neighbor has seven tractors, including a JD 955 with turfs, an 80hp JD with R-1s, and a Kubota M6040 with R-4s. He swears he will never get another tractor with R-4s because of traction problems in the snow and ice we have around here, compared with the turf tires. He has to use chains with them to plow (I don't), and although the chains let him manage well enough, he would much prefer using them on turfs.

Choose your tire type carefully. It's very expensive to swap out rear tractor tires later. (No pressure. :laughing

 

[scott1988]

OP, be aware that this is a frequently debated topic with multiple threads on it here on TBN. I love my turf tires on all three tractors and would not have R-4s. If you'll be running on rough ice and hard pack, even several inches of loose snow (as I suspect you will up your way) think seriously about turf tires. The traction is quite good with them already, better in those conditions than R-4s, and if you ever need chains, chains will actually have more bite on turfs because of more chain-to-ground contact. (On R-4s, some of the links fall between the treads). My neighbor has seven tractors, including a JD 955 with turfs, an 80hp JD with R-1s, and a Kubota M6040 with R-4s. He swears he will never get another tractor with R-4s because of traction problems in the snow and ice we have around here, compared with the turf tires. He has to use chains with them to plow (I don't), and although the chains let him manage well enough, he would much prefer using them on turfs.

Choose your tire type carefully. It's very expensive to swap out rear tractor tires later. (No pressure. :laughing

My vote is for turfs over r4s. I've had both and for mowing or snow work the turfs have much better traction.My old L 3600 with turfs slipped way less than my m5700 with r4s in snow and we get a lot of it.

 

[DK35vince]

I have R-4's and I like them. But like others have said, they are helpless in snow and ice.
I use chains for snow plowing.

 

[MossRoad]

I had R4s on an 8000# 2wd tractor and frequently got stuck in our soft sand on slopes. I have turfs on our current tractor. They work great in the sand and work great on our flat lawn and work great plowing snow on pavement. They don't work well in snow on side slopes. With that said, I do almost ZERO pulling, as my machine is not designed for that.

I think what the OP needs to do first, before selecting tire type, is listing all of the tasks he wants to accomplish with his tractor, and what percentage of time will be spent doing those tasks. After that, you can decide which type of tire will be best for most of your estimated work. You will always have some sort of compromise, unless you buy multiple rims and tires and swap back and forth.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I had R4s on an 8000# 2wd tractor and frequently got stuck in our soft sand on slopes. I have turfs on our current tractor. They work great in the sand and work great on our flat lawn and work great plowing snow on pavement. They don't work well in snow on side slopes. With that said, I do almost ZERO pulling, as my machine is not designed for that.

I think what the OP needs to do first, before selecting tire type, is listing all of the tasks he wants to accomplish with his tractor, and what percentage of time will be spent doing those tasks. After that, you can decide which type of tire will be best for most of your estimated work. You will always have some sort of compromise, unless you buy multiple rims and tires and swap back and forth.

I agree with Mossroad. All types of tires have strong points and weak points and none do everything best. You will have to make a compromise as to which of the tasks you will be doing the most of and then select the best tire for that task and one that will also work for your other tasks. The reason most tractors come with R4 tires is because they are best overall compromised tire and work fairly well for all task, not the best for all, but they get the job done for all tasks.

 

[RalphVa]

The R4s aren't "helpless" in snow. The 1025 worked almost as well as the 4010 with its turfs, using FEL and back blade on fairly flat driveway. Might see the difference if my driveway had more slope.

Next tractor will have turfs though. I may also go for like the 2025 (would be better if JD had a 2018) for the turning brakes, which help in snow.

I'd really worry if I had to get a R4 tired tractor on a side slope in the snow. It'd likely just slide sideways.

Ralph

 

[MossRoad]

If you look at the contact patch of an R4 vs a Turf, there is almost 50% more tread making contact with the ground on a turf tire. This can be good and this can be bad.

For example, you will get less compaction with turfs as the cleats on an R4 concentrate the weight. You are more likely to get dents in your lawn with R4s than turfs. Also, on dry pavement, the turfs will provide more traction, as the R4s have no tread, just flat rubber.

On the other hand, if you need traction to pull or push something in dirt, the R4s will bite into the soil better than a turf... unless its soft sand. Then the cleats on the R4s will dig you a nice trench while the turfs will give better flotation.

Deep snow. I'm guessing that R4s will be better than turfs.

Light snow on pavement. I'm guessing turfs will work better.

Plowing a field, R1s rule.

Every tool has its application. I'm not pro or con on any of them. For my purposes, turfs work best. For yours, that's up to you. :thumbsup: