Trying the tire grooving for next mod

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Nice job!- Looks great!:thumbsup:

Do you have a link from the seller that you bought yours from?

Thanks a lot! No sorry I don't have a link, but it was Speed Shop on ebay. They sell a ton of groovers on there. They also sell, what looks to be, a lot of dirt track racing accessories. Just look up tire goovers on ebay and 9 out of 10 will be speed shop. Then look for your a package that has the knife size(s) that you want to use. I used a #4. A lot of guys have been using a #6 on the rears.

Good job, those templates are a great idea.

Thank you very much! I like the fact that my dealer said that it looked like it came that way.:thumbsup:

 

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I'm rather surprised to hear about getting good traction in snow with turf tires. I bought a pair of 16.9 x 24's turfs on rims at auction for $90 and put them on my 580 Case backhoe and it would barely move and slid sideways on snow or mud (I have all sloping terrain). I had to put on chains to do anything. Of course it's 2wd and not loaded and that would certainly make a difference. But then again, my big Massey Ferguson 4wd with like new forestry tires needed chains front and rear to keep from sliding sideways on hard packed snow/ice under heavy load. Never ran my Cub lo boy mower with it's turfs in winter, but I know it does a lot of slipping, sliding and spinning on hills when it's wet or muddy.
It would be interesting to see if actual side by side traction tests have ever been done with identical tractors and loads.

Your right, they do terrible in mud. That is a fact! That is a sacrifice. But if you look at car/truck tires, the really good snow tires have small lugs and lots of siping. Versus a mud tire that has big lugs and little to no siping. I couldn't tell you how many times me or my buddies have been stuck in snow with our big diesel trucks with mud terrain tires. Since I when to more of an all terrain, I haven't looked back as far as snow is concerned.

As for your terrain, your right as well. Where I do most of my pushing is relatively flat. Gravity can be a real pain some times. I've been told that gravity isn't just a good idea it's the law.:laughing: Another traction aid like chain can be necessary to over come gravity.:thumbsup:

As for gooving, if you put grooves somewhat perpendicular to the lugs, that helps for side ways (lateral) stability. Like the one I put down the center of the front tires. Again the more biting edges the more traction even side to side.

 

[Low Bucket]

Thanks a lot! No sorry I don't have a link, but it was Speed Shop on ebay. They sell a ton of groovers on there. They also sell, what looks to be, a lot of dirt track racing accessories. Just look up tire goovers on ebay and 9 out of 10 will be speed shop. Then look for your a package that has the knife size(s) that you want to use. I used a #4. A lot of guys have been using a #6 on the rears.

Thanks.- I found Speed Shop when I did a search. (just like you said)

 

[MasseyWV]

Groovy!

 

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Thanks.- I found Speed Shop when I did a search. (just like you said)

Good deal!:thumbsup:

Groovy!

:laughing::cool2::laughing:

 

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Just thought I'd let everyone know, we FINALLY got a snow yesterday and I was able to try out my grooving. Let me tell you it made a world of difference! I couldn't believe it. Now, I'm not going to say that it is near as good as the turf tires, but a vast improvement over the stock R4's. I might do a little siping, for a few more biting edges. Maybe most of which at an angle to help in side to side stability. Especially on the front. I'll keep you posted.

 

[4shorts]

Just thought I'd let everyone know, we FINALLY got a snow yesterday and I was able to try out my grooving. Let me tell you it made a world of difference! I couldn't believe it. Now, I'm not going to say that it is near as good as the turf tires, but a vast improvement over the stock R4's. I might do a little siping, for a few more biting edges. Maybe most of which at an angle to help in side to side stability. Especially on the front. I'll keep you posted.

That's great you got a chance to try the new machine. I knew you'd like it. The one thing I've never had an issue with it traction though. I don't use chains and this is the first winter I even used rear weights. I can't remember ever spinning the wheels. Never ever got stuck.
Just courious, Did you have a traction problem with your R4's? I assume you must have to do this mod. 90% of all my snow clearing is on pavement so maybe that's why?
We've had plenty of snow so far this winter. I've put 58 hours plowing so far.
Great to hear your enjoying the new rig :thumbsup:

 

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That's great you got a chance to try the new machine. I knew you'd like it. The one thing I've never had an issue with it traction though. I don't use chains and this is the first winter I even used rear weights. I can't remember ever spinning the wheels. Never ever got stuck.
Just courious, Did you have a traction problem with your R4's? I assume you must have to do this mod. 90% of all my snow clearing is on pavement so maybe that's why?
We've had plenty of snow so far this winter. I've put 58 hours plowing so far.
Great to hear your enjoying the new rig :thumbsup:

A day or two after I got it we had just a 1/2". With nothing on the 3pt I couldn't get out of my own way with the R4's. I was terribly disappointed. My worst fears had come true by committing to the R4's. Now, night and day difference. As I stated, not as good as the Turfs but MUCH better. There is still room to improve though. I'm working on that. I don't keep a blower on my rear end like you. I only have a spreader that when full is 1000#, but it empties quick.
BTW, I have a question for you on your stack conversion. When I went to clean all the salt and grime off my tractor I noticed all of the soot on my FEL arm. After cleaning it off, I made the exhaust a priority. After 20hrs it was bad. So, my question is: Since your stack mod, do you have any soot issues on your cab, mirror, glass roof etc.??? P.S. I'll be happy to transfer this to your thread or a different one of you want.:thumbsup:

 

[4shorts]

A day or two after I got it we had just a 1/2". With nothing on the 3pt I couldn't get out of my own way with the R4's. I was terribly disappointed. My worst fears had come true by committing to the R4's. Now, night and day difference. As I stated, not as good as the Turfs but MUCH better. There is still room to improve though. I'm working on that. I don't keep a blower on my rear end like you. I only have a spreader that when full is 1000#, but it empties quick.
BTW, I have a question for you on your stack conversion. When I went to clean all the salt and grime off my tractor I noticed all of the soot on my FEL arm. After cleaning it off, I made the exhaust a priority. After 20hrs it was bad. So, my question is: Since your stack mod, do you have any soot issues on your cab, mirror, glass roof etc.??? P.S. I'll be happy to transfer this to your thread or a different one of you want.:thumbsup:

Oh man the worst thing you can try is use these machines with no weight in the rear. I could spin my rears on dry pavment with no weight in the back.
Now I know why you had trouble. Put weight in the rear and you wouldn't have an issue.

For the most part soot is a thing of the past. I've only seen a couple of spots on the hood the other day after I left the tractor out in the yard and the snow was blowing around and must have filled up the stack and when I started it up there was a few pecks on the hood but that was the extent of it.

I'm very happy with the conversion and would never want it the way it was when I bought it.
It is a tricky mod but most of the work was coming up with the design but I've got 50 hours on the machine with this mod and it's worked flawlessly.

 

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Oh man the worst thing you can try is use these machines with no weight in the rear. I could spin my rears on dry pavment with no weight in the back.
Now I know why you had trouble. Put weight in the rear and you wouldn't have an issue.

For the most part soot is a thing of the past. I've only seen a couple of spots on the hood the other day after I left the tractor out in the yard and the snow was blowing around and must have filled up the stack and when I started it up there was a few pecks on the hood but that was the extent of it.

I'm very happy with the conversion and would never want it the way it was when I bought it.
It is a tricky mod but most of the work was coming up with the design but I've got 50 hours on the machine with this mod and it's worked flawlessly.

Thanks Paul! Just a thought I had before putting a lot of time on my exhaust.
Since that first 1/2" that I tried it out on, the following Monday I had 1300 lbs of RimGuard put in the back tires. That helped tremendously. Don't even need anything on the 3pt now.:thumbsup: