Considering switching from R4's to R1's on B3200, suggestions?

[Verticaltrx]

I've thought about a set of chains, and may still go that route (with either R1s or R4s), but I think I would be taking them on and off a lot. Really I have almost as much trouble with the mud in the spring and summer as I do with snow. I had a big fencing job this past summer on some freshly cleared land and had a terrible time getting around pulling a small trailer loaded with posts (about 2000lbs or so). I also got stuck pulling a load of fire wood out a few weeks ago on a muddy trail that is only a very slight grade.

I called some Kubota dealers yesterday, and a full set of R1s on rims with be about $1050, which is a bit more than I wanted to spend. I called some of the tire dealers around here, and could get 12.4-16 Firestone Field and Road R1s for about $365 ea. These are a 23 degree tire and I've run them in larger sizes in the past, they really pull hard but still kinda spendy.

Called another dealer, and can get a 12.4-16 Titan R1 for about $254 ea, and 7-12 front R1s for $65ea. This is probably the route I will go, but I have to find a set of the proper front rims and kubota wants $122 ea for just the front rims. However, from whole goods I can get the tire and rim together for about $160 ea. Does anyone know the specs on the front rims for the R1s? They are 12" dia, but I need to know the width, back spacing and bolt pattern. My guess is that Titan or another mfg. makes the wheels for kubota, in which case I might be able to find them for less.

 

[DavidAubke]

Chains are useful in mud too... I'm told.

I just put chains all around on my BX2350 with R4s. Went from not being able to climb my driveway in the snow at all to pulling a fully snow-loaded 6' blade up with zero slippage.

Haven't had them out in the mud yet but I did just pull my neighbor's Massey-Ferguson (60's MF50, I think) up a soft, wet grassy hill. Didn't start slipping until we got to the pavement.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Chains are useful in mud too... I'm told.

I just put chains all around on my BX2350 with R4s. Went from not being able to climb my driveway in the snow at all to pulling a fully snow-loaded 6' blade up with zero slippage.

Haven't had them out in the mud yet but I did just pull my neighbor's Massey-Ferguson (60's MF50, I think) up a soft, wet grassy hill. Didn't start slipping until we got to the pavement.

I agree that chains are good in the mud as well, I've been around skidders and other forestry equipment quite a bit, and a lot of them run chains year round. My dilema with this is that in the summer I don't need them 85% of the time, and it would be a pain to put them on and off the other 15% of the time.

 

[tractorsanmore]

If it were me I'd buy the set of r1's from kubota and sell the r4's

 

[ElDorado]

I don't know the answer to this question but, does another manufacturer have rims/tires that would be interchangeable? If so then that opens up the used market a lot. Is there a place that list rims sizes/bolt patterns for the various machines and the various tires? That would be a key reference.

Matt

 

[Northland]

I agree with MikeInEburg. I have filled R4's on my B7800 and use it for bush-work (logging and trail maintenance) in spring, summer and fall and never had a problem in my forest and hills.

The winter was a whole other story though. I added rear v-bar chains after one winter of spinning around in the snow. The next winter I added v-bar chains to the front tires as well. Now I can go anywhere and get myself out of any problem. My B7800 no longer slips side-ways on declines either

 

[bstrom]

It's funny the different experiences people have. My loaded R4's seem to work fine, different tractor but still a B. I use chains on the rears in the winter because I'm plowing snow with ice under it. Other than that they have been fine in the woods, through mud and pulling logs uphill through mud and soft ground, and snow (chains on) which I try to avoid but could not always. I usually have a lot of weight on the thing, front and back coming up the steep hill out of the woods. The rear chains do help a lot in the snow but the fronts pull good too without chains. I just don't think the R4's are that bad but maybe my conditions are different.

Also weight seems to be the key with getting traction with these small tractors, ballast on the rear seems to be essential to get traction under certain conditions. Sometimes ballast in the loader even to get traction up there in four wheel drive too if you are going through snow.

 

[TheGoose]

+1

This...

I don't know anything about snow... but I know about mud. I used to have a little 4WD tractor with R1's on it. That tractor would go anywhere and through anything. Then I got the B7410 and it came with R4's. I had never used them on a small tractor before so I didn't think much about it and figured they'd be fine. After getting stuck several times and having to get my neighbor to come pull me out I swore I would never have R4's again. They are useless in the mud... they turn into slicks. A lot of people on here love them but I wouldn't have them again. Most people like them because they are a little easier on the lawn but if I was that concerned about my lawn I'd put turf tires on it... they can't be much worse in the mud than the R4's anyway. The only problem is that not only do you have to get new tires but you have to have new rims as well! So it isn't cheap to do unless you can maybe make a swap with somebody or something.

 

[Chilly807]

I think we're mostly on the same page here. R1's will give you more aggressive grip just by the more open, deeper tread. They do that by giving you more penetration of the ground and then a deeper lug to pull against. The only problem I've had with them is lack of flotation on soft ground. The sizes to suit a particular tractor (Kubota in this case) are normally narrower than the R4 it calls for, which means less float.

You may find they will get you through tough going, but will leave ruts. I've left some pretty ugly tracks across a wet field before, and the 3400 isn't THAT heavy. We have heavy wet soil, greasy clay, etc. This summer was pretty bad for rain too.

I don't know what the load ratings and available sizes would be, but a good compromise might be the kind of tires you often see on the bigger articulated tractors. Quite wide for the height, reminds me a little of monster truck tires. That would give you better grip, and better flotation at the same time. Since I think they'd work, I'm willing to bet they aren't available (I have that kind of luck !)

I hear your pain though, my dealer tried to sell me R4's until he heard what I wanted to do with the tractor, then he was good enough to agree I'd be better served by R1's. He had a tractor with R4's sitting on the lot, had to order mine. An added benefit to R1's with two piece wheels is the ability to tailor the width of the tractor to suit your use.

Chilly

 

[red4now]

Ditto the comment regarding weight on the back. I move around square bales (maybe a little heavier than some round) and don't even bother doing it until I put the bar with suit case weights on. Adds balance and traction.