Why does no manufacturer offer to mix tire types?

kenmac · Sep 28, 2018

didn't think I would like the R4's when I got the tractor. I have not had any real traction issues with them. They actually seem to hold up on wet / soft surfaces better because of the wide foot print.
I do love the wide foot print on the front for loader work. they carry the load much better than the R1's on my yanmar

kthompson · Sep 28, 2018

Think there are more thread options then is realized. A simple look at Firestone's web site shows several different options in ag tires. I have had one tractor with ag radials on it. They pulled great and road great. I have used tractor with typical ag tires set up on two wheel drive. Tractors with four wheel drive with ag and loader tires. The front rib tires on two wheel drive tractor was the easiest to damaged the turf than any of the others. Running in four wheel drive on lawns is something only would do if traction is needed and there is no way not to damage doing that. Have done that to remove tree off of my mother in laws house.

Firestone web site does say radial use lower pressure. I do know if I were replacing tires in pairs would want to do so with radials.

AG Tire Selector - Find Tractor, Ag and Farm Tires - Firestone

rScotty · Sep 28, 2018

kenmac said:
didn't think I would like the R4's when I got the tractor. I have not had any real traction issues with them. They actually seem to hold up on wet / soft surfaces better because of the wide foot print.
I do love the wide foot print on the front for loader work. they carry the load much better than the R1's on my yanmar

I found the same thing. R4s work real well for most of the work I do. I like the fact that they can slip if they need to slip to protect the drive train. And most of the time they have all the traction that I want along with a better ride and lots more stability.

searcyfarms · Sep 28, 2018

agreed rScotty - they get better traction than most realize and they are very durable - a little rougher than I like that is why I run them low air - do the same on my SS so its not so bouncy ;-)

rScotty · Sep 29, 2018

searcyfarms said:
agreed rScotty - they get better traction than most realize and they are very durable - a little rougher than I like that is why I run them low air - do the same on my SS so its not so bouncy ;-)

I run mine at low pressure as well. So far I haven't found any downside to running all my tractor tires at about half the recommended pressure most of the time. Have you?

I first started running my big R1s at low pressure back about 25 years ago. So far it seems fine.

But it's situation dependent. That is, I'll sometimes pump the fronts up pretty hard if I'm going to be doing a lot of loader work - particularly if I am going to be carrying full buckets for any distance.... but even then I tend to leave the rears low.

If I'm just doing normal tractor work and chores, what I do is air the tires up to maybe 2/3 pressure and then bleed off pressure until I can just barely see the tire start to change shape as the bottom sidewalls start to bulge. Then I add more air - just enough to take out the bulge....which is usually about an additional 2 psi. And that's where I run them. So the actual pressure depends on the weight on the tractor and the construction of the sidewall, maybe even on the age of the sidewall. But the pressure often ends up being in the 10 to 15 psi range.
rScotty

searcyfarms · Sep 29, 2018

good morning, no I have not seen any ill effects of running them lower than recommended - I do the same on loader work, bump up the psi then lower it for mowing - I do it on my big tractors as well - I too run the rear psi with the bulge in the rears similar as you say, its especially noticeable on my R1 Michelin radials - my rear pressures on the R1s might be a tad lower around 8 to 12

I have found that for my fronts on my 2wd big tractors they turn better in grass or loose soil when mowing or doing field work and they don't wear my tri-ribs down as quickly as they aren't sliding as much - 3 of the original tires are on my 1944 A deere and I have ran them with the same in mind all of their life - are they weather cracked terribly yes, are they still functional yes, do they leak a little yes, one of the fronts is starting to separate if you let it down too low - but the rears are in great shape as far as lugs go they are just very very weather cracked on the sidewalls. I haven't put air in the rears for I know 10 yrs - it sits inside and has for the last 35 yrs.

I have not notices any abnormal wear on my SS tires running them lower either, although you cant drop them as much I still run mine around 20lbs less than manufacturer recommends - exceptions to that are if I am moving heavy loads distances vs digging - if I am rotating a lot in tight spaces or working on hard surfaces I run higher pressures to allow less traction so its not as hard on my drive motors - so there are reasons for everything and if you use some logic and the characteristics of leverage/angles and pressure you can minimize wear and stress on about anything.

I do the same with my vehicle tires, a rounded out tire will wear in the center unless you are putting weight on it to flatten it out, will you get better mileage - a small amount - will the tire wear faster = yes much!! especially in the center - if I am empty I run lower PSI to get the tire flat on the pavement - you guys probably all know about this stuff but just things I have found over the years that help things work better for me and last longer and reduce wear/tear on everything, even my back!!!

my 10ply truck tires ride so much better at 60lbs rather than 80!!!