What tires should you get on a new Tractor, R1, R4, or Turf?

[Blue Mule]

Do you have a pic of the R3s?

Ran these tires on it for 21 years with no issues. Used them in very extreme situations moving rock from utility line construction, climbing up onto piles of sharp rock, plowing snow on steep inclines, driving down into creek beds to retrieve fallen trees, dragging logs from mud, you name it. Had a Bush Hog loader on it most of the time. Never any punctures with the tires no matter what job we had to do. They were getting so old that dry rot cracks were starting to become bad...yet they kept on holding air perfectly and they provided amazing traction in all situations. The ride quality was also much better with them than the R4s I have now. These R3s are the best all-around tire you can possibly put on a compact tractor.

 

[crashz]

The turfs that came with my JD770 were OK. Very good on grass, traction OK. So thin that the tire molded to any ground imperfection. But they all got dry rotted and cracked so bad that even with tubes, they were in need of replacement. I put a heavier turf tire on that before I gave the tractor to my father. The new Titans have a close spaced heavy block that I like much better.

The R4's on the Kubota are better, but still had to fill the fronts with Berryman tire goop. Been good since. OK on grass, but not great.

 

[3gunr]

R4s are all right on flat ground, but junk and highly dangerous on a slope, they will slide sideways, then bite for a couple seconds and tip the tractor up, I use turf, the old saying get what you pay for, turfs can be had in six ply, less chance of going flat from abrasion or nail, they bite better on a slope, on flat ground anything will work with tread

I have turf tires on my cub 7260 and they do good in most conditions , but to say r4s are junk is dumb, I have r4s on 2 other tractors ,one which has over1100 hrs , I have not had the sliding problems you talk about and i use them on our 360 acre hunting tract where we have lots of hills and muddy creek bottoms.

 

[oosik]

Been out here on the property for forty plus years. Two tractors. Current tractor - M6040 has R-1's - Rim Guard in the rears. The M6040 weighs 10,000#.

R-1's will tear the living carp out of my ground in the spring. Doesn't matter if it's my lawn or out on the west 80. Soft ground is soft ground.

Besides - what idiot drives his tractor on his lawn when it's soft in the spring.

Does not matter what style tire I could have on my M6040. A 10,000 pound tractor WILL make ruts on soft ground.

 

[Hay Dude]

Been out here on the property for forty plus years. Two tractors. Current tractor - M6040 has R-1's - Rim Guard in the rears. The M6040 weighs 10,000#.

R-1's will tear the living carp out of my ground in the spring. Doesn't matter if it's my lawn or out on the west 80. Soft ground is soft ground.

Besides - what idiot drives his tractor on his lawn when it's soft in the spring.

Does not matter what style tire I could have on my M6040. A 10,000 pound tractor WILL make ruts on soft ground.

Those are good points and the average TBNer with a 25HP tractor with R1’s will be so light that he won’t make real bad ruts unless he’s on a soaked lawn in the spring. You wouldn’t want to be on that lawn with any tire for any reason.
Ruts can have smooth bottoms or bottoms with cleat marks. Not much difference-they all need to be repaired.

Seeins that all those tires will leave ruts, but the R1 tires won’t leave you stuck, but the R4 & R3 just might leave you stuck, then you have much bigger ruts from getting unstuck.

Clear as mud?

 

[oosik]

Yes - Hay Dude - Crystal clear. As it is now with my R-1's - I'll be waiting until some time in mid-April before I "sally forth" out onto the property with the tractor. Otherwise - I'm just making a whole lot of work for myself.

 

[Thomas]

Kinda depends on what type of work your doing also type of ground in all 4 seasons...I would strongly check out R14's.

 

[hwkmn05]

I can see myself switching over to R14s once the R3s wear out. The radial feature is compelling. The difference however is minimal for my needs presently. No lawn mowing, easy plowing driveway (sans chains), dry pasture brush hogging and sandy ring grading. The 14s may offer a better ride on the gravel road. The R4s were needed and appreciated in the early years of clearing woods and muddy areas, but most of that is gone now.

 

[RalphVa]

Can't figure out why we have lawns other than to drive on them. Play on them if you're younger and all. Gotta be able to drive the tractor across the lawn. That's one of the reasons for having lawns.

 

[Oaktree]

I got R4's and personally I think they're the cat's meow. They don't load up with dirt and mud like turfs, they actually tear my grass up LESS then the turfs mounted on my zero-turn, and I will go on record to say that those who ***** about them in snow DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE 4WD AND LOCKING DIFF!

I also have R4s and generally like them, but they do suck in snow, 4WD/locking diff only help so much. If you use R4s in snow, chains are a must!