getting better snow traction with R1 tires

   / getting better snow traction with R1 tires #31  
I usually set mine by looking at the tire contact patch, am I getting 3-4 bars in contact with the ground are they contacting all the way across, how much bulge does the sidewall have.
I like a nice curve (in the sidewalls) looking from the rear, not super wide but well curved (you can read this several ways).
Realize that you can change the lead / lag of your tires considerably by adjusting tire pressures.

Once I like the way they look and are pulling then I'll check with a guage and make sure both are the same.
 
   / getting better snow traction with R1 tires #32  
I have a mile long gravel driveway. My Kubota M6040 has R-1 tires. 16 psi in the rear - 30 psi in the front. I've "bulked up" the tractor and the R-1's are great in the snow. My M6040 weighs 10,100#. I plow the driveway snow with the rear blade. Seldom do I ever have to use 4WD.

You should be OK with the rear tires if you do this. Drive out onto a hard surface. The rear tires should make full chevron contact all the way across the rear tire. Drive slowly - check the chevron pattern left on the hard surface. I've got full contact at 16 psi and have run at this level for the twelve years I've owned the Kubota. The fronts are at 30 psi because I do heavy lifting with the grapple.
 
   / getting better snow traction with R1 tires
  • Thread Starter
#33  
I'm almost entirely on pavement. I have a couple of concrete driveways, and one gravel. None are even close to a mile, but many have 12-15% grades. I'll try airing down the fronts, and see if that helps. I've got some snow coming tonight, so I'll have a good idea of how it does later in the day.
 
   / getting better snow traction with R1 tires
  • Thread Starter
#34  
I tried airing down the front and rear, so that 2 lugs contacted the ground, then set the tires to even pressure on both sides. I went for the lower of the 2 for both front and rear. 12F 7R. no better traction plus tractor was very squirrely on side hills (can't avoid them). I pumped them back up to 16.5F and 11R, traction was the same (horrible), and side hills weren't so scary. I'm going to try grooving and siping the fronts, and see if that helps (cheaper if I destroy the tires). I'll report back how it works.
 
   / getting better snow traction with R1 tires #35  
Those tire pressures sound good enough.
Good luck with your grooving or siping.
In my mind sipeing would do as much as grooving,
but I haven't grooved a tire since my dirt stock car days.
 
   / getting better snow traction with R1 tires #36  
 
   / getting better snow traction with R1 tires
  • Thread Starter
#37  
wait! i'm using the wrong beer!
 
   / getting better snow traction with R1 tires #38  
OK, he is grooving his tire, siping would be putting a lot of slices in the lug to allow it to flex and bite.
 
   / getting better snow traction with R1 tires #39  
I think the biggest problem was mentioned by the OP in post#8 which is STEEP driveways. Very hard to back up that type driveway pushing a rear mount bower without chains. I used to plow a few driveways like that and even with chains it was hard to do. I found I could drive through the snow to the top of the drive and then plow or blow downhill. That way I had the blower on back for extra weight to get up the hill. My 2 cents would be to use front chains, sipe the tires, drive up and plow down, use the loader bucket to go uphill then back up and dump snow or get more weight on the wheels or in the tires. Lastly would be to change beer. I stopped doing steep driveways years ago because it took so much time to do a good job for what I was making. People didn't want to pay extra for my time.
 
   / getting better snow traction with R1 tires #40  
C1743C47-0754-4FCF-8C4F-A9751127A557.jpeg - Unfortunately I can't comment on the R1's, what I can tell you is it made a tremendous difference in my R4's - I go places now that I could not previously without spinning - I'm not sure if just the sips would help, it may, but to me would be limited as the groves would grab and hold forward / backward - I believe the sips would help with turning more than travel.....
 

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

2019 INTERNATIONAL LT625 TANDEM AXLE SLEEPER (A51219)
2019 INTERNATIONAL...
2006 KOMATSU D41P-6 CRAWLER DOZER (A51222)
2006 KOMATSU...
2016 Ford F-450 Crew Cab Kanpheide Service Truck (A49461)
2016 Ford F-450...
71065 (A49346)
71065 (A49346)
JOHN DEERE 3040 TRACTOR (A50459)
JOHN DEERE 3040...
2002 Ford F-650 Crew Cab Dump Truck (A48081)
2002 Ford F-650...
 
Top