Traction Tire Swap - R-14 Versa Turf In - R-4 Out

[rcio7684]

I live on a property that is all hills, my driveway included and since this will be my first winter with my new GC1723, I was concerned with traction and how the R-4 tires that came on it would perform. I read what seemed like a million threads on this site about the R-4's traction (or lack thereof) in snow and in snow on hills, which gave me some concern. We get heavy wet snow every year and storms that dump a foot, or more a few times a year. I previously had a JD X500 with a snow blower and HDAP tires, which worked well, except in the heavy wet snow.

I considered grooving the R-4's, but if they didn't work, then I had tires that would possibly be hard to sell as I'm going to sell the R-4's. I also thought about getting chains and adding more suitcase weights, but didn't want to damage my paved driveway with the chains, which is fairly steep and runs uphill to the road. Since a tire sipe, or the chains and weights would cost me a decent sum, I started researching tire choices and came across the Carlisle Versa Turf tires at TYB forums. There were also some good videos from Tractor Time With Tim, Good Works Tractors and Messicks about the versa turfs and traction, both on grass and in the snow. Good Works (located in snowy Michigan) had some very positive reviews of the Versa Turf's snow traction and the owner runs them on his tractors.

After all the research, my decision was to go with the Versa Turfs and hope they will give me the traction I need. I figure between the new tires, 4WD and suitcase weights, I should have enough traction in winter to do the job and hopefully they will be fine while mowing too. Since I am all ready for the winter snows, mother nature will laugh at me and we probably won't get much...

Here is a couple of pics with the new Versa Turf's

 

[cglaser104]

You've got em mounted backwards I think. The tread pattern should "point" forward.

 

[rcio7684]

I just realized that, rats!

 

[i7win7]

Looks like they are on backwards to me. Need to swap L - R pairs.

 

[rcio7684]

Yup, have to switch sides, thanks!

 

[rcio7684]

After a quick switcheroo, here are the updated photos. If I were any stupider, they would let me run for president!

Thanks to everyone for the help!

 

[cglaser104]

After a quick switcheroo, here are the updated photos. If I were any stupider, they would let me run for president!

Thanks to everyone for the help!

View attachment 677308 View attachment 677309

Looks good!

 

[Dmacleo]

kind of funny, on old crafstman 2wd garden tractor had to run my deestone superlugs backwards due to tractor itself having better traction fwd than rev.
running backwards helped even out my traction.

 

[rcio7684]

Dmacleo,
That is interesting. It's amazing at times how things can work better doing the opposite... you had the George Costanza of tires.

 

[Dmacleo]

LOL yup. was a weight distribution thing really exacerbated with snowblower mounted.

 

[LouNY]

Good looking tire it will be interesting to hear how they work for you.
Also it looks to me like too much air in the tires.

 

[mgstevens]

Seems like enough of both industrial and turf to be a good homeowner/property owner tire. Are they expensive compared to the R4?

I have R4's and chains - just adding a front set of chains next week - and it's fine. When tire replacement time comes, I would look at this style.

I'll be interested in the results on the ground.

 

[Dmacleo]

have r4 on mine too, prob best bet for me unless I want to run 2 sets of rims. do need to quickly research rear tire chains for them though.

 

[rcio7684]

Tires are set at recommended pressure - 22psi in front and 20psi in rear, but I'll adjust as needed. The tires cost $450 and the list on my GardenMaster R-4's is $420, so pretty close. I'll definitely post on how they work in snow and on my lawn.

I might have kept the R-4's on if my driveway and lawn was flat, but with the steepness of it all, felt I should try these tires. If they work anywhere close to the HDAP's on my John Deere, I'll be pleased.

 

[polarred21]

Good looking tires. I wonder how these compare in traction to straight up AG tires. The ones I've seen on GC's don't look very aggressive.

 

[rcio7684]

Mine came with R-4's, but I only have 6 hours on it (I've only had the GC for about a month). The R-4's seemed okay mowing on the mostly steep hills here, but it has been a very dry Autumn. Maybe someone with Ag tires can chime in on traction?

 

[LouNY]

I was over at the farm a couple of years ago giving my brother a hand putting in some new fence.
The little tractor on the farm is a Kubota around 50 hp on R4s.
I was going to just back up a bit to pull in with the post driver which is mounted on the fel,
the pasture was wet grass and had a side slope and uphill.
On the R4s that thing started backing up then just spun sideways and around,
I have run across those same pastures with 2wd with R1s tractors in the same conditions with no problems,
if they ever wear out or are replaced for some reason it will not be with R4s.
That tractor is helpless on any kind of slick stuff with R4's.

 

[hube2]

After a quick switcheroo, here are the updated photos. If I were any stupider, they would let me run for president!

Thanks to everyone for the help!

View attachment 677308 View attachment 677309

Seeing these makes me regret even more not doing more research into tires before I bought my tractor.

 

[irvingj]

rcio, I'll also be interested to hear how those work out for you.

I have a very similar situation: relatively steep, uphill to the road, driveway paved. My turf tires have always worked quite well, but lately with the wetter snow we sometimes get, not so much -- and they now have over 900 hrs on them, so they're getting old enough (& worn enough) to replace, I suspect. Last few years I've had to put chains on. They do mark up the pavement, but not enough that I can't live with it.

Please do let us know how those Versa-Turfs work for you!

 

[shooterdon]

Nice looking tire. Hope they work out well for you.