Ag or Industrial Tires

[JoeinTX]

Yeah, it's tough without knowing exactly what you're going to do.

R-1s are for getting out in the field and discing and moldboarding and chiseling and such.

On the other end, you have the traditional turf-tire for pulling aerators and fertilizer spreaders over lawns and football fields and sod farms.

Somewhere in between lay the R-4.......which is the best at neither but the most adaptable to the broadest of conditions.

 

[montejw]

I went Industrial, my tractor is in the back yard a lot as well as the field.

 

[Savagepike]

R4's will survive longer in flat tire-prone areas (newly timbered land, work sites). Also r4's have MUCH stronger sidewalls over r1's, so if heavy loader work is in your future, that might be the way to go. I have tractors with both r4s and r1s... I like r1's for plowing type tasks, r4's for bush-hogging/woods work.

 

[N80]

If traction is the issue, go with R1s. If preserving the surfaces you work on while retaining decent traction, then R4s.

I have R1s on my L4400 and could not get by with any less traction. I plow, pull a box blade, mow, loader work, all on hilly land. And when it rains here, which is at least once a yeareek: ), it gets muddy too.

Hey Builder, I can't tell you how flattered I am that you can't stop thinking about me....but I'm a married man. Sorry.

 

[Diggerkid]

Go with the R-1. I made the mistake of getting the R-4s on a L3010 and L4610 and was never happy. A couple of the low lights:

1. R-4s are about worthless in the snow, they float on top and get next to no traction. I had to put chains on to clear even a few inches.
2. R-4s float on wet grass. If you have any hills, be careful going down they will let loose.
3. R-4s are next to worthless in mud. They load up and just spin.
4. R-4s will slide on sidehills. About had to leave my L4610 in the woods one winter where it let loose and slid into a tree.
5. R-4s tear turf up about as bad as the R-1s.

All in all, unless you are working almost exclusively on pavement or concrete go with the R-1s or turf.

 

[daTeacha]

My tractor had R4s mounted while sitting on the lot. I switched it to upsized and higher ply rated R1s. I live in the woods, do no real crop work with it and find the R1s work just fine. The R4s look tough and macho, but the sales guy thought the extra traction offered by the R1 design would be most useful on my hilly ground in the woods. I have had no problem with punctures, and the loader works just fine with one size wider 6 ply R1s in the front running at 35 psi. I don't mow lawn with it, but do some bush hog work, clean the barn up after the messy sheep and the donkey, clean up brush piles, haul firewood, dirt, rocks, logs, and so on, plus plow or grade the driveway as needed. We get snow in appreciable amounts for short periods interspersed with thawing weather, so the thing may plow snow one day and be in mud season the next while hauling firewood down from the barn to the house.

I'm happy with the R1s and would recommend them over R4s unless you plan to run around lawn areas with your tractor.

 

[dirtworksequip]

Diggerkid, now that is the best R-4 review I've read yet.I'll agree with almost 100% on what you said. You better get your fire retardant suit out because someone here is sure to flame you for your "R-4's are worthless comment"

Sincerely, Dirt

 

[putt_putt_green]

There has to a variance in tread patterns for R4 tires.

The following R4 tire looks like it is more like a R3 tire. There is not much space between the treads. This one looks like it could get plugged with mud and snow.

The following R4 tire looks like it is more like a R1 tire. Lots of space between the treads. I doubt this tire would get plugged with snow and/or mud.

Disclaimer: Google image search for "4r tire" said these were R4 tires.

 

[jcmseven]

There are certain r4 tires which have the wider spacing but you do not see them that often. I happen to have had both on the same tractor. I thought the r1 tires did provide the better traction but it really was not as much difference as I thought between them and the r4 tires. The r4 tires are the better choice for 90% of compact tractor users, in my opinion.

John M

 

[chh]

I've been real happy with the R-4's on my MF1433. Easy on the yard when mowing and seem to have more than enough traction, but real snow is rare thing here in OK. Have used with post hole digger and pulling trailer fence building and haven't noticed any problems with it mudding up. That said it is a around the yard and around the donkey and mule pens tractor for the most part. The tractors that see the real work have got Ag tires on them. Stomp a brake turning in the yard and they leave a real divot. If you are most concerned about the yard and related chores R4 would be a good way to go.