R1's and R4's

[gdilling]

R1\'s and R4\'s

I've seen plenty of posts arguing the merits of R1's vs. R4's. My question concerns mixing the 2 types. Since R4's are better for loader work and R1's for traction/ag work could one put R4's on front for the loader work and put R1's on back for the traction/ag use? Would this create problems? I'm about to take the plunge on a JD4710 or Kubota L4610 with FEL.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

Generally speaking, R1s have the best traction and R4s have decent traction yet do less turf damage than an R1.

When you say ag work, what do you have in mind and how much acreage is involved in each work type. Also, are you intending to mow a yard, or something more like a paddock?

Lastly, what are you going to be using the FEL for and on what type of surface?

 

[Green_in_MI]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

Mixing tires will be big problems for your transmission. The tires circumference must be matched correctly for your 4wd to work without damage. This means same tire types front and rear.

 

[gdilling]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

The only mowing at this point will be with a 6 foot brush hog. Sometimes this will be up and down hills. As for surfaces that the FEL will be used on, grass, dirt, mud, gravel ( lots ) and sand. The ag work is around horses and some cows. Prepatory work for riding arenas and construction. Other work will involve hay cutting and small square bales. Lots of road grading.

My worry on the R1's upfront with a heavy FEL load. How do they hold up?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

NH showed in either their 3930 or TN literature this exact setup for heavy loader work. His best bet would be contact the dealer and ask him as it may be an option.

 

[art]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

DO NOT mix these two types of tires on a tractor. When driving in loose soil it is not the outer circumference that you would be riding on but the inner level of the tire, these do not normally match up as you have two different tread heights and it will cause damage to the tractors drive train. If you would just be riding on the tread surface than you might be ok. The r-1 tire will do just fine for the front.

 

[cowboydoc]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

For what you're doing I would go with R-1's. The R-4's are limited in traction and not sure why, unless you didn't want to scuff the ground that the R-4's would be any better for loader work. The R-1's will hold up just as good as the R-4's. Definitely don't mix the two types of tires.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

I'd go with the R4s. From your description, I don't think traction will be an issue. If it ever were, due to something like a tough dirt pile, adding weight would compensate. I personally don't see the need for R1s unless you're planning to do a lot of of plowing, tilling or other heavy field work of that type.

If you're going to do a lot of work in horse areas other than a grass paddock, the R4s will leave a soother surface. My wife would make me drag out any tire tracks in her babies pens!

 

[gdilling]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

I have on occassion done some discing. This usually is due to overgrazing by horses and having nothing but weeds left. Disc and overseed. I wondering if R4's are ok for dragging a six foot double disc thru loose dirt. Also, the climb up a hill on wet grass and going uphill in snow to pull out a car. Unfortunately, our driveway makes a sharp turn up a fairly steep incline.

 

[cowboydoc]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

From my experience the R-4's are worthless in mud, snow or wet conditions. They just don't have any traction to speak of. R-1's seem to be much better that way. As far as tearing up the ground I've got the big tractors with R-1's that I run and they don't leave anymore marks than the R-4's do on the 4600.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

I was wrong, I looked thru the NH literature again and the tires looked like ag's when I first seen them but they industrials now that I paid more attention to them. They do look more agressive then the other R-4's I have seen but have no clue as to who makes them or if it is just the way the pic is shot that makes them look like that.

 

[timb]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

I'd like the traction of the R1 and I'm not that worried about the lawn marking potential at this time, but - can someone with good (high capacity) FEL/R1 experience share their thoughts about the load rating difference?

Most of the 4 ply and even 6 ply R1's do not seem to have much more max load carrying capacity than turf tires - the R4's can have ratings over twice as high as the R1's. In fact an FEL plus full load on the large-frame CUTs would seem to be over the 8x16 6 ply R1s rating - even without the tractor weight factored in.

(example from the JD 4600 specs - 8x16 R1 1330 lb., 10x16.5 R4 3500 lb. - both 6 ply)

Tim

 

[butzkeg]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

I would also have to say that R-4's are not too good in mud/slop. Cleaned out my uncle's pig pen, and it wasn't easy. My 4300 had almost no traction with the R-4's. If you aren't finish mowing, and you anticipate being in alot of mud, don't even think aboutR-4's over R-1's.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

I have not had any problems with R1's and your tractor will lift before you hurt your tires. The biggest problem some people have is turning with a heavy load. I don't know if they are going to fast when they turn but they do roll the tire off the rim. Not that big of a problem if you keep your speed down but I have never had that problem. I have 11.2-24's on the front of the TN65 and they do squat but after 2.5 years they still act just fine and I still abuse them just as much. I hate using R4's off road because they spin too easy in wet areas. If you need the traction get the R1's but if you are worried about tearing up your yard or where ever you will use the machine you might want R4's as that is the biggest difference. Also if you are only going to use it in a parking lot or on paved survaces get the R4's.

 

[cowboydoc]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

Timb,
It has to do with the surface area of the tire. The r-4's are a wider tire than the r-1's are.

 

[Scott_in_WVA]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

Not only are the R-1 tires better for traction,but they make for a higher profile.Seems like a bigger tractor.....

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

I have R1's and only rolled the tire off from the rim on one ocassion: I was overloaded on tar with a slack tire. R1's provide superior traction in almost all instances. In general, I do not have problems with them tearing up the lawn unless I track repeatedly over the same area. My previous tractor had turf tires and even they tore up the lawn after a while. They provided horrible traction in the winter and were just about useless in the woods.
By the way, I am using 11.4 x 24's on the back and 7.2 x 16's on the front. R1's were about $200 cheaper when I priced out my rig.

 

[Kodiak]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

I'm running R4's. And I do a fair share of excavation / landscape work, with no great traction problems. The key is to lower your rear air pressure to a comfortable level.

 

[banjobj]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

I have R4's but if I had it to do over again I would get R1's. Much better all around traction in mud and in the field.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: R1\'s and R4\'s

And yet nearly every professional contractor or landscaper with a FEL, box and BH uses R4...and pays more for 'em. Things that make you go hmmmm./w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

Generally speaking, unless you're doing tillage, traction is more about the combination of weight, width and pressure than tread. If it's so wet you need R1s to move around, you might want to stay in the house rather than being out creating ruts you'll need your BH to fill. Ice an snow you say...nothing works that great, save for chains.

After using tractors from 12 HP to 210 HP for just about anything you can imagine...that's my story and I'm sticking to it. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif