Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow

[Garandman]

Thanks for the replies! I guess I should try grooving and studs since I have both ready to go. I'll try to groove in a way that leaves a good lug to put the studs in. Hopefully that will keep me on the driveway this year. And if not ... spacers and chains!
I still can't believe Kubota designed an otherwise very capable tractor that can't accept chains ... :confused3:

The local tire dealer told me they could not put studs on once they were grooved.

We have a 750 foot driveway plus 6/10ths of a mile of trails. It’s on the side of Mt Sunapee so we get a lot of snow.

Installed Bro Tek 2-1/2 spacers which was a pretty easy job: 45 minutes or less. FYI they kind of conceal the fact they are in Canada: I wouldn’t have cared but it seemed a little slippery.

Added Ofa Eco 8 chains plus diamond pattern studded chains in the front.

Grooved R4 were an improvement but it was still hard to plow or go in the woods. The chains make a huge difference. Plowing is much faster and operating in the woods a lot easier.

Rear chains were $485 and fronts $130. Delivery was $65. There are cheaper ladder-style chains but the H style studded chains last the longest and have the best traction.

 

[Garandman]

Per GladeHounds description, here’s a pic that shows how the grooving does work in R4’s on snow.

Winter tires take this to the next level. They have many sipes cut into the tire, deep treads and soft compounds. These are Nokian Hakkapeliitas. Nokian invented the snow tire and still the best.

I’m surprised AT tires were effective, as their tread compound is usually too hard. But at low speed and temps near freezing they’re probably OK.

 

[Garandman]

Does anyone have a grooving knife that they壇 rent or loan? Seems silly to me to spend 80-100 bucks to get a one time use tool that another member has sitting on their shelf. Located in upstate NY (Albany area) but willing to pay shipping cost too. Thanks!

PM me with your address next week and Ill send the one we have in NH.

 

[clarky711]

PM me with your address next week and Ill send the one we have in NH.

Thank you very much Garandman, will do!

 

[JBacon52]

Does anyone have a grooving knife that they壇 rent or loan? Seems silly to me to spend 80-100 bucks to get a one time use tool that another member has sitting on their shelf. Located in upstate NY (Albany area) but willing to pay shipping cost too. Thanks!

I'm pretty sure there was a "loaner" going around a coupla years back. It may have been on my JD board.....

 

[dnw64]

Does anyone have a grooving knife that they壇 rent or loan? Seems silly to me to spend 80-100 bucks to get a one time use tool that another member has sitting on their shelf. Located in upstate NY (Albany area) but willing to pay shipping cost too. Thanks!

I'm willing to loan mine out for cost of shipping both ways as well.

 

[nightdevil]

Ditto, finished my tires last weekend.

 

[LouNY]

I would loan mine but I have no idea where it is, I haven't used it since my stock car days back in the late 80's early 90's.
Now it's bugging me as to where it would be.

 

[Doofy]

I would loan mine but I have no idea where it is, I haven't used it since my stock car days back in the late 80's early 90's.
Now it's bugging me as to where it would be.

Bummer. You probably loaned it out and forgot.

 

[LouNY]

It's possible