Putting the R1 vs R4 debate to rest?

[boostmg]

Alright guys ... so I am like everyone else going back and forth on R1 vs R4 tires. I figured I can use this thread to hopefully put an end to the debate with real experience.

OK so:

I hear that R1 tires are mostly great but they can - puncture easier, are not good for bucket work or backhoe work, and tear up lawns, they also would increase ground clearance which is usually good.

I hear that R4 tires are thicker - but their major downside is potential traction.

So IMO it seems like if R1 tires were fine with bucket and backhoe work, and didn't really puncture easily, and didn't totally tear up lawns they would be the best choice.

OR if R4 tires were fine in mud and snow and other areas where you need traction then they would be the best choice.

So can people chime in and let me know if they have any of the problems mentioned above with the tires?

Also i was thinking maybe R4s + chains could be the best most flexible combo, especially if your running a hoe and get stuck so you can lift the rears up to put the chains on if needed?

 

[oosik]

First - you are living in dream land if you think this will put the debate to rest.

Any tire - regardless of type - will be a compromise if the tractor is used for everything.

I have R-1's because I need the traction. I can lift 3000# loads with my grapple. I have never had problems with the R-1's in the front.

I could roll the R-1's off the rim if I were not careful.

Choose wisely - grasshopper.

 

[ovrszd]

You'll have better luck debating the perfect color than tire type.

I had a Kubota L4400 with R4. I had to run chains of the rear during muddy/snowy times. More durable, longer lasting tire, just horrible on slick surfaces.

My M9540 has R1 tires. I've carried many loads with the Grapple while one rear tire is off the ground. I run higher air pressure in the fronts than suggested. I've never had one come loose from the rim.

I have R4 tires on my little JD that I mow with. I'd have no use for them on anything larger.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Nobody seems to mention this but R-4's ride rougher. I wouldn't buy a set unless I absolutely needed that style of tire.

If you have a backhoe you don't need chains. You just move the whole tractor around with the hoe.

 

[ruffdog]

Nobody seems to mention this but R-4's ride rougher. I wouldn't buy a set unless I absolutely needed that style of tire.

If you have a backhoe you don't need chains. You just move the whole tractor around with the hoe.

I had a TC33D with turfs while a friend had the Case equal (DX33) with R4 tires. While driving their tractor I noticed how rough riding it was. It is just the nature of the tire...stiff and tough, good for FEL work in rocks. (good only if you NEED it)

R1, R4, and turfs all are the best in their own element. All 3 will also work in all conditions, maybe not great though. The user has to decide what the tractor will be doing the majority of the time. What are your priorities?

 

[jmc]

Next time, for my particular uses, I'll go back to R1. Mostly my work is where scuffing up the turf doesn't matter. R4 may be more thorn resistant but I did managed to put an antler prong thru mine. In the pic attached, I got the R4 off the edge of the pavement and attempts to get back up just made it worse. My thought at the time was that R1 would have probably let me drive out and, maybe, not sucked down so far to begin with.

 

[4570Man]

Next time, for my particular uses, I'll go back to R1. Mostly my work is where scuffing up the turf doesn't matter. R4 may be more thorn resistant but I did managed to put an antler prong thru mine. In the pic attached, I got the R4 off the edge of the pavement and attempts to get back up just made it worse. My thought at the time was that R1 would have probably let me drive out and, maybe, not sucked down so far to begin with.

Not all R4s are created equal. Some have huge lugs that have terrible traction. Those on your tractor are the same that my L3240 had and they’re pretty similar to a R1 tire but wider. I don’t think you’d notice much difference in traction.

 

[EddieWalker]

Not sure where you got your original information, but they both have distinct advantages over each other and it's up to the buyer to decide which is more important to them. R1 will have better traction off road and in wet conditions. R4 will last longer on hard surfaces, especially pavement. Negatives to R1's are how they tear up the ground, or dig in when it's soft out. Negatives to R4 is their lack of traction in wet conditions.

Both will withstand or go flat fairly equally if both tires are of equal quality.

Both will work just fine for most conditions.

I went with R1s because all of my bush hogging is in rough conditions that vary from hard summer soil, to soft spring and fall soil. I still get stuck a dozen times a year, but it would happen a lot more often if I had R4s. My backhoe has R4 tires and I've learned to not take any chances with it in soft soil. I still manage to get it stuck once or twice a year, and I've spent up to 2 days working at getting it out. Usually I can pull myself out with the hoe stick in a few hours, but the damage that I do to the surrounding area might not be fixable for months when it dries out completely.

What will make the biggest difference with bucket work is having 4 wheel drive. You will have more traction to get a bigger load with less effort.

 

[fruitcakesa]

My old L4630 came with R4's and being a novice tractor owner at the time, did not have anything else to compare them to. I put lugged Euro chains on for winter use and had little to no traction issues or lawn tear up.
My M came with R1's and at first I was leery of how well they would work in the conditions I normally operate in and of course, I would also put chains on them for the winter.
Well, other than the tearing up of my lawn etc, I am very happy with the extra ground clearance and their ability to roll over dips, ruts and holes without dropping in which the R4's would always do.
I do use extra caution when driving with the FEL loaded and making tight turns to avoid tire roll off.
And trying to avoid situations were punctures may occur, so far so good

 

[Diggin It]

I'm still waiting for someone with R14s to tell us how they work in real tasks.

 

[Industrial Toys]

If you used a tractor for primarily one thing only, tire type would be more important. Since most tractors are used for a bunch of stuff, and some of that stuff makes no difference what tire you have, there is too much debate over nothing. Also, the tire you have may work poorly for one job, but well for another.

I had sleepless nights that my wheel loader came with Turf Tires. What was I going to do, come winter? Turned out to be no problem at all.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Just like others here, my experience is that R4 tires are about as worthless as racing slicks in the mud. I have one tractor with R1 (LS P7010) and then R4 on my B26 TLB. I have no problem hauling as much in the FEL as it will hold with my R1 tires. I run the max air in the front tires and 12 PSI in the rears and they work fine. I never had any issues with puncture on the R1 but have had a flat with my R4 tires (go figure). I think if you get the same ply rating with both tires, then puncture resistance will be about equal.
No doubt, R4 tires do not wear as fast as R1 when used on hard surfaces which is the main reason for having them on industrial equipment. R4 do seem to ride terribly rough due to the stiff wall. My R1 tires also feel like you are riding on a tracked vehicle when I have a heavy load on the FEL and I can feel each tread as it hits the ground, but with normal tire pressure, I think the ride is much better on R1 tires.

So, if you work in an mud, then you need R1 tires OR a second tractor with R1 tires to pull you out when (not if) you get stuck. I cant tell you about snow traction, since I dont normally get enough snow to evaluate.

My only experience with Turf tires was on my BIL's JD 750 2WD. It would not pull up even a 10 degree slope on wet grass especially if you tried to turn while going up a slope. I have easily pulled it out of just slightly damp area when it was stuck by just using my pickup. I wouldn't have them on anything other than a lawnmower.

 

[grsthegreat]

odd, i always equate r1 for farming uses (off road) and r4 for construction related (hard ground). All commercial backhoes and front end loaders have r4 style, and most farm tractors have r1 as far as ive seen over the years. My older ranch tractor had r1's and i still needed to chain it up in winter ice conditions on my mostly flat acreage. My new cab tractor came with r4's and at first i wasnt happy, but after 9 years of use ive never had any issues with the tires. I still chain up in winter like i did with the r1.

The one benefit is i can drive on the lawn in summer and not destroy the grass as long as i keep it in 2 wheel mode. i NEVER drove the r1's on the lawn.

 

[k0ua]

First - you are living in dream land if you think this will put the debate to rest.

Any tire - regardless of type - will be a compromise if the tractor is used for everything.

I have R-1's because I need the traction. I can lift 3000# loads with my grapple. I have never had problems with the R-1's in the front.

I could roll the R-1's off the rim if I were not careful.

Choose wisely - grasshopper.

What he said ^. Times 10... If you think for 1 minute you are going to end this debate... Well let's just say it isn't happening.

I have owned tractors with both R1 and R4 types... and well they are all compromises.

 

[Oldoak]

Alright guys ... so I am like everyone else going back and forth on R1 vs R4 tires. I figured I can use this thread to hopefully put an end to the debate with real experience./QUOTE]

Your kidding, right? More like OK this debate has been quiet, let me wake it up.

By the way, it's always been R1s for me no matter what tractor I have owned. It's all about traction. Many times R1s with chains, double ring chains, while skidding logs in the winter time.

 

[RickB]

The title of this thread is the funniest thing I have read in weeks.
Coming next: The oil filter brand everyone needs to use.

 

[ruffdog]

The title of this thread is the funniest thing I have read in weeks.
Coming next: The oil filter brand everyone needs to use.

Or.....the only oil brand you should use.

 

[shooterdon]

I have oversize turfs on my new LS because the dealer told me they would work best in winter conditions. That is the most important function I need my tractor to address in my situation. I am in the middle of a state forest and need to be able to get out. I will put studs in if the turfs are not good enough.

My other main uses are road maintenance (tire does not matter), processing firewood from logs delivered by truck (tire does not matter), and clearing woods (I have the "wrong" tire for that so just need to be more careful).

If there was only one best tire, it is the only one that would be sold....no best all round....best for your particular operations is all you can hope for.

 

[dnw64]

If there was only one best tire, it is the only one that would be sold...

There you go. Million dollar answer to a $1 question.

EVERY thing in life is a compromise. YOU have to decide what matters to YOU and choose accordingly.

 

[5030]

Interesting. I farm. R1's only. If I went out with R4's and a fellow farmer saw me, I'd be laughed at.....and R1's don't ride rough. Ride depends on tire pressure, how heavy the tractor is and what you have on the front and back. 15 bags of 46 in the front bucket and a full spreader on the 3ph and my tractors ride better than my car. It's all relative.