Turfs sound right?

[Humdinger]

what size tractor? ( and what size tires? )

how much mowing?

soundguy

One of my tractors has a set of loaded R4s for Winter and Spring, with a set of turfs for Summer and Fall.
I have messed up my switchover date a few times and roto-tilled with the turfs on, this is with a forward rotation tiller, which tends to push the tractor along.
I have never got stuck with the turfs.

First check your loader's capacity.
Then figure that the load is cantilevered about 4ft in front of those tires.
Check the load rating of the turf tires you are considering.

You might need R4s, you might not.
If you are mostly mowing and mostly on fairly level ground you will probably be mostly in 2WD.
It is very possible to rip up lawn with turf tires - especially if you make tight turns when the soil (not just the grass) is wet.
So don't think that turf tires are a save-all for lawns.

It is also possible to avoid lawn damage with R4s by taking only gentle turns and just staying off the lawn when the soil is wet.
You can also take the loader off when not in use, that can save grass plowing with front tires.

For the conditions and applications you described turfs on the back and R4s on the front COULD work out very well.

Personally I would take a chance on lawn damage in preference to taking a chance on overloading front tires with loader work..... Your choice is for you to make (-:

Tractor will be small...haven't purchased one yet, still in research mode. Probably a small Deere, Kubota. Some of the smallest ones of each brand can go up to 60" belly mowers...sounds about right. But I'm a little unsure as if I want a belly-mower or a rear finish mower (asking same question in another thread :laughing. I wonder more about the rear mower on hills being a problem.

Mowing will be about 2.5 acres. Soil can stay damp in places even several days after rains...springs I think. A few hills in places...just steep enough to make me wonder if I will need 4WD occasionally.

 

[JoeL4330]

You won't find many who have turfs and don't recommend them ...as for doing damage when mowing, they are kinder than Ags or Inds ...but still, if you were going to get a front end loader, then the recommendation would be to load the rears and even turfs that are loaded can be problematic when the ground is damp ...as for hills, I would say 4wd is a must for controlled descent, especially with a loader ...and, absolutely no problem with hills and a 3ph (i.e., rear) mower ...Of course, with a belly mower you are cutting grass not yet flattened by your rear tires

 

[Will_C]

No matter the choice, it will be a compromise-but based on your usage, turfs will be as perfect a choice as you can make. If you want more traction, a set of chains will make much difference-and they can be purchased for a small tractor for a couple hundred dolars or so.

Will

 

[jbarker855]

I have turfs on my JD855. Great for mowing. I take it out of 4WD when possible. Tight turns on grass in 4WD is tough on the lawn even with turfs. I have abused those turf tires in creeks, over rocks, and in the woods. Never had a flat. They pancake something terrible with a huge load in the FEL, but it doesn't seem to hurt anything. I would drive with a boulder in the FEL over a rocky creek bed, and no problems. I go slow when I have a really heavy load in the FEL. I now have a second, bigger tractor with R1's for the heavy work, but that 855 with turfs really held its own!

 

[jenkinsph]

I have the hdap tires on my mower and these seem to be ideal for your work.

 

[easygo]

Turfs will be as good as they come for your use. I have done mowing, plowing snow, loader work and even hauled out firewood. I swapped for R4 with another owner because I use the tractor in the woods more these days. They (R4) make a mess in a huge hurry if you spin them and leave deep marks in wet areas. Other then for rough stuff in the woods the turfs are not in the least secondary to R-4. You will be happy with them.

 

[Reg]

Despite my previous post on this thread...
I often say that tractors are for "tractoring" (verb), mowers are for mowing.
Tractors can mow, most mowers can't "tractor" (-:
Mowing tractors aren't suitable for manicuring Home and Garden grade lawns.

Tractors are kinda Swiss army knives, when we use them as mowers, loaders, back hoes or forklifts we have to accept the compromises (at least, I have learned to).

If I was a "lawns guy" I would have a zero turn mower and keep all tractors OFF the bowling green quality lawn - wouldn't even allow croquet because of the divots, etc.
I am NOT a "lawn guy", so R4 marks across the "yard" don't matter that much to me.

So, if "tractoring" needs include FEL use I would make SURE that the front tires can take the max load that the loader can lift (times something for being cantilevered out there).
A pair of front wheels with R4s might not be THAT expensive and they are fairly light and easy to change, so swapping just the fronts for loader work may not be a HUGE hassle - add to that taking the loader OFF for lawn work and your Swiss Army Knife could work out very well.
Not as well as separate ZTR & dedicated tractor, but well enough.

 

[jenkinsph]

Despite my previous post on this thread...
I often say that tractors are for "tractoring" (verb), mowers are for mowing.
Tractors can mow, most mowers can't "tractor" (-:
Mowing tractors aren't suitable for manicuring Home and Garden grade lawns.

Tractors are kinda Swiss army knives, when we use them as mowers, loaders, back hoes or forklifts we have to accept the compromises (at least, I have learned to).

If I was a "lawns guy" I would have a zero turn mower and keep all tractors OFF the bowling green quality lawn - wouldn't even allow croquet because of the divots, etc.
I am NOT a "lawn guy", so R4 marks across the "yard" don't matter that much to me.

So, if "tractoring" needs include FEL use I would make SURE that the front tires can take the max load that the loader can lift (times something for being cantilevered out there).
A pair of front wheels with R4s might not be THAT expensive and they are fairly light and easy to change, so swapping just the fronts for loader work may not be a HUGE hassle - add to that taking the loader OFF for lawn work and your Swiss Army Knife could work out very well.
Not as well as separate ZTR & dedicated tractor, but well enough.

All very true, I suggested hdap tires but noticed the OP has inquired about a fel and backhoe too. Not clear what tasks the new mower or tractor will be used for, mowing a nice lawn as you say is different from pulling logs out of the woods.

 

[DAY]

Reg's 100% right.
"mowing" and "lawn" mean different things to different folks. As does the joy one gets -or doesn't!- from sitting on a machine for several hours every week.
Weight is probably more an issue than tire type. Dragster slicks on a 2 ton machine will mess up a wet lawn worse than ags on a SCUT.

Check out the equipment- and how they use it- of the pros that mow for a living. For them time is money, and customer satisfaction keeps them in business.

 

[Soundguy]

if he's going turfs for soil damage, and a loader.. I'd look into wheel weights he could remove when mowing vs loaded rears. desides.. loaded rears on a subcut isn't going to be much weight..

soundguy