General opinions on R1 vs. R14 tires?

[PhysAssist]

I don't have any issues with R4s moving snow, but I have learned that they do require a lot of weight to be most effective in snow.

So a ballast box or a heavy tractor is kind of a must with R4s

Also using a tool to add grooves in the lugs can help. I keep meaning to add some to my fronts to help with side slip in the snow, because the ones on the rears improved the snow traction so well, but I keep getting side-tracked.

 

[PhysAssist]

I had Ag tires on my last tractor and now have the R4 or 14s and I can say without a doubt for most tasks the Ag tires are way better , I will need chains now if I even need to move snow and I never did with the old tractor with the ags . Just my opinion

IMHO, Your post was missing a few words: "most -of the- tasks -I perform on my terrain- the Ag tires are way better".

Just saying

 

[steve tym]

I grooved my R4's and never put on the $700 worth of chains I bought.

 

[screamin400]

Not exactly true. I replaced the factory R1’s on my JD 4720 with R14 Nokia TRI 2’s on the same rim. Tire shop didn’t have a single issue.

R1’s sucked for my lite use and were horrible on ice and snow plus the ride was very rough. I had run nothing but turf tires on an old JD750 and then on a much larger NH 4835. They were abused on the NH year round but if it saw mud out in the fields it just stopped.

I love these R14 but they were rather pricey.

I have never heard of a Nokian R14. I run Nokian Tri 2 on my tractor. They are a direct swap but not R14's. Do you have a link to them?

 

[ruffdog]

I have never heard of a Nokian R14. I run Nokian Tri 2 on my tractor. They are a direct swap but not R14's. Do you have a link to them?

I'm wondering if the R14 type is just used in the US and Nokian has its own classes/types. ??

Agricultural and contracting / Nokian Tyres

 

[LouNY]

I'm wondering if the R14 type is just used in the US and Nokian has its own classes/types. ??

Agricultural and contracting / Nokian Tyres

The ground king comes the closest to the R14 design, The TRI 2 is a more highway oriented tractor tire, and the Hakkapeliitta is the snow tire version.
Goodyear / Titan have the R14 some of the other manufactures have there own tread patterns available.

 

[arrow]

Well, since the op posted his inquiry back in April, he probably has the tractor by now with whatever tire he chose. (r1's)
In general for anyone else reading this thread with the same puzzlement...IT'S NOT JUST THE TIRE nor the general usage of the tractor to be considered. What ppl must also consider is the SIZE of the machine. I have seen 4 and 5 series tractors do just fine with R4's skidding in a foot of snow. I have seen R4's be an utter failure in 2 and 3 series tractors in the same situation.
If indeed the selected tractor is say a smaller Kubota and it would be used in wooded terrain, I would have gone with the R1's. If weight of tractor is such a predominant aspect of work prowess (and it is) then I would select a tire with as much traction as possible as the smaller Kubota is not that weighty such as the 4000 series they make and needs as much traction advantage as possible. Hybrid anything is for compromise and thus for any given situation, it will never be an optimum choice if traction is the prominent desire.

 

[arrow]

No, I have recently bought a tractor and just now looked at the machine builder site online. Those wide R1 radials aren’t offered as an option.

As an aside to this thread, during an agricultural show here in New England, I saw a larger size utility tractor shod with R1 radials make hard left and right turns on the grass. Hardly a mark on the surface of the grass that would have been completely torn up with traditional R1's.

 

[screamin400]

I am looking at a Kubota M6-131. These come with 38" R1 tires. The R14's are a 4500 dollar addition and go to a 42" rim. I only snow blow with the tractor and think the R14 would road better and longer due to more tread on the road. I think if I got hired to do some field work they would be fine. The 42" rim must mean it is an lsw tire which to me is a plus. The harder the sidewall the better the tractor will track on the road. My Nokians on my current tractor can take a huge load. I have a little over 1k pounds in each rear. Put that in with the 2k pound blower and sometimes I get some sway. I am still playing with tire pressures. I have only ever used the loader for this tractor once so thinking getting the next tractor without a loader and do not load the tires. Why carry an extra ton? I am thinking no fluid may make them track better. $4500 diff is a pretty good chunk just for tires with the only real advantage being a lower sideway and possibly a little longer life. Good chance it will have R1's on it.

 

[Beaver Cove Deere]

I have never heard of a Nokian R14. I run Nokian Tri 2 on my tractor. They are a direct swap but not R14's. Do you have a link to them?

The tread pattern clearly says they ain’t R-1 or 4. They are not turfs so what’s left?
Fact is I like them for what surfaces I want to use the machine on.