Tire choice

Soundguy · Apr 12, 2005

I think you may be ok.. since you don't have soft / golf course lawn.

I have r-1 on most of my tractors.. I run around all day in my pasture with no prints fron the r-1 ag tires. My front tri-ribs on the medium sized tractors tend to print.. especially on my tractor with a front end loader.. but then.. that's got alotta weight up front on some 6.00x16 tires..

Can't beat the traction and durability of a r-1 tire, compaired to turf tires.. etc. ( price too! )

Soundguy

chatcher · Apr 12, 2005

The choice between R1 and R4 can get complicated by factors other than tread design. The sizes chosen by tractor manufacturers for similar size machines are often very different. For instance, on the Kubota L3130, the R4 tires seem huge compared to the relatively skinny R1's. On the JD 3x20's, the standard R4's look smaller than the R1's. Another difference is price. According to the the New Holland price list for my TC35DA, the R1's, available in two different sizes, cost more than the R4's. I think this is the opposite for most other brands, but I don't know about Kioti. Also on the New Holland, the R4's are considerably heavier. My R1/R4 choices were:

R1 7x16 6-ply Front/13.6x24 4-ply Rear, 468 lbs, $2,195 MSRP
R1 8x16 6-ply Front/14.9x24 4-ply Rear, 515 lbs, $2,636 MSRP
R4 10x16.5 6-ply Front/17.5Lx24 8-ply Rear, 616 lbs, $1,879 MSRP

It was an easy choice for me, especially since the tractor I wanted was in stock with R4's on it!

Other brands will have different size choices and different prices, but my point is that there is more to the choice than just "R1 or R4". Look at the sizes offered as well.

My new TC35DA is the first tractor I've had with R4's, and compared to my old Ford 601, I would agree with what others have said about digging - I don't know which tire is more likely to spin, but once spinning, the R1 tends to dig a hole a lot faster. I don't know which is more likely to get stuck or unstuck, but it will take longer to bury the R4's in a hopeless situation. I'll definitely take four wheel drive with R4's over two wheel drive with R1's! Also, the dents in my soft yard with the R4's are not as deep as with the R1's and tend to disappear more quickly.

Pick what you want at first, because changing later is very expensive!

tillboy2001 · Apr 12, 2005

The 4x20 series John Deere's have much wider R4's than R1's. I was surprised just how wide they are. R4 tire manufacturer on the 4120 we bought is Titan.

REAR
R4 Size:
17.5L-24 8PR R4

R1 Size:
13.6-28 4PR R1

FRONT
R4:
10.00-16.5 6PR R4

R1:
8.00-16 6PR R1

Unclebuck257 · Apr 12, 2005

About two months ago I got my new Montana 5740C, and when I ordered it, I ordered it with R-4's. I've got 50 acres, some of which is pretty hard ground, with rock, and some that is that black gumbo type ground when wet. I had a Kubota, 4WD, previously with R-4's on it and never had any problems with traction, anywhere, even when going through the drainage area to one of my tanks. Those R-4's wore like iron and I never had a flat with them. The Montana is also 4WD, and has Titan R-4 tires.

One of my main considerations on choosing R-4's again was not only my past experience with them on my place, but also the fact that I mow an additional 60 acres up the county road from me. Those R-4's will definitely wear better while on the county road, going to that other 60 acres too.

Choice is yours, and I'm sure you'll get good wear out of either. I just personally prefer the R-4's because I believe they get better wear.

KiotiJohn · Apr 13, 2005

( R4 tire manufacturer on the 4120 we bought is Titan.
)
Titan is also the maker for Kioti's R4s. They make these tires for skid steers as well. Actually, I guess they're all skid steer tires. They sure do wear better on hard surfaces as someone said. John

KENB · Apr 13, 2005

I had a hard time deciding between R1s and R4s. I went with the R1s and am glad that I did. Haven't had any problems with the loader full of heavy clay. I know now what my problem was in making the decision between these two tires. I simply liked the way the tractor LOOKED with R4s. When you buy something new, you're inclined to think about LOOKS. The R1s do not LOOK as good as the R4s, but I am really appreciating the traction that I get out of the R1s in the wet muddy conditions.

rcrcomputing · Apr 14, 2005

( I had a hard time deciding between R1s and R4s. I went with the R1s and am glad that I did. Haven't had any problems with the loader full of heavy clay. I know now what my problem was in making the decision between these two tires. I simply liked the way the tractor LOOKED with R4s. When you buy something new, you're inclined to think about LOOKS. The R1s do not LOOK as good as the R4s, but I am really appreciating the traction that I get out of the R1s in the wet muddy conditions. )
I think you may be right. I'm still a bit uncertain, but am staying with the R1's for now. If I regret it later, I'll post back to the group.

LBrown59 · Apr 20, 2005

To me if it don't have A/G tires on it it's not a tractor.
LOL

SkyPup · Apr 20, 2005

( To me if it don't have A/G tires on it it's not a tractor.
LOL )

I agree 100%. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

AG R1's on our L-3130 pull like an ox

IND R4's on our TLB L39 pull like a sheep.....

BTW, Goodyear recently sold its Agricultural-Industrial tire division to TITAN, that is why you see TITAN tires on some Kubotas, Kioti, etc. now OEM.

HRS · Apr 20, 2005

Well, this is what I think about the tires offered.
* I've been out on a field pulling a heavy set of harrows while running R4's. They did the job, though I could actually see the tires slipping as they tried to grip.
* I've been out on the same field with R1's. They claw away and nothing stops them, period.
* I've got a 3 acre yard that needs to be mowed and I don't plan on doing it with little lawn mower forever.
* I don't want to settle with the R4's, because I won't the beast to come alive when I'm in the field doing real work.
* As crazy as it may sound, I've priced a separate set of turf tires to go on a tractor of interest if I were to purchase tractor with Ag tires. Would cost me an additional $1,200. That's rims and everything.
* Lawn mower at Sears, Lowes, or Home D. will cost about $2,000, easy.
* So you've guessed what I'm considering.

So you are pulling down trees!!! Be careful. I helped my dad do a little of that back when I was a teenager. Had the cable come loose one day, and the hook zipped over the hood of tractor. When it hit the ground, it buried itself over a foot deep. We were lucky that day.

Good luck.