Tires Another rice tire thread

[Kernopelli]

My Mitsubishi came with rice tires and I love them. The rears are still OK but the original fronts were worn and had to be replaced about 4 years ago. I replaced them with the only thing I could find at the time, 6.00x12 R1 Firestones..which were OK but were only 2 ply which didn't thrill me ( especially for the price) and were never as good in mud as the originals. Well now it's time to replace them again, they were pretty worn from a fair amount of road miles and I've had a recent rash of front flats but the ultimate end was a blow out resulting in a torn bead (blew the tire completely off one side of the rim and broke all the metal cords in the tire bead). I did some searching online and settled on some 7-12 4 ply Carlisle Tru Power R1's. I chose these over their 4 ply 6-12's for the additional 20% load capacity and hoped the little taller profile was closer to the long lugged rice's.

I ordered them today and already have buyers remorse. I wish I had contacted Len S. or one of the other guys out there to see if they had any decent used rice tires ( which I'll do next time!). I am also concerned that they are not in the right ball park on lead/lag for the 4WD. I did a lot of online searching for diminsions on my original 12" rice tires with no luck so I'm shooting blind here. I do very little road time now and am on soft, loose or muddy terrain 90+ % of the time so maybe I've not totally screwed up on tire choice and won't damage anything...but I really don't know for sure.

I guess I'll get to my point, why do new rice tires seem to be unavailable? I realize they would be imports (like a lot of tires are) but do they no longer produce them for new Japanese spec tractors, or have I just totally missed their availability? Are new rice tires available anywhere?

 

[Scooby074]

Looks like theyre still available. A quick google search found this, i have no idea about this companies reputation, just that there appears to be companies importing them Google Image Result for http://www.tiretown.com/images/rice_tire.gif

Maybe try searching for "Cane" tires?

EDIT: it looks like Titan (goodyear) makes a "Special" R-2 tire with lugs twice as deep as R-1's. They list them for Rice and Cane applications. I have no idea about available sizes but at least it may be an option

 

[Kernopelli]

Thanks for your response, I found a number of rice and cane tires but can't find anything even close to working with a 5-12 rim size. I found someone that a few NOS 8-22 tires designed for grey market tractors but from everything I found after several hours on the net were usually listed for ATV's and the wrong size for me or as "combine" tires (large sizes)...although some were advertised for 4x4 truck mudding...but they were the same sizes available for combines....anyway everything I could find started with 24' rim size ( My rears are 8.5-24) but the rice and canes start at about 14" rim widths which if I switched to something that size ( 14-24) on the rears would probably force me into a front tire size that won't work on my tractor. Some time back I had half @ssed figured that switching to 9.5-24's would put me into a 14"-16" rim size depending on which R1's were used on the front. So even if I was willing to go to something like 14-24's on rear, my fronts would ( just guessing here without making any calculations) ,have me in the 18" front rim category....and then may not be able to find any of the 8-22's by then, plus cost, viability ( way too large to steer on my tractor), etc.

I appreciate your input but what I am curious about are the rice tires comparable to what came on the gray market tractors (6-12's and 8.5-24's).

Thanks though,

 

[Scooby074]

Darryl
Sorry i couldnt have been more help. Too bad you havent been able to find a direct replacement.

Good luck on your hunt.

 

[Kernopelli]

Darryl
Sorry i couldnt have been more help. Too bad you havent been able to find a direct replacement.

Good luck on your hunt.

Scooby, no need to apologize, your input was much appreciated. That's what I love about TBN, the community here is always willing to spend time looking, researching, advising, offer opinions etc. for someone else. Even if you weren't able to tell me exactly what I was needing, you were willing to help and that means a lot.
Thanks.

 

[Kernopelli]

I decided maybe I needed to change my search wording some more and started Googling variations of phrases containing the words; Chinese, Taiwan, Japan with paddy field tires, rice paddy tires, paddy tires, etc and started finding several makers and a wide variety of sizes compatible with gray market compact tractors. The manufacturers are coming up on the foreign import listing sites like "Tradekey" and "ECVV"... they usually list minimum quantities in "container" loads with no prices but I did find this tire available for purchases in lots as small as 10 pairs...but who knows how much they are plus shipping but they are certainly an impressive lug...even for "rice" tires. These things are absolute paddles, click on the thumbnail for a good look at just how aggressive these really are!

Anyway, for the time being, it is a mute point...I already have a new set of R1's coming by UPS and will be here Wednesday. I guess discovering that they are still made and are available in Asia is a start. I wish I knew how strong the market is for grey market rice tire replacements...might be worth investing in a container load of mixed sizes???

 

[Scooby074]

Man, those are some impressive paddles! Something like you'd see on the dunes.

Id almost be concerned about too much traction and ripping off a lug? What would those tires be like on hard packed ground?

 

[clemsonfor]

Hey i just recently noticed while on Hoye tractors website (hes a sponsor here and you can see his link if you look at the yanmar forum) he is a yanmar guy. He is doing his annual so he says tire sale, these are the original rice tires off his used parts tractors i guess or extras he has, the deals are good i almost bought a set of rears just to have, but then i was like why hopefully these will last me 10 years.

the link

Yanmar Tractor Support :: View topic - 1/2 Price Used Tires - Save $$

 

[Kernopelli]

Thanks for the info, I had looked at Hoye's site prior to starting this thread. I only saw the turf and R1 tires. Appreciate you posting this.

 

[clemsonfor]

I beleive the only reason you saw the R1's and turf tires is that those are the Brand new tires he selly in his parts area. I got this out of his tech forum section where he had made the posting. These tires i take it are the ones sitting around and off of his parts tractors (he sells used parts). I guess he will totally strip one and then the wheels just sit around.

He does not list used parts availibility or prices so the tires would be the same way. You have to send him an email or call him with the used part your interested in and he will tell you if he has it and the price of it. Most items i have inquired about are 50% off of his new items.