What are these tires and where can I get them

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Thanks Zebra. If you don't mind, I need to put this in usable terms for my less than stellar brain. Lets say the backs have a rolling circumference of 130". What range do the fronts need to be in? Currently on the tractor there is are 11.2x24 rears that are 43.6" tall and 7x16 fronts that are 29.8" tall. The fronts have a rolling circumference of 89". What % is the current lead lag of this set up and how do you figure it?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Thanks Pooh but these tires (R2) are going in the opposite direction I wish to achieve. I am looking for a tire that will have good traction in the woods but will not wreck the grass when i need to drive on that. These tires seem to offer the traction of an R1 but the turf friendlier aspects of an R4. They also last longer, give a better ride and won't compact the ground as much. They seem perfect for what I want to do and I am disappointed tractors sold in the states do not offer this option as many European areas do. This seems like a tire a lot of people who operate c.u.t.s could use to their benefit right here in the USA. Don't know why they haven't caught on here as much

The reason Radials are so popular in Europe is because they travel the roads more and at faster speeds so they needed a better tire for that purpose. The fact the tires perform so much better then bias in the field is just a plus. Another reason their not as popular in the US is because you haven't priced them compared to bias of the same size. When you do you will understand why so many people and OEM's choose to use bias for the standard tractor.


I only have one tractor with Radials on it and their about the same size you will find on a compact. The fronts are more rounded though and not the flat footprint like the rears which I am not happy with. The fronts really should have been flat for better floatation as the fronts are what will sink easier. However, for a small tractor I don't notice the advantages of Radials over the same size bias as easily as I do on larger tractors. It will be tough to find the tires you want in the US but if you have a good ag tire dealer that will call all their sources you may get lucky and get something close. Just be prepared for the sticker shock and also be careful if you use your tractor near brush stubble and other woody stubble as Radials are a softer compostion and can puncture easier then a bias.

 

[MHarryE]

Radials are often standard equipment on USA large ag tractors. They are more expensive but have reduced slippage, higher load capacity, reduced rolling resistance, and longer wear life. All of our newer tractors have radials - we are talking 95 engine horsepower on our JD 6230 and larger. At work Firestone, our supplier for USA built product, informed us that bias ply tires were becoming so rare that they were dropping most ag sizes and we were going to have to redesign or use imported tires. Take a look at larger JD, New Holland, or Kubota. All have radials standard. It's when you get down to the CUTs and smaller you still find bias tires because things like slippage, compaction, and economic performance aren't important customer requirements.

 

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Thanks guys for helping with this. Robert: I thought these (radials) were tougher. I mean they even make them for skidders. There are all kinds of ground obstructions and stubble in these woods. Radials would be useless to me if they cannot hold up. I realized about the cost as I was looking at a thousand bucks between new rims and radial tires just for the front. In one instance, one front retailed for $862!!!! that was comparable to a 7x16 size. It is also good to know and have in perspective why and where radials were manifest in the first place. I need traction first and I feel ags are my best bet for logging. For that occasional and rare trip onto the lawn, I'll get a front set of turfs or industrials. This would be probably half the cost. I still need to know about this lead lag stuff and how to figure it. If 2% is the ideal, what is 2% of? In the meantime, I'll do a search and see what comes up. Thanks again for putting this all in perspective.
Lou

 

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Well I found out about the lead lag thing. The percentage is about the amount of differing revolutions of front tires after rear tires have turned at least ten times when front tires differ between engaged and disengaged front wheel assist.

 

[NHmitch]

Thanks guys for helping with this. Robert: I thought these (radials) were tougher. I mean they even make them for skidders. There are all kinds of ground obstructions and stubble in these woods. Radials would be useless to me if they cannot hold up. I realized about the cost as I was looking at a thousand bucks between new rims and radial tires just for the front. It is also good to know and have in perspective why and where radials were manifest in the first place. I need traction first and I feel ags are my best bet for logging. For that occasional and rare trip onto the lawn, I'll get a front set of turfs or industrials. This would be probably half the cost. I still need to know about this lead lag stuff and how to figure it. If 2% is the ideal, what is 2% of? In the meantime, I'll do a search and see what comes up. Thanks again for putting this all in perspective.
Lou

Lou,

I just saw that you have a JD750. The tractor I learned to drive on was my grandfathers JD950. He passed away lat year, and it is still sitting in his garage in great shape, but I think that my dad is getting it.. He logged for years in his 300+ acres of forest, and he ran a heavy duty log winch, and a cordwood saw on the tractor. The woods that he operated in New Hampshire are very similar to what you have in RI. Rocky, hilly, and full of trees, stumps, and downed trees. He used loaded R1 Ag's on the front and rear, and the original tires are still on the tractor in great shape. They worked great when we drove the tractor in the woods, skidded logs, and rebuilt a huge stone dam, and regularly tore down beaver dams. The 750 is a great tractor as well, and from my experience with his 950 in the woods, his R1's were great.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Thanks guys for helping with this. Robert: I thought these (radials) were tougher. I mean they even make them for skidders. There are all kinds of ground obstructions and stubble in these woods. Radials would be useless to me if they cannot hold up. I realized about the cost as I was looking at a thousand bucks between new rims and radial tires just for the front. In one instance, one front retailed for $862!!!! that was comparable to a 7x16 size. It is also good to know and have in perspective why and where radials were manifest in the first place. I need traction first and I feel ags are my best bet for logging. For that occasional and rare trip onto the lawn, I'll get a front set of turfs or industrials. This would be probably half the cost. I still need to know about this lead lag stuff and how to figure it. If 2% is the ideal, what is 2% of? In the meantime, I'll do a search and see what comes up. Thanks again for putting this all in perspective.
Lou

Like Bias, there are different levels of radials with various ply and qualities. Just make sure you buy what will work for your application.

 

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Lou,

I just saw that you have a JD750. The tractor I learned to drive on was my grandfathers JD950. He passed away lat year, and it is still sitting in his garage in great shape, but I think that my dad is getting it.. He logged for years in his 300+ acres of forest, and he ran a heavy duty log winch, and a cordwood saw on the tractor. The woods that he operated in New Hampshire are very similar to what you have in RI. Rocky, hilly, and full of trees, stumps, and downed trees. He used loaded R1 Ag's on the front and rear, and the original tires are still on the tractor in great shape. They worked great when we drove the tractor in the woods, skidded logs, and rebuilt a huge stone dam, and regularly tore down beaver dams. The 750 is a great tractor as well, and from my experience with his 950 in the woods, his R1's were great.

Mitch
When times were good, I owned both the 750 and shortly thereafter, bought a 950. I paid $9300 for the 750 and $12300 for the 950. Imagine back then (mid eighties) you could own two tractors for what one comparable to the 950 would cost today. When things started to turn sour, I sold the 950 3 yrs after buying it. It had a whopping 90 hrs on it. I actually sold it for more than I paid for it. The 50 series short coming was they had little lift capacities. Other than that they have turned out to be quite bullet proof and one of the best tractors John Deere has ever put their name on in my opinion. I still have the original rears (R1's) on my 750 but they are far from being in great shape. If it were not for the tubes in them along with the calcium, they'd be unusable.

 

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Like Bias, there are different levels of radials with various ply and qualities. Just make sure you buy what will work for your application.

Your contribution amongst MHarry's knocked my noggin to be a bit more centered on my shoulders. I am now off the radials.

 

[MarkV]

It seems that I heard you are not suppose to use liquid ballast in a radial tire. Does anyone know about that for sure?

MarkV