Traction Tires??

[John_Mc]

If the tractor came with turf tires, I'd stick with them and just put on chains if you need more traction in mud. Double ring chains are probably the best in mud (farmers use them even on their Ag tires, if they need to work in muddy conditions): The double rings make them largely self-cleaning. However, they are not as good as other styles of chains in other situations (such as ice and snow).

I've never used double ring chains myself. I have used ladder style chains, duo-grip chains and "European style" chains all on my NH TC 33D (all of them had v-bars or studs on them, since I was concerned about traction on ice and in the forest). So I've had a pretty good experience with what the pros and cons of each are all on the same tractor. I posted somewhere on here a fairly lengthy description of my chain saga. If you are interested, check out this post on my experience with these style chains

 

[Tractorable]

If we’re honest, turf tires have a lot going for them. Better traction in snow than R4’s, great for use with chains, minimal damage to your lawn, maximum weight when filled with fluid.

I’ll probably still go with R4’s on my new tractor just because they look cool.

 

[Texasmark]

I went the other way on my 2400. Rears were 12x16.5 6 ply F4s and went to 33x12.5x16.5 4 ply turfs. Titan Tire Co. had the tires so I went to my local "5th generation have any kind of tire" store and ordered a pair. Price was $260 each and shipping was free as he just had them added to the freight truck that visits him every week and I waited about a week to get them.

Interestingly enough, the lugs on these tires are about ｾ inch long and pretty good spacing between dots of rubber. I find that I have about the same traction as I had with OEM F4s which wasn't much. Having tried to learn how to farm for some 40 years, I find that Industrials are made for industrial applications, not farm. If you want traction get F1s.

 

[Diggin It]

^^ While the R1s may have helped me get uphill on the slicker mud, they would likely have dug in and made deeper ruts that would be harder to repair next Spring.

 

[John_Mc]

^^ While the R1s may have helped me get uphill on the slicker mud, they would likely have dug in and made deeper ruts that would be harder to repair next Spring.

That's one of the two main reasons I don't have R1 tires on my tractor: they can cut themselves a pretty good trench. I try to avoid going on my trails in conditions like that, but sometimes I don't have a choice. The other is that R4s are generally tougher and stand up to grinding around in my rocky woods better. (Yes, I know I could shop around and find other styles with higher ply ratings, but I could also find an R4 with a higher ply rating if I were going that way.) I do agree that for field work, it's hard to beat R1 tires.