Tires R4s are better in the snow than R3 turfs

[SPYDERLK]

Those of you who don't use chains on the wheels in snow, is that because the terrain you use the tractor in is quite flat? Here in Norway I wouldn't even consider not using chains, but it ain't very flat either.

Wow,

Apparently I'm the only one that prefers to use R1's over R3s or 4s. I've used all three at one time or another. Turfs will by far give you the most bite on hard packed snow or icy conditions but are completely useless if trying to get through any depth of snow. The industrials don't have a wide enough bite and the pads are too wide so they don't bite all that well.

With the R1s on the kubota I had that thing would just keep moving. I wouldn't spin out moving banks and if I had to get to the wood stack I could just drive through up to 2' of snow without any issue even to the point that the axle was plowing snow as I moved along. They were all that bad on hard pack snow either but they are a world of difference compared to the other two in deep snow.

Nan, nah, not so quick, mate! You're not a lone swallow here
Chains are good, but, as you say, in deep, wet-ish snow nothing beats the R1s! Okay, the road gets a bit chewed up in spring, but some compromises have to be made. And my little Foton with 24" rear wheels and 14" front makes it uphill where the Ford with 30" rears wouldn't make it downhill.
View attachment 414027

R1s may flex a little more with a load but I've had no problems even when maxing out my 724 loader. I've drug logs out of my woods that i know only R1s had the traction to make it. Deep snow and mud.
I plow with a 7.5' loader mounted plow on 220' concrete drive and 200' of gravel drive and can still push with snow coming over the top of the plow.

Jeff

Its probably just because theyre using R1s to avoid the necessity of chains in the snow under general/varied conditions. Their competitive superiority is competence in all conditions without the hassle of having to prepare for the specific condition.
larry

 

[jonnmero]

R1s may flex a little more with a load but I've had no problems even when maxing out my 724 loader. I've drug logs out of my woods that i know only R1s had the traction to make it. Deep snow and mud.
I plow with a 7.5' loader mounted plow on 220' concrete drive and 200' of gravel drive and can still push with snow coming over the top of the plow.

Jeff

Drug logs? Makes them happy, or what
Okay, know it's a typo, but couldn't resist being a smart-that-other word-for-donkey.

 

[arrow]

Well things are different for different folks. Arrow you have had that results, but I have had the exact opposite on my R4s, loose chains for me were so useless that I considered removing them all together. Not only as it turned out did they do absolutely no good being loose when it came to traction but then I had to deal with then wanting to slip off all together or one side of the chain would come way to the outside or way to the inside, (outside more though) enough so that you had to stop and remount the chains all over again as if you were doing for the first time and that was consistently happening. It was not until a friend of mine told me the problem was that the chains were to loose and to tighten them up as much as possible and that was years ago. Which I did. Not only did they not get lost in the valleys like they had been, the stayed where I put them over the lugs, gave vastly superior traction and do not want to slide off like they used to. Now I don't know it is is the style of chain or not but my experience is the exact opposite of yours. So your real may work for you but is a total failure for me and my real does not work for you. What is better? What ever works for the people that are using said chains in their situation is the way to go. It is not the same for everyone as your and my experience demonstrates.

That was not the point of my post and is why I stated "many" and "certain lugged tires". When someone refutes something as not working with insult as the previous poster had to my suggestion as "imaginary" and calling what is working for you as something that has an expiration date, when in fact a method has proven itself time and time again, I'll let them know their steadfast thought process is not so steadfast. What happens with chain application, is so varied that no one can refute one process over another. At least you described your situation as a gentleman would and thus contributing to yet another variance in tractor ownership. Differences in chain type and design, whether two link or four link, tire lug type, chain thickness, tire size, etc. all lend themselves to what works or not. Tightening chain works, loosening chain works, tensioners work, no tensioners work, R4's work in snow, R4's suck in snow all begin to relate to no certainty but more toward "what are the details". Often the "details" go missing in this forum and are replaced with audacity to call someone else's experience a "fairytale"

 

[arrow]

It is nice to meet a gentleman here. Thank you Arrow. Why that handle?
Take Care
Wayne

Thank you Wayne
My moniker has a bit of history to it. I pm'd you to explain.

Lou

 

[jonnmero]

If one looks at the chains recommended for different tyres, it becomes quite obvious that what is good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander. Floating chains are, as I can understand, primarily for R1-type threads, whereas V-pattern chains and others are for 'the rest'. The floating chains -- you guessed it -- float around on the tyre, the other types generally stay in one position. I admittedly don't know this, but it seems the likely explanation looking at different chains. Have a look here qualitychaincorp.com/tractor-special-use. The fact that these chains are made in Norway was just co-incidental!
This type gives a fairly good ride on solid surfaces as well: https://www.qualitychaincorp.com
/product-line/trygg-smt-95-95mm
'Trygg' is Norwegian for 'safe btw.

 

[buickanddeere]

Once a set of proper chains are installed. You will forget abut R3 vs.R4 and just consider bare tires and chained tires. R1,R2,R3 or R4 they are all lousy in deep snow or hard pack without chains.
For those driving on bare pavement or smooth ice without snowpack without any chains. The Turf tires will probably win.
All other factors identical including ground contact area. A tall narrow tire is much better in snow than a short wide tire.
Cross chains falling in between the tire lugs is of no concern as the 1640's cross chains are are double or tripled compared to most tire chains. The cross links are spaced every other side chain link.

 

[varmint]

What da ya say we argue a bit about politics or religion, to calm this down a bit?

I just picked up a set of new Laclede Duo Grip chains for a friend with 12.4 x 24 R-1's, for all of $100, which I thought was a great deal- they weigh 130 lbs, so even the freight alone would be costly. A guy on Craig's list has a lot of different chains for sale. I had purchased a set of ladder style chains for my own tractor last month from him, and put them on, even though I don't really need chains in most conditions- my truf tires work well, but re-frozen melted snow and ice is another matter. Heck, I can't even walk on much of it.

 

[guggie]

Have turf tires on my Kubota B 7500 plow snow all day long with no problems .