Tire Selection Zero turn bar tires

[Code54]

Just ordered some Kenda Tires | Turf / Trailer / Specialty | K5�2
for our zero turn. I look forward to getting them mounted up and see how they do. Hope to prevent the sliding down the hill issue more than anything.

 

[Texasmark]

Just ordered some Kenda Tires | Turf / Trailer / Specialty | K5�2
for our zero turn. I look forward to getting them mounted up and see how they do. Hope to prevent the sliding down the hill issue more than anything.

Good luck. These Golf Cart tires shown, didn't work for me like I expected from looking at the tread design.......still too much rubber/cu in of contact area. Changed them out for the ATV tread I mentioned which work.

 

[Birdhunter1]

I saw a city truck today hauling a zero turn with the same tires as the OP bought but on backwards. Would there be any good reason for doing that or just mistakenly put on wrong?

If you are talking about bar tires on backwards the reason is that they float better this way. I wondered the same thing about 16 years ago when I started working for a large row crop farmer why the grain auger carts the tires were 3-4' wide and backwards, apparently they float better and don't makes ruts as deep. Of course there were not powered wheels they were simply rolling tires but the idea is the same.
Also mid mount zero turns don't have great traction going backwards so maybe they are backwards to increase rear travel traction.

 

[Locoweed]

Better traction going down hills with tread reversed

 

[blue72camaro]

I installed a set of kenda k472's on my Ferris IS700z two weeks ago and while they are a little harder on damp ground they have made an amazing difference in how the mower handles hillsides and banks.

 

[jcri]

Carlisle AT101’s are in my opinion, the best traction tire for a zero turn machine. They offer great traction compared to the turf tires and don’t tear up the yard. I have mowed very steep and off camber terrain for many years...

Tires


Example of hills

 

[Texasmark]

I installed a set of kenda k472's on my Ferris IS700z two weeks ago and while they are a little harder on damp ground they have made an amazing difference in how the mower handles hillsides and banks.

That is the same mower I have, in the picture posted.

In looking up the K472 I noticed a couple of things:

1. Unlike a lot of other mfgrs of bar lugs, at the corners of the tires the lugs disappear. This goes a long way in reducing the turning "sod disruption" as compared to bar lugs that are level across the face of the tire with sharp lugged corners (I have a pair of them).

2. Specs as copied from the remarks section of a www posting of the K 472 (not necessarily your size) tire: This product is commonly used as a rear tire on ZTR mowers and garden tractors. The product specifications are as follows: Size 21x11.00-8 Ply Rating 4PR TL Rim Width 8x9 O.D(IN.) 21.26 S.W(IN.) 10.87 MAX LOAD (LB) 340 PSI 5. We recommend referring to your manufacturer's manual for your mowers specifications.

This part is why I bought what I currently run on that mower as far as sidewall "softness" is concerned. My snow studs carry the same "MAX LOAD (LB) 340 PSI 5". I mow up, down, and sideways on my pond bank which is on a ⅓ grade and you know what the mower weighs plus a 240# guy. I pump the tires up to 10# for that as lateral stresses require it. But I still get a soft ride on my Houston clay and Fescue clumps with that soft sidewall, low air pressure rating that is hard to find in commercial ZT tires.

 

[blue72camaro]

That is the same mower I have, in the picture posted.

In looking up the K472 I noticed a couple of things:

1. Unlike a lot of other mfgrs of bar lugs, at the corners of the tires the lugs disappear. This goes a long way in reducing the turning "sod disruption" as compared to bar lugs that are level across the face of the tire with sharp lugged corners (I have a pair of them).

2. Specs as copied from the remarks section of a www posting of the K 472 (not necessarily your size) tire: This product is commonly used as a rear tire on ZTR mowers and garden tractors. The product specifications are as follows: Size 21x11.00-8 Ply Rating 4PR TL Rim Width 8x9 O.D(IN.) 21.26 S.W(IN.) 10.87 MAX LOAD (LB) 340 PSI 5. We recommend referring to your manufacturer's manual for your mowers specifications.

This part is why I bought what I currently run on that mower as far as sidewall "softness" is concerned. My snow studs carry the same "MAX LOAD (LB) 340 PSI 5". I mow up, down, and sideways on my pond bank which is on a ⅓ grade and you know what the mower weighs plus a 240# guy. I pump the tires up to 10# for that as lateral stresses require it. But I still get a soft ride on my Houston clay and Fescue clumps with that soft sidewall, low air pressure rating that is hard to find in commercial ZT tires.

In all honesty I believe they are a blatant copy of the AT101 Carlisle as far as the tread pattern goes. If you look at JCRI's pictures in the post above your you can see they have the same rounded ends on the bars.

Im not really sure what your point is on the second portion of that but here is the spec chart for these. Kenda Tires | Turf / Trailer / Specialty | K472 The load rating is much higher on the 22x11-10 that my mower takes. While I dont run them at 22lbs I currently have them at 15 I believe just because that is the pressure in the manual for rear tires. I may try airing them down a little more to see how it effects performance.

The main reason I ended up with the Kenda's over carlisle's was price. I was able to get a pair of them for $130 to my door from amazon of all places.

 

[Joe Malovich]

I haven't seen it mentioned so I need to ask, at which point is a ZTR with bar tires not sufficient and something like a ventrac with duals is required?

 

[4570Man]

I’ve pushed mine to 30 degrees but that’s sketchy. I’d say past 20 is in the gray area. There’s a lot of variables involved to come up with a definitive answer.