Tractor Tire Size - is bigger always better? (width, diameter, aspect ratio)

[FinallyFarming]

Recently spoke with local dealer about a new tractor, he gave me the selection sheet to consider which options we might want. I noticed it had a gazillion tire options (mostly in the R1W category). what are some "rules of thumb" on tire selection.

some of the advice I've heard over the years (which might be good or might be bad advice)

Are these true statements?

higher diameter = smoother ride?
wider tire = easier on the land and easier on the hay/grass?
higher aspect ratio is always better?

some of the rear tire choices I'm looking at: lowest price first, highest price last. ($4000 price difference from cheapest to most expensive set of 4 tires).

540/65R/38
600/65R38
460/85R38
480/80R42
520/85R38
650/65R38

The front tires are uniquely paired with rear tire choices. Some are R28 others are R30. and various widths and aspect ratios also.

Each tire size has 2 or 3 brands to choose from (Michelon, Trelelborg, Firestone)

Advice? Thoughts on how to make a good decision?

Thanks for reading.

 

[LouNY]

Ideal tire size will depend on what you are doing, row cropping, tillage or hay.
Generally taller and wider are better in traction and ground compaction.
However I'm not a fan of the R1W's I prefer the shorter lugged R1's.
460/85r38's being an 18.4-38
650/65r38 being a 20.8-38

 

[CobyRupert]

There’s no simple answer.
Do you want a tire to float, to dig, to float yet dig “lightly” over a wider area? Do you want maximum contact area? Do you want lugs for traction with (sometimes) low surface area contact, or rely on surface contact friction (weight)? It comes down to the surface or soil/pavement type you’re driving on.

Larger tires do roll over things more smoothly. A larger tire will give you greater speed but less torque.

 

[Rustyiron]

I agree with Lou, Coby and your dealer.
Ask you dealers advise for your use and local soils and conditions.

 

[FinallyFarming]

Thanks for your replies. Dealer advice is "they are all good, just need to choose one depending on individual preference", which I suppose is good advice.

Our primary uses are:
- late season cover crop seeding (seed over the cut corn or soybean stubble)
- cutting hay
- general around the farm loader type work (moving and stacking hay bales, etc)

Tractor weight is ~15000 pounds.

Style options are R1W or Industrial (no R1's offered)

soil is well drained moderate slope (less than 6 deg of slope), mostly Ostrander and Lindstrom silt loam

 

[LouNY]

Corn stubble from forage choppers can be very hard on tires, as almost always are corn has been chopped for silage. The left over corn stubble is rough on tires and will try and wedge in between the rim and sidewall, while at times chewing on the sidewalls. The combine stubble around this area seems to be more broken over and down instead of being sheared off leaving sharp tops.
Many tires will be listed as having stubble guards, which amount to an extra layer of rubber which helps to hide the rim and tire bead area.
Also there are available tools to reduce stubble damage, rollers and slides to flatten the stubble.

 

[Williy]

You would think taller tires would be more like a tippy canoe????
Put an extra 6 to 12 inches up and center of gravity goes up also?

willy

 

[Williy]

Personally you will never get me to purchase Firestone tires
the Firestone company was the only company with recalls I
believe the problems were the sidewalls blowing out

willy

 

[Sportsman762]

LouNY has great advice in both his posts even if I disagree on R1W as there is a place for them just not what LouNY is doing. 6 degrees of slope is pancake flat in my area. A higher ply tire is better for corn stubble. For doing loader work I like a higher ply tire. For doing hay, and seeding cover crop over wet fields wider is better as it lowers the ground pressure. Taller tires are better for in mud and snow because you can go deeper before bottoming out. Deeper lugs would be good for wet ground, whereas shallow lugs are better for hay as they tear up fields less.

Generally I am inclined to the widest highest ply tire that will fit between your rows. When planting the cover crop if you can stay between the corn rows when seeding it will really help with tire life.

Goodyear, Firestone, Titan, Michelin, Trelleborg, Alliance, BKT all make good tires.

Personally you will never get me to purchase Firestone tires the Firestone company was the only company with recalls I believe the problems were the sidewalls blowing out

Goodyear did the same thing with the G159 but did not get the publicity.

 

[jyoutz]

Personally you will never get me to purchase Firestone tires
the Firestone company was the only company with recalls I
believe the problems were the sidewalls blowing out

willy

40 years ago

 

[paulsharvey]

Wider=less soil compaction, is pretty much always true. Ride quality; it might be worth looking at the recommended PSI for the tires. All things being equal, higher PSI =rougher ride.

 

[Texasmark]

I like today's 4wd tractors that have a lower aspect ratio in the front tires which makes sidewall stress and flexing much better (less) than older FEL designed tractors of which I have/had both excluding my 4010 and 4020 JDs with 9x or 11x (as I recall) width 8 ply tires.....the 9x on the 10 a little iffy as far as ground contacting support was concerned....with a full bucket on soft ground it sank more than I wanted......but what did you expect.....yes..........

 

[Hay Dude]

Consider carefully, they last a long time (you’re kind of stuck with them. I would go wide and tall as possible. Keep an eye on the sidewall plies and load capacity for the fronts for loader work.
I like Trelleborgs and BKTs for good tires at a good price.

 

[FinallyFarming]

Wow, that was a long delay. i'm sorry about that. i thought I had replied earlier.

I chose these tires: MICHELIN BRAND R1W TIRES: REAR TIRES 520/85R38, FRONT TIRES 420/85R28

The tractor was ordered in Nov 2023 and I'm expecting delivery of it in late July 2024 (in a few weeks, I hope).

Thanks to each of you for taking the time to write and teach my about tire tradeoffs and preferences.

 

[Rmart30]

Wow, that was a long delay. i'm sorry about that. i thought I had replied earlier.

I chose these tires: MICHELIN BRAND R1W TIRES: REAR TIRES 520/85R38, FRONT TIRES 420/85R28

The tractor was ordered in Nov 2023 and I'm expecting delivery of it in late July 2024 (in a few weeks, I hope).

Thanks to each of you for taking the time to write and teach my about tire tradeoffs and preferences.

that looks like a good choice.
Ive seen a couple of dealer videos online that are ordering radials on the new tractors. It looks like a squarer profile on R1's and wider as well.
They should be somewhere between R1 and R4 on ride quality. R4 to me ride much better on rough ground but I hate that most manufacturers of tractor choose lower profile R4's.
Let us know how those tires you got do.

 

[RayIN]

The only difference between R1 tires and R1W tires is, R1W bars are 20% taller bar.

reference: Difference Between R1 and R1W Tires | Firestone Commercial Tires

As to a softer ride, that's the purpose of my adjustable sprung seat, not the tires.