R 14s Have Hit The Market

[Streetcar]

They have started using these tires for local utility TLB. Most of the time they are on pavement.
They are radials. Do not know # of ply but tire guy said they were stiff and hard to mount

 

[John_Mc]

I'll keep my Firestone R-1's. Besides the cost of the tire plus the potential of having to buy a new rim......... I need the traction provided by the R-1 - not a compromise tire.

Just looking at the pictures, it appears it may fit an R4 rim for the same listed size. I have R4s (15-19.5 on my rears), since I wanted the extra toughness for work in my rocky woods, and when pickup up heavy loads with the FEL. Traction can be an issue, so I run OFA Eko 8 chains on my rears, which make all the difference in the world in snow or in the "traction challenging" spots in my woods. If these tires allow me to avoid the chains even some of the time (I still expect I'll need them in icy conditions), I'd certainly be willing to try them when mine are ready to be replaced.

 

[Oldoak]

Why not merge this thread and the R14T https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/buying-pricing-comparisons/408620-r14t-tires-2.html?highlight=R14Tthread?

 

[AllDodge]

Why not merge this thread and the R14T https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/buying-pricing-comparisons/408620-r14t-tires-2.html?highlight=R14Tthread?

Could also merge this one which SDT started the same day
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/408602-r14t-tires.html?highlight=R14T

 

[oosik]

I hate tractor chains for all the reasons everybody knows. I had to use them, snow plowing, on my first tractor. Now, with my M6040 "heavy" - it's a blessing. I no longer need chains. I can plow the mile long icy ***** without them. But I know it's not just the weight - it's the R-1's also.

 

[Smokeydog]

Playing around with grooving R4 tires to improve traction. Better in snow, lawn and pasture. DIY R14.

 

[John_Mc]

I hate tractor chains for all the reasons everybody knows. I had to use them, snow plowing, on my first tractor. Now, with my M6040 "heavy" - it's a blessing. I no longer need chains. I can plow the mile long icy ***** without them. But I know it's not just the weight - it's the R-1's also.

I've not had any luck with R1s on ice (or R4s or Turf tires). In snow, sure, but not ice. Of course, my tractor is a lot lighter than yours (with all the extras: loader, belly pan, filled rear tires, FOPS, my tractor weighs about 4000# before I hang an implement on the rear).

 

[Cataclysm]

View attachment 592316View attachment 592317
Playing around with grooving R4 tires to improve traction. Better in snow, lawn and pasture. DIY R14.

Great job Smokey!! Those grooved fronts look a lot more useful than the R14's to me.

Seems "hybrid" tires are all the rage lately. I see a lot of pickup truck tire manufacturers over using the "hybrid" term and coming out with all types of interesting if not useful tread designs.

The UTV tire market is always coming out with some new super design that looks more like splitting hairs than anything really different. There is a UTV tire that looks very close to that R14 tread pattern.

The first true "hybrid" tire I saw was the Super Swamper Thornbirds, maybe 30 years ago, so the idea isn't new. I ran a set of the 35's on a 71 Ford 4x4. They were great tires on and off road.

Oddly enough over the years a lot of people have scoffed at the Thornbirds multi pattern tread. Now everyone seems to be looking for a dual tread pattern tire.

If I was looking for something like that I would groove my R4's and be done with it.

 

[k0ua]

View attachment 592316View attachment 592317
Playing around with grooving R4 tires to improve traction. Better in snow, lawn and pasture. DIY R14.

You left your "worms" laying on the ground... careful, Robins might get 'em.

 

[Oldoak]

When I'm doing my Wintertime logging, there's nothing like chains on my R1 tires particularly on hard pack snow and ice. Around my area, even the dairy farmers with their much heavier tractors run with chains. They're always equipped for anything Old Man Winter will throw at them.