Tire Input?

[NoMo]

The soil on my place sounds like yours. When wet, footprints WILL be left and it takes a long time to dry. When the ground finally dries, it takes a jackhammer to dig a hole!

Since you plan on this being primarily a mowing machine, I'd go with the R3s. The floatation and less aggressive tread will be much better for those times when the ground is still moist and you have to mow.

Traction in the clay muck with R4s is non-existant (just like it'd be with the R3s) so I don't really see an advantage other than resale value- just look at how many people here want R4s. But are you really looking to sell the little tractor already?

 

[ORCM]

JDCAN,

My tractor is on order, and I haven't gotten it yet so I dont have personal experiance with it. I had the same delima that you are having, I'm probably going to be mowing 60% of the time with the tractor. I asked my Dad, because he had a 4300 with a FEL on it with R4's. He said he ran all over his yard and didn't have a problem. I really wanted the R4s because I know that the R3s are worthless when it comes to loader work, at least around where I live. I'm sure if its as soft as you say it is, it may indead leave imprints.

I have seen used sets of R3s forsale online, and you might try your local tire/tractor shops. You could try the R4s, and if they don't work well find a use set of R3s.

 

[Chris2520]

You will like the R4's best i think...
Also it looks really mean if you put the wheels wide side out....

 

[Nuru]

I have two sets of R3's, one Super Turf Galaxy's and the other set is standard R3s. I am thinking of gettng a set of R4s but I gotta get rid of the other R3s first. Good rubber and wheels, but have not tried to sell them yet or trade them in.

 

[JDCAN]

I just went ahead with the R4's. If I need to I will try to find some r3's online or something. Wiould those super turf tires fit on a 2520 without issues on the backhoe? If so do they really provide much advantage over the R3's?

Either way I can't wait to get the unit, sounds like it could be 10 days for the backhoe to show up.

 

[Nuru]

JDCAN, dunno if they would fit, but a backhoe might be too heavy for them?

 

[RalphVa]

I've turf (R3) tires on my 4010. My driveway is fairly level, and I've had NO problems with traction using the FEL and BB in the snow. Even the turf tires will tear up the grass if you turn sharply.

I had a Gravely with dual tires (e.g. 2 on each side) and tried both turf and Ag (R1) tires on it. I mainly tried the Ags because it would sometimes have traction troubles in the snow and ice. I put steel screws into the Ag lugs to assist on ice but never had ice after that to try it out, as I got the JD about that time and quickly found out it has FAR better traction. The Gravely needed chains on the turfs when running the snow blower. Otherwise, it wouldn't move that heavy square shoot blower.

My experience with both chains on turfs and Ags is that they are mainly better in snow/ice and in mud. Turfs (and I've heard it said of R4s) instantly become little balls of mud in wet clay. However, in ALL other conditions, turfs will actually have more traction because they simply have more rubber in contact with the surface and will put less pressure on that surface to mark it up, because the pressure is spread out over more tire area. Chains and Ags start to dig if they lose traction and will quickly dig you into a hole. I think more people probably stick tractors using chains and Ags or R4s where they might be able to sorta "plane" their way through (slipping and sliding) with turfs, or at least stop and hit the diff lock and get out.

So far, the turfs are pretty tough on the JD. No flats, going on 3 1/2 years. Had several flats on the Gravely turfs. They were really soft. Got slime in the fronts. One of them pushed off the rim (think due to low pressure) before I slimed them.

Ralph

 

[wolc123]

I think the turfs are your best choice. R4's have little traction advantage in mud or snow over turfs, and adding chains to the turfs would be an easy way to get better traction in these conditions than you could get with R4's.

 

[LBrown59]

Sometimes I wonder if tread design makes as much difference in lawn marking as people imagine.
For example I have a BX23 with AGs on all 4 corners.
I also have a CC GT2554 with AGs on the rear and turfs on the front.
I've noticed very little difference if any in tire marks in the yard mowing with either tractor.

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