R4 Tires in snow

dave1949 · Dec 18, 2013

haveissues said:
So I have to say the R4 tires on my kubota b2620 worked way better than I expected. I have a very steep driveway and had no issue getting up and moving around. A couple of times my front wheel went off the side of the driveway while piling up snow. After locking the diff I was able to back out uphill with no issue. I thought I would need chains but I don't think I will bother now. :cool2:

I would have a Plan B in mind.

As others said, ice on a steep drive may cause you to re-think that. My drive is only moderately sloped and I have done 360's on ice with R4's and no chains.

Also, if you put a front wheel off the side with ice, you may not have the traction to back out. I would keep a couple bags of sand handy if I were you.

oldballs · Dec 18, 2013

Although my previous BX2660 with turf tires worked fine in several snow seasons, the B2620 with R4 didn't work worth a darn. In both cases the FEL and the Back Blade were employed. I've got the chains on it right now. I think the chains help even when working on frozen turf moving some gravel and excavated dirt on a project that I'm currently doing. IMHO

haveissues · Dec 19, 2013

A few people mentioned that R4 tires will not work on ice. I think that goes without saying and I doubt any other tread pattern would fair any better. Short of chains or studs you are not going anywhere. I don't want to chain up my tractor as I have a concrete pad in front of my garage that I don't want to beat up.

vtsnowedin · Dec 19, 2013

Once you try a good set of chains you will never go without again. As to the concrete pad it is just a matter of how important it is to you to get the driveway cleared. If you have to have it to get to work no matter the weather then a few battle scars on the pad are just the cost of doing business. If you can take storm days off you can putz around and wait for the weather to cooperate.

chim · Dec 19, 2013

I've been using R4's since 2002 and they've always worked fine. There was a very long and interesting thread here about grooving R4's for better traction. I have the rears filled and only use the FEL and a rear blade for snow. I wonder if most of the people who complain about traction have big plows mounted way out in front that give the snow leverage to work against the tractor.

haveissues · Dec 19, 2013

vtsnowedin said:
Once you try a good set of chains you will never go without again. As to the concrete pad it is just a matter of how important it is to you to get the driveway cleared. If you have to have it to get to work no matter the weather then a few battle scars on the pad are just the cost of doing business. If you can take storm days off you can putz around and wait for the weather to cooperate.

My garage is on the bottom of the hill near the road so my truck can always get out and my workday starts when I decide to start it. I just don't drive my car that day. Wife is a teacher so snow = no work plus her audi is 4wd. I would rather save the concrete.

oldballs · Dec 19, 2013

You are right about the concrete dings, haveissues. Those chains leave marks even without spinning the wheels. I wish that didn't happen especially since I poured my on driveway and patios etc. Yet, even the Rear Blade leaves a few scrapes. .... just the way it is ... And the walk behind snow blower throws gravel when I get off the concrete....and the hand shovel I ain't doing anymore in large quantities. Winter looks good from a heated kitchen window and in God's design. Otherwise it sucks.

vtsnowedin · Dec 19, 2013

oldballs said:
Winter looks good from a heated kitchen window and in God's design.

Ain't that the truth.

Oaktree · Dec 19, 2013

haveissues said:
A few people mentioned that R4 tires will not work on ice. I think that goes without saying and I doubt any other tread pattern would fair any better. Short of chains or studs you are not going anywhere. I don't want to chain up my tractor as I have a concrete pad in front of my garage that I don't want to beat up.

Agree that if you have R4s (even loaded), you've gotta have chains or you're not going much of anywhere. I park my tractor in the garage during the winter & put a couple sheets of OSB on the floor so the chains don't chew it up.