Traction with Turf Tires

[trctorfan17]

Hi,

I am trying to choose between R4 industrial and turf tires for NX4510H. I don't know if I will be losing a lot of traction with turf tires, compared with R4 industrial.

Task: grading with box blade and moving dirt on a 5 acre level lot.

I am considering the turf tires because they will reduce the height of the tractor by 2.5 - 3 inches...which will help in taking the tractor into low ceiling areas.

Any feedback and/or suggestions, or ways to improve traction with turf tires, are highly appreciated...I never drove a tractor before.

Thank you,

 

[N2DFire]

When performing ground engaging work you will get the most traction from R1 (Agricultural), then R4 (Industrial), and lastly R3 (Turf) Tires.

Here's a pretty good video on the differences between them.

My personal preference is R1 if you're going to be moving dirt. I don't have a need to take my tractor On road for any great distance/time so ride quality & wear isn't an issue, and I don't use mine on finished lawns anywhere that hurting the turf would be an issue, and (speaking to the video above) I don't use it in places / conditions where rutting from narrower tires is a problem either. Your needs may be different.

I looked in some of your other threads but I couldn't find if you were looking at a Cabbed model or Open Station w/ ROPS. If you are going with cabbed then I see the predicament with height, if you are going open station you should have the ability to lower your ROPS to a Mid / Angled position to gain some height clearance.

The only real way I know of to gain traction back on Turf Tires is chains and more weight, and chains will add height back and are a fun thing to take off & put back on. There are a few threads on Turf Tires & Traction in the Owning / Operating section that you might want to seek out & read as well.

If the overall height really is that critical I think I would look into a smaller tractor before I went to Turf Tires, but that's just me.

Best of luck whatever you decide.

 

[jeff9366]

I am trying to choose between R4 industrial and turf tires for NX4510H. I don't know if I will be losing a lot of traction with turf tires, compared with R4 industrial.

Task: grading with box blade and moving dirt on a 5 acre level lot.

I am considering the turf tires because they will reduce the height of the tractor by 2.5 - 3 inches...which will help in taking the tractor into low ceiling areas.

Any feedback and/or suggestions, or ways to improve traction with turf tires, are highly appreciated...I never drove a tractor before.

If you have turf tires, normally at least 16" wide, each, possibly 18" wide on your proposed tractor, you will need a very wide Box Blade. Box Blades need to weigh at least 100 pounds per foot of width, better 125 pounds per foot of width. Your tractor may not be able to pull a sufficiently heavy, filled Box Blade sized a bit wider than turf tires.

In my experience, when using a Box Blade (or cultivators) you "find" metal scrap in the most improbable places.

Turf tires are four ply tires. Industrial tires are six or eight ply tires and are puncture resistant, especially on the sidewalls. If you abhor punctures, go with R4s.

I trust you will order 4-WD for your tractor.

Your ROPS height will be the primary dimension limiting your access. Research this dimension. You do not want to operate the tractor moving dirt without the ROPS up. Too much torsion forces on the tractor moving over uneven ground. Sooner or later you will want to transport a scoop of damp soil in your bucket and there lies mortal trouble in case of a high potential rollover.

You can use your FEL bucket, extended in front of the tractor, to back drag/scive the first 3" of depth you need.


KEEP POSTING TRCTORFAN17 ~~~THIS SITE WILL SAVE YOU POST PURCHASE FRUSTRATION.

 

[onionfmr]

I have run turf tires for the last 17 years on tractors from 30 to 54 hp. All tractors were 4wd. I have plowed, dug, mowed, box bladed, dragged, lots of loader work, etc,..... I've used in deep snow and mud. Some rear tires were loaded, some were not. Would R1 or R4 tires have given me more traction? Absolutely!!! Was I able to do what I wanted and needed to do with turf tires? Yes. IMHO, with turf tires you need to be more careful and may require more planning to do something. I have a couple of large asphalt driveways and 5 acres of finished lawn. I've demo'ed R4 tires on tractors a couple of times and they are more destructive than the turf tires. However, turf tires not used carefully will also tear stuff up. The first picture is of my current tractor with baby bush hog behind it. The these turf tires are excellent for snow plowing! The 2nd picture is of loaded turf tires that I had on a Massey 1240. They worked pretty good, also.

 

[Z-Michigan]

I've owned two tractors with R1s and one with R4s; none with turf. There is a very large difference in traction between R1 and R4 tires despite the similar appearance. The difference is greatest on mud, followed by snow, relatively less on dry dirt.

I would not buy turf tires for any ground-engaging work like a box blade.

 

[Egon]

Turfs will give better traction than the industrials. Softer rubber. The turfs will also be better in snow and ice. Loading capacity on turfs will likely be less.

Industrial tire's are constructed for higher air pressure and different work conditions as compared to turfs.

 

[trctorfan17]

Thank you all.

From what you all said, I think turf should be okay. I will always keep ROPS up all the time, except in garage.

Turf will be softer on maintained lawn and will allow to park the NX4510 in a garage with 6'10" door height. With ROPS folded, NX4510 is 6'11.5" with R4 or R1. With turf, height is 6'9" and this will go through the garage door.

I can get tire chains for snow plowing and when using box blade...I will also try to avoid rainy days or muddy situations. Minimizing damage to lawn and being able to park in garage are very important factors for me.

The alternative to NX4510HST would be CK4010HST, which will definitely fit with any tires and is around 6k cheaper...but

CK4010 loader lift capacity is 2,000 vs 3,177 for NX
CK4010 pumps 7 gpm vs 10 gpm for NX
CK4010 weighs 2,700 vs 4,000 for NX
CK4010 has a foot clutch

My list of tasks is short and simple, grading 3 acres that have been cleared from trees, moving stonewall, grading 600 feet long driveway, post hole digger for about 200 posts. Then regular maintenance and snow plowing.

 

[Thomas]

Depending what type of task type of ground soil weather conditions lay of the land,putting rear tire chains on turfs are lot easier than R4's.

 

[onionfmr]

The size of the turf tires will make a big difference! Get the biggest and widest tires you can get that will fit your tractor properly. According to my dealer, there were two sets of turf tires available for both my MF 1643 and MF 1754. The tires that came on my MF 1643, were the smaller size. They weren't loaded and weren't great in the snow! They were adequate, just couldn't hold a candle to my current tires. The turf tires pictured above on my MF 1754 are really great in the snow. I plow a lot of snow with them and they are excellent! Also, they aren't loaded.

For loader work on my MF 1240, I replaced the front tires with 6 ply turf tires. Original 4 ply turf tires weren't up to a lot of loader work. Sidewalls would crush with heavy load. The 6 ply front turf tires solved that problem. The 4 ply turf tires on my MF 1754 haven't had any issues with loader work. No crushed sidewalls. I've found that there is a big difference in the construction of turf tires.

 

[LittleBear]

I chose turf tires for the same reason, dropping the height of the tractor so I could get through a 94 inch doorway (NX 5510-gear transmission). I love them! They are great in the snow (I have four-wheel-drive) and, needless to say, they are fabulous when mowing with a Woods 90 inch rear mower. Now, that said, if you are going to work this tractor like Eric [no offense Eric ], then industrial tires are a better choice. My tractor leads the life of a pussycat with just my lawn mowing and snow blowing, so the tires still looked brand-new after two years of use.

 

[N2DFire]

The alternative to NX4510HST would be CK4010HST, which will definitely fit with any tires and is around 6k cheaper...but

CK4010 loader lift capacity is 2,000 vs 3,177 for NX
CK4010 pumps 7 gpm vs 10 gpm for NX
CK4010 weighs 2,700 vs 4,000 for NX
CK4010 has a foot clutch

At this point I think your priorities have already made Turf Tires the best option for you, but just to clarify so you're comparing Apple to Apples

The CK4010HST & NX4510HST are both Hydrostatic, the DK4010 is the Hydraulic Shuttle (w/ Foot Clutch) (I know after looking at several models it all starts to run together)
Compare CK4010HST, DK4010HS, and NX4010HST

Given your task list - the Pump output should be a non-issue as you don't plan to run hydro intensive attachments / implements. Reduced lift capacity just means more trips & the weight issue can be addressed with ballast & attachments. And 6 Grand is a lot to save (to me at least).

The bottom line though is you're the only one the tractor has to make happy. Our opinions are worth what you paid. You have to filter them for your needs and get what suits you best. :thumbsup:

 

[trctorfan17]

At this point I think your priorities have already made Turf Tires the best option for you, but just to clarify so you're comparing Apple to Apples

The CK4010HST & NX4510HST are both Hydrostatic, the DK4010 is the Hydraulic Shuttle (w/ Foot Clutch) (I know after looking at several models it all starts to run together)
Compare CK4010HST, DK4010HS, and NX4010HST

Given your task list - the Pump output should be a non-issue as you don't plan to run hydro intensive attachments / implements. Reduced lift capacity just means more trips & the weight issue can be addressed with ballast & attachments. And 6 Grand is a lot to save (to me at least).

The bottom line though is you're the only one the tractor has to make happy. Our opinions are worth what you paid. You have to filter them for your needs and get what suits you best. :thumbsup:

Thank you very much Steve, I like your logic.

I didn't know that pump rate wouldn't have a big impact on loader use. And yes, 6 grand is too much to spend for such a small difference.

 

[Z-Michigan]

I didn't know that pump rate wouldn't have a big impact on loader use. And yes, 6 grand is too much to spend for such a small difference.

Loaders are matched to the hydraulic flow of a given tractor or size class. The larger tractor has a larger FEL with more capacity and it needs more hydraulic flow. This is all accounted for by the manufacturer.

Having read a bunch of your comments, I also think the CK would make sense for you. The only possible issue is the operation of the PTO, and since I haven't driven that exact model I can't say if it's an issue or not.

Just to throw another idea out, if you go with a CK but your budget would allow $6k more, that would just about cover the cost of a cab model.

 

[The Fred]

R4s do NOT work at all in snow or ice, PERIOD!!!!!!!!

You are from New England than R4s with chains or turfs that actually aren't too bad on snow.

Good luck.

 

[trctorfan17]

R4s do NOT work at all in snow or ice, PERIOD!!!!!!!!

You are from New England than R4s with chains or turfs that actually aren't too bad on snow.

Good luck.

Thank you very much, turfs it is then.

 

[trctorfan17]

Loaders are matched to the hydraulic flow of a given tractor or size class. The larger tractor has a larger FEL with more capacity and it needs more hydraulic flow. This is all accounted for by the manufacturer.

Having read a bunch of your comments, I also think the CK would make sense for you. The only possible issue is the operation of the PTO, and since I haven't driven that exact model I can't say if it's an issue or not.

Just to throw another idea out, if you go with a CK but your budget would allow $6k more, that would just about cover the cost of a cab model.

Oh no, cab is out for me...I don't use tractor when it is too cold or too hot.

So far, CK2610HST is very tempting...for 16.5k, it is not bad at all.

 

[Z-Michigan]

R4s do NOT work at all in snow or ice, PERIOD!!!!!!!!
You are from New England than R4s with chains or turfs that actually aren't too bad on snow.
Good luck.

Ummm - no. Basing this on 5 years personal experience with R4s on a Kioti DK40, and on the local dealer doing the majority of its sales with R4 tires in the snowiest region of the US (240 inches annually where I am, 120-250" annually in the region), where snowblowing is the #1 reason for most tractor purchases.

I'm not saying R4s are the best, as I've had much better luck with R1s, but I am saying that R4s can work in snow and ice conditions. Anyway, it seems pretty clear OP is going for turf tires.

 

[Z-Michigan]

So far, CK2610HST is very tempting...for 16.5k, it is not bad at all.

If it does what you want, why not? I think the CK4010 has more horsepower than is really needed in its frame size. If I remember correctly the CK2610 also falls just below the cutoff for a diesel particulate filter, and avoiding that means less maintenance hassle and one less item to break.

 

[arrow]

I have always felt one cannot create an axiom of traction capabilities with various tires on their experience alone. One guy states going through 14" of snow is no problem with his industrials. Another states they are absolutely worthless in this same scenario. If one isn't considering the weight or size of the tractor, ballast aspects, thread design and tire size, then comparisons become merely generalities.

Personally I think turfs with the added aspect of chains, is one of the best overall combinations for traction and ground displacement that can be had. While true that most turfs coming with tractors are 4 ply, they can be had with 6 and 8 plies. Add a set of chains riding proud on their surface, turfs can be taken just about anywhere whether in the woods, ground engagement, snow and ice and muddy conditions all the while allowing one the capability of bringing their machine on the lawn w/o too much soil or turf damage.

 

[Threepoint]

Late to this thread, but if you are still undecided here is my input. I went through the same decision process over tires 3-1/2 years ago.

I have the nx4510 hst cab with the big Titan turf tires. I do a lot of grading and snow removal with my 7-foot Woods box and snow blades, and rarely have traction problems. In fact the turf tires are much better then R4s on packed snow and rough ice. You are correct about head clearance in a shed or garage. That is a big advantage in my case, and may be in yours as well. BUT, the turf tires on the nx series are very wide, so your width will be over 83 inches, sidewall to sidewall. That is too wide for many trailers, and a standard car hauler, so they require a deck over, or a rollback truck if you plan to haul.