Tire Selection Forestry tires

[tungularafishcamp]

Have a bunch of hillside logging with our l48 this winter, and was thinking about putting same size or maybe one step larger forestry tires instead of the r4's which would have to be chained up. I wasn't to tear things up as little as possible.

Anyone know of a good source for forestry tires?

 

[CalG]

It doesn't freeze where you are?

Here it's "ice in a road" for winter logging.

Tires don't amount to more than something to hang chains from.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

I have been sneaking down to the coast range of Oregon for a couple months last bunch of winters. We just have winter rains:/ truthfully miss the cold n snow but family obligations.

 

[oosik]

Agree with what CalG says. Even the most aggressive tire style has chains hanging on it when used in commercial forestry applications.

 

[motownbrowne]

What exactly do you want to achieve with the tire swap? Stability? Traction? I think if you go bigger, if you still run out of traction, you're gonna have a tough time fitting chains. Personally, my priority list for logging with a tractor would start with a skidding winch, like a Farmi. If you've already got one, then I'd go for chains. Changing tires is gonna be expensive, and I don't think you're gonna get much improvement for your money versus a winch or chains.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

I already have a good winch, and I was hoping to find a "deal" on forestry tires.

Th r4's just don't have the traction that we need a lot of the time. Push myself out with the backhoe a lot and I cant have the winch on with the backhoe.
Ag tires wouldn't have the sidewall strength for the loader work we do so I thought the forestry ones might be a good compromise.

Chains would be the best traction no doubt about it, also cheapest fix, but they would really chew up our pastures and our wooden bridge that I would need to access several times daily.

 

[oosik]

Rick - what makes you think that slippin' & sliding around your pastures with tires packed full of mud is going to do less damage than chains. And unless you are hot rodding across wooden bridges the chains will not do that much damage. I think you have already got the best advice you are going to get. Buy some chains.

 

[LouNY]

Rick,
How long is your bridge? get 2-3 2x12's to lay down on each side, then get an aggressive logging type chain with the heavy studded ring or the studded european type.
When you cross your bridge lay down the 2x12s. or secure them down and leave them in place during mud season.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Bridge is 50' and the wood decking is about done. One of the reasons for the logging this winter is s new deck on it, chains would do it in. The longitudinals are pretty punk too, could replace those to buy some time.

I was hoping the forestry tires wouldn't be loading up and spinning like the r4s, anyone with any experience on this kinds of tires?

Except for staging and loading the logs onto trucks none of the work would be in the pasture, any weather gurus know if this will be a wet or a soaking wet winter in the Oregon coast?

 

[clemsonfor]

Are you talking about ag tires? Like R1s? Those tires spin in mud too. I'm down here in the south. Unless we have an extreme winter our ground never freezes. No one ever uses chains either. I am a forester in charge of loggers. I promise you even on 4wd logging skidders they spin those tires when it's wet and muddy. There so much space in those tread though they never load up with mud, even like ag tires do. The tread style is the same though.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

The r1 ag tires don't have the sidewall strength that I will need for loading logs.
There are r4s on it now and I foam filled the front ones because of the weights of the loads were too much.
The forestry tires I have been looking at are wider than the r4s n way stiffer than the r1s. I was contemplating going up in size(gotta keep the ratio the same) and adding a uhhmw skid plate to the subframe.

Or should I just buy a excavator which would be my first choice if I could get the rest of the family to participate!

 

[CobyRupert]

I already have a good winch, and I was hoping to find a "deal" on forestry tires.

Push myself out with the backhoe a lot and I cant have the winch on with the backhoe.

Can't you just winch yourself out versus logging with a backhoe attached?

 

[Egon]

Mud is mud. Narrow deep tire's cut through the muck and get down to better traction material. Wide tire's float on top and spin.

Muskeg is just a little different and requires flotation.

 

[clemsonfor]

Is this in alaska or in the PNW? Reason I ask is because you can probably buy an old skidder for just a bit more than your tires and stuff would cost. I bet you can get an old timberjack for 10k and if your just useing it short term or for a few things it will last or you can sell when your done and not beat on your ag tractor.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

This is in the northwest on a jointly owned family farm.

That's a great idea, hadn't thought of that! I could just put the chains on the tractor long enuff to rebuild the skid roads and leave the logging to the skidder. Plus it would be nice to have an extra option for getting things unstuck.

 

[clemsonfor]

Those old orange Timberjack skidders can probably be bought cheap, there still some around here working everyday. Most have been retired due to age and just productivity. The green ones are more modern and I know a few loggers that still were using them.
But your in a different part of the country maybe those were not as big there...maybe there more old JD skidders or something. Out there you may find more cable skidders of that age than grapple skidders? Just what's used in your area.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

I have been fishing in Alaska for over 40 years and have never worked in the woods(commercially) and only spend a few months every winter in the NW the last several.years, so what I don't know about logging would fill an ocean.

Most of the loggin there is high lead because of the steepness. I think a grapple skidder would be a sure fired way to get yourself killed but a cable one would work if you were careful. I have already done a lot of the easier loggin the place, now it's time to get in the hills, and will have to be downhill logging. I have to rebuild the skid roads first, and I only have winters available instead of the dry season Hence wanting better tires.

The suggestion about buying a skidder, got me thinking what I really need is an excavator, and I need a backup piece of Equiptment for fish camp, I could buy a very used excavator put in the skid roads and haul it back home to fish camp to back up the tractor, hmmm

 

[clemsonfor]

There you go. I know a guy who started out loadung log trucks with an excavator.

There versitile. Get a good well used piece and it still will server for many years, probably replacing hoses every so often and thjngs like that, have leaky cylinders, a little low on power but for a few hours here and there or a day or two it will probably serve you well.

 

[mrgrimm]

For stability, traction, and less compaction I too am interested in wider AG style tread tires. More plys/stronger sidewall the better.

Based on the replies I am thinking that it's just not common for people to seek out the best tire on a compact tractor, they just deal with what they got and/or add chains if more traction is needed. I know chains can't be beat, but having a tire that is wide and has deep lugs seems like a no-brainer to me if working in sloppy conditions and slopes.

I've been researching the big AG guys that typically run duals are now running huge super single type tires for all the reasons mentioned above. They are claiming great results and I would like a similar setup on something like a B series Kubota...I'm having difficulty in finding proper sizes and a source for this information??

I've attached an image I found online of a small tractor running what appears to be a 15-16" rim size flotation tire with ag/forestry tread. This seems rare and no tractors for sale around me that I have seen are running this setup.

I need to get a couple more posts in and I'll put a link to a video of farmers talking about benefiting from wider tires over standard AGS/duals/etc.