jcmseven
Veteran Member
None of my tractors plowed snow well with R4's. I live in Western NC and the snow we get here tends to be heavy and wet with a glaze underneath. My 4520 and 3720's would slide all over my steep driveway, even with loaded rear tires (and in the case of the 4520 loaded fronts, also). My 2320 does better, but not as well as my Gator does. The reality is that these tires are meant to haul loads and give good wear and all around traction not specific to any one discipline. I have been disappointed in the snow performance of R4's on now all three sizes of JD compacts (2000,3000,4000 series). My situation is unique and some observations which might help:
1. R4's do not do well on heavy wet snow with a glaze underneath. They likely would do well in powdery dryer snow in less humid and slightly colder climates than I have
2. R4's on snow likely do better unballasted (the tire, not the machine). I have found when I ballasted my R4's, especially on my 3720's (I have had two) they did less well. The ballast box and unballasted tires may be better here.
3. The R4's may provide adequate traction using a snowblower since it is blowing, rather than pushing the largest volume of the snow it encounters.
4. Hills make a huge difference. My performance on my property because it is so steep is likely not as good as flat or rolling hills. I have one 200' flat section at the top of my driveway and my 2320 did fine there. As soon as the gradient changed, not so good.
5. Chains remain the best option. I hate chains. I hate putting them on and how they scuff expensive asphalt and concrete. But they do offer the best traction. These machines are heavy, even in the smallest series (2000). To get max performance out of them they need chains and become like bulldozers with them. Chains are difficult, if not almost impossible, to add to the 3000 and 4000 series machines with R4 tires due to the limited tire clearance between the rear tire and fender well. Spacers would help this. The 2000 series machines are relatively easy to chain up as they have a good deal of fender clearance, which is a blessing in this hard task.
John M
1. R4's do not do well on heavy wet snow with a glaze underneath. They likely would do well in powdery dryer snow in less humid and slightly colder climates than I have
2. R4's on snow likely do better unballasted (the tire, not the machine). I have found when I ballasted my R4's, especially on my 3720's (I have had two) they did less well. The ballast box and unballasted tires may be better here.
3. The R4's may provide adequate traction using a snowblower since it is blowing, rather than pushing the largest volume of the snow it encounters.
4. Hills make a huge difference. My performance on my property because it is so steep is likely not as good as flat or rolling hills. I have one 200' flat section at the top of my driveway and my 2320 did fine there. As soon as the gradient changed, not so good.
5. Chains remain the best option. I hate chains. I hate putting them on and how they scuff expensive asphalt and concrete. But they do offer the best traction. These machines are heavy, even in the smallest series (2000). To get max performance out of them they need chains and become like bulldozers with them. Chains are difficult, if not almost impossible, to add to the 3000 and 4000 series machines with R4 tires due to the limited tire clearance between the rear tire and fender well. Spacers would help this. The 2000 series machines are relatively easy to chain up as they have a good deal of fender clearance, which is a blessing in this hard task.
John M
