Turf tires killing grass

[Eagleview]

Are you certain the front and rear tyre sizes are correct for that tractor and the tyre pressures are correct ? Any mismatch in tyre size or tyre pressures will cause "winding up" and cause that damage . Also make sure the diff locks are not engaged .

 

[mikester]

Thanks guys. This was mostly just straight driving. I did have it in 4WD and it occured to me that it might be an issue, but as I said it was mostly straight. I made several trips down a trail with a full loader. The ground was pretty dry. My neighbor drives all over his lawn, a lot more than I do, and I don't see the tracks.

Here are two shots showing the damage. In the first, I only traveled twice over the grass. In the second, I probably made 20 trips.

View attachment 558318View attachment 558319

If you only do this once in a while it will bounce back don't worry. If you have to drive there constantly it will get compacted and the grass/weeds will take longer to recover.

If you are expecting golf green turf then its the end of the world and it's time to move to a condo.

 

[csquared63]

If you only do this once in a while it will bounce back don't worry. If you have to drive there constantly it will get compacted and the grass/weeds will take longer to recover.

If you are expecting golf green turf then its the end of the world and it's time to move to a condo.

I'm not a "grass" guy—my lawn area is full of clover and some other weeds. I think I was just surprised how quickly the trails wear down with so-called "turf" tires. Since I don't drive the tractor on the lawn or trails much, I just wondered if it was the filled tires and overall weight of the machine. It seems it's a combination of many things, and just what happens. ;-)

 

[csquared63]

Are you certain the front and rear tyre sizes are correct for that tractor and the tyre pressures are correct ? Any mismatch in tyre size or tyre pressures will cause "winding up" and cause that damage . Also make sure the diff locks are not engaged .

Interesting. I switched from the stock R4s several years ago. The guy that I purchased the tires from also put new rims on because of the differential. I will double-check the front pressures. The rear tires have minimal air because they're filled. I don't believe the diff locks are engaged. Thanks for your input!

 

[csquared63]

Looking at your pics it is obvious that that is a well travelled trail and not a typical lawn.
Shucks constant walking would even wear down a path like that.

It was just well traveled that day, though. I don't often drive the tractor on the lawn or trails.

 

[csquared63]

Is the grass really dead or just disinterred (Pulled up and out)? Or, are the tires leaking and the salt or other solution affecting the grass?

Swap out your tires with a neighbors and see if the grass is being saved and their's killed ( ! ).

I drive my 1070 on the lawn all the time with loaded ag tires and loader mounted. Grass is healed in a few days.

I think the grass/weeds are just flattened and dried out. No leakage of fluid. I suppose it'll bounce back, but it just seemed like it should be able to take a bit more travel.

 

[hawkeye08]

I drove my tractor all over my lawn when I sprayed it a few weeks ago. I can see the tracks, but it did not kill the grass. If I drive in 4WD with load in bucket the same path a few times in the hot part of the summer, it certainly leaves a path..

 

[aczlan]

Thanks guys. This was mostly just straight driving. I did have it in 4WD and it occured to me that it might be an issue, but as I said it was mostly straight. I made several trips down a trail with a full loader. The ground was pretty dry. My neighbor drives all over his lawn, a lot more than I do, and I don't see the tracks.

Here are two shots showing the damage. In the first, I only traveled twice over the grass. In the second, I probably made 20 trips.

View attachment 558318 View attachment 558319

Looking at the second picture, it appears that you may have pushed the plants into the wet/muddy around and if you stay off of it for a week or so, it may recover.

Aaron Z

 

[npalen]

You run up and down the same patch of grass in your slippers and you will get to dirt soon enough.

Turf tires are more a gentler alternative to Ag tires than a tire that won't harm turf at all.

Sounds like a path to the outhouse.

 

[RalphVa]

Turfs grip better in turning than R4s do. I've had both. Turfs will rip up the grass more in turns because they grip.

I recently made quite a few trips across my front lawn in bringing in 9 or 10 FEL loads of soil from out front. I made sure to vary where I went each time. If you go over one spot too much, even with R4s, you'll rip out the grass or compact the soil so that grass won't grow.

Try growing plantain in compacted areas. It likes to grow in the compacted soil/turf around my compost pile and on the one trail going down the back hill. In fact, I just bought some plantain seed and sowed it into seed protector mat going down that back hill.

Ralph