R1 Tires

[RickB]

R1's are designed to dig, just decide whether you want your tyres to dig. Are you working on plowed soil?

I currently have turfs (R3) but will probably go to R4s as what I really need is traction and good wear on hard surfaces (dry clay, gravel tracks etc) and protection from staking. R4's are generally wider, not as aggressive and have a tougher compound than ag tyres.

R1's will wear faster and have less traction on hard surfaces. They are more prone to stake damage than R4s (but less than R3s). If I wanted maximum traction in soft ground then obviously I'd pick R1, but on my block the ground is hard more often than it is soft and if the ground is soft then I don't want to carve it up anyway and I'll find something else to do.

You will generally require some new rims if you switch tyre types, especially if you have 4WD/FWA - if the section width doesn't get you then the axle ratios will.

R-1's are designed to pull, not dig. There is a difference.
Puncture resistance has more to do with the tire ply rating than tread style.
Traction on snow requires a narrower tire; greater PSI of ground contact.
Maine winters may require chains less than winters further south where icing is more common; I'm thinking a lot of Maine gets snow more than ice conditions. Slope determines the need for chains as much or more than latitude.
R-1's would be my choice unless there are concerns about turf damage on lawn situations. Field sod damage isn't usually a problem unless the ground is too wet or the owner more fussy than average.

 

[Fermenter]

R-1's are designed to pull, not dig. There is a difference.

If they were designed to 'pull' then the bars would be horizontal. R1's are designed to push soft ground aside until they find traction underneath. That's pretty much digging I would have thought.

Puncture resistance has more to do with the tire ply rating than tread style.

Well yes, but how many R1's are 16 or 22-ply? R4's are generally built with more plies. But probably the most important difference between the two is actually in the compound. R4's are tougher and a lot more resistant to abrasion and chipping (and yes, punctures), as they are designed for heavy service conditions on abrasive surfaces like concrete and tarseal. R1's have a softer compound designed to flex more so that the taller lugs don't try to snap off. Therefore an 8PR R4 would still be less prone to puncture than an 8PR R1.

Traction on snow requires a narrower tire; greater PSI of ground contact.

I don't have any experience in snow (we don't get much around here) but don't things like 'tundra buggies' generally have flotation tyres? My guess is that snow is a little like mud, ie if there's something solid within reach then get tyres that will dig through to find it, if not then get tyres that will try to float on top?

 

[TripleR]

Having farmed and still living on an active farm though I am no longer involved, using Ag tires to "dig" is a foreign concept. Ag tires work through effective use of traction in existing conditions, not digging through to find something solid as that will destroy a field.

An example:Farm Tractors - Today's Tractors - Reading Room

There are situations in which wheel slip is no big deal, but under normal conditions, if I am spinning my tires excessively, I try a different approach. In some applications this may be unavoidable and acceptable, but the goal should be proper ballast and traction for the most effective application of power.

 

[Emagri]

R-1 is a self cleaning pattern, disigned for farm aplications to transfer HP to the ground to pull implements.

PR ( ply rating) weight capacity and punture resistance

Also you need to consider if the tire is tube type or tubeless

In my experience as a tire dealer there is no difference in compounds in R-1, R-2, R-3 & R-4 (I mean regular tires)

If the tire especify certain compound is a different story, as forestry, snow, HD, etc

 

[RickB]

If they were designed to 'pull' then the bars would be horizontal. R1's are designed to push soft ground aside until they find traction underneath. That's pretty much digging I would have thought.



Well yes, but how many R1's are 16 or 22-ply? R4's are generally built with more plies.

I don't have any experience in snow (we don't get much around here) but don't things like 'tundra buggies' generally have flotation tyres? My guess is that snow is a little like mud, ie if there's something solid within reach then get tyres that will dig through to find it, if not then get tyres that will try to float on top?

R1 tread is angled for self cleaning, not diggging.

How many R-4 tires sized for CUT's have more than 8 plies; darned few.

Narrow tires are better for snow, period.

 

[wny770]

R1 tread is angled for self cleaning, not diggging.

How many R-4 tires sized for CUT's have more than 8 plies; darned few.

Narrow tires are better for snow, period.

The tread IS for cleaning. And traction. Wheel slip in a field = money down the toilet. The R-1 is NOT designed to dig. Compaction is a no-no. This all equals money to a farmer. Fuel costs plenty. When you're working a few hundred acres at a crack, wheel slippage costs money.

 

[RickB]

The tread IS for cleaning. And traction. Wheel slip in a field = money down the toilet. The R-1 is NOT designed to dig. Compaction is a no-no. This all equals money to a farmer. Fuel costs plenty. When you're working a few hundred acres at a crack, wheel slippage costs money.

We are on the same page here, don't you think?

 

[wny770]

We are on the same page here, don't you think?

Yup.:thumbsup:

 

[SPYDERLK]

R-1's are designed to pull, not dig. There is a difference.

If they were designed to 'pull' then the bars would be horizontal. R1's are designed to push soft ground aside until they find traction underneath. That's pretty much digging I would have thought?

Digging is just a byproduct of the self cleaning design ... and the self cleaning design is actually a coproduct of the traction design. - Both at the slip point and beyond, the V tread has greater traction than "horizontal" tread. This is because earth has cohesion and the V tread jams earth outward and backward. This augmentation of drag on the out sides makes it have an effectively larger traction footprint than does a horizontal tread. The fact that this phenom also causes self cleaning ensures that it can get a new bite next time and continue to surpass pull of all other designs. ... It also causes it to dig in proportion to the amt of slip and allows it to get to the bottom of slop if its within reach. A fortunate byproduct. A perfect synergy ... ~free money.:confused3:
larry

 

[Emagri]

Digging is just a byproduct of the self cleaning design ... and the self cleaning design is actually a coproduct of the traction design. - Both at the slip point and beyond, the V tread has greater traction than "horizontal" tread. This is because earth has cohesion and the V tread jams earth outward and backward. This augmentation of drag on the out sides makes it have an effectively larger traction footprint than does a horizontal tread. The fact that this phenom also causes self cleaning ensures that it can get a new bite next time and continue to surpass pull of all other designs. ... It also causes it to dig in proportion to the amt of slip and allows it to get to the bottom of slop if its within reach. A fortunate byproduct. A perfect synergy ... ~free money.:confused3:
larry

Great explanation

You are a Tire expert

 

[First one]

When I got my tractor it came with R4's ,which I asked for R1's to be put on . The dealer told me I had to change rim size to do this and asked me why I didn't want the R4's . I told him I've never used them before ,just on skid steers . I told him I was going to be using it for mowing blueberries and some in the woods hauling out wood. He said the R4's would not make ruts in the field as much as the R1's when it's soft , and with chains on the rear I would have no problems in the woods or pushing snow ,which so far I'm pleased with them. I'm thinking the wide tread helps in spreading out the weight of the tractor more, getting more surface to grab onto , maybe? Maybe not?

 

[Emagri]

When I got my tractor it came with R4's ,which I asked for R1's to be put on . The dealer told me I had to change rim size to do this and asked me why I didn't want the R4's . I told him I've never used them before ,just on skid steers . I told him I was going to be using it for mowing blueberries and some in the woods hauling out wood. He said the R4's would not make ruts in the field as much as the R1's when it's soft , and with chains on the rear I would have no problems in the woods or pushing snow ,which so far I'm pleased with them. I'm thinking the wide tread helps in spreading out the weight of the tractor more, getting more surface to grab onto , maybe? Maybe not?

You are totally right. That is called flotation efect

 

[IndyIan]

I went with R1's on my tractor and they are a bit narrower than the R4's. We have lots of clay soil so when its wet it will rut with almost any vehicle. But going down 20-40% slopes on wet grass I'm glad to have the R1's. Atleast when they are this new and sharp, they cut hard into the the turf when climbing or descending like that, but I'd rather have that than go for a ride anyday!
If we had a level lot though I would've gone for the R4's just for a bit more flotation and tire life.