Wheel and tire swap for L4760

[fishpick]

So - I have an L4760. When I got it I bought it with R1 wheels and tires because it was doing a fair bit more farming type work.
Now - the R1’s are just pizza cutters on anything in the spring and honestly the tractor has become mostly a snowblower and deer getter during hunting season.
I’m thinking of swapping out the wheels and tires for an R3 turf setup. Then I think I can get more use out of the tractor around the property without destroying the lawn. I think they would be easier on the gravel drive in the spring. Certainly spread out the weight more.
In the winter if I needed to I could put chains on and not really lose any real traction for snow and muddy deer season duties.
Am I missing something. I kinda feel like turf with the option to chain them is the most versatile option…
Except almost nobody does that!

the floor is open for opinions.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

I’ve never had any problem with R4s tearing up my yard just going across it and I haven’t had any issues with traction in the fields or woods. I don’t think turf tires would cut it for going back my trails.

 

[JWR]

Your task list for the year and what is highest priority for your situation drives it. Depends mostly on what you need to do, how much and priorities. Since you opened the floor for opinions I'll throw in just a couple.

• I have used both turf and ag tires when snowblowing. Turf tires are lousy for snowblowing giving poor traction and turning snow to ice as if made to do so. R1s do drastically better.
• Putting chains on is a laborious nuisance which I think of as an emergency bailout, not a planned practice.
• How big of a fraction of your tractor use is running on your lawn? Maybe some other machine is better there allowing you to keep the L4760 mostly off the lawn
• What do you cut? How big is your property? What are the primary chores ? I can't think pulling in deer and snowblowing take up all that many work days.
• Swapping tractor tires is significant expense & hard to justify unless you have a lot more reason for doing it than I have heard so far.

 

[TMGT]

I'm not sure what the turf options are for the L4760, but I believe they are same as the L3240 I have. I have the 44x18-20rear and 29x12.5-15front turf option.
Other then the fact they are lot loaded, they give good traction in most conditions due to the large lugs on the rear tires.

I've plowed pretty heavy snow with a heavy 7ft blade and would say they did decent, if they were loaded and had chains they would have done outstanding.
I also have loaded R4's and they typically do better pulling a box blade, but I think that is due more to the added weight.

Plus I think they look pretty meaty on the grand L!

Sent from my SM-G715U1 using TractorByNet mobile app

 

[AaronD81]

My tractor came with R1s and I bought turfs since I have to drive through my yard a lot and the difference is amazing, perfect choice for me. Turfs were great in snow for me and surprised the other person said they are worse than R1s because that wasn’t my experience and while researching my change lots of others said turfs are better on snow. I also kept the R1s so I can use them if I need to but not sure that will ever be necessary. The rears are 41x14-20 and even loaded I can swap them out myself pretty quickly. I agree chains are annoying and cumbersome. R4s and R14s are very popular and for good reason but turfs were best for me so I don’t think you’re wrong to consider them.

 

[fishpick]

Re: @JWR - so being completely frank... the L4760 was bought at the end of our time farming... it was a replacement for a New Holland TC45DA - same size - but with a cab and mid-PTO - for snow-blowing - which we have a really long drive and this tractor makes a "chore" a hella lotta fun now. But - the tractor is way more machine than I need. I have an old BX24 that mows the lawn - so the L4760 lives a pretty sheltered life right now - it gets used with a land plane to fix the driveway in the spring and again in the fall. I use the loader / forks for a few task here and there. And I have a Bush Hog that goes on the back - but at this point it's more a rough finish mower for established trails - nothing new is being knocked down. So to your point - yeah - the L4760 sits idle a lot of the time.
WHICH is why I'm seriously considering turfs.
With turfs I would not have a single reservation pulling the tractor out to do other chores around the house (case in point - this last weekend we were moving a bunch of deck furniture from a shed to the deck - and hand carried all of it - in the fall we use the tractors loader to move it because the ground is usually hard. That's just one simple example of where I think the L4760 sits idle.
Honestly - I should have sold the TC45DA & the BX24 and gotten something like the LX3310 at the time with all the attachments - except that model didn't exist and the 30hp one back then had the new particulate tech and the dealer said don't do it... AND - at that time - thought the bigger tractor was needed.
Also - turfs are fine for snow blowing.

@AaronD81 - I have had fine luck with other tractors in the snow with turfs too.

As for chains - I agree they are not a simple on and off ordeal - but putting them on in the fall and taking them off in the spring is, gain, something I used to do with a JD at a cabin we had. It had R4's but the soil was almost pure clay - so they would load up anything - the only solution was chains to be able to skid logs out... so - I'm not "chain adverse" and if I did go turfs - would mount the rears "wide" so they were easier to get on with clearance between the tire and the cab.

I really am annoyed - I just dont need a tractor this big - but I think it's a hella lot cheaper to buy turfs & chains (or R4's but even on BX - where we live with super fine silty soil - mowing the yard in the spring leaves mess) vs a whole new tractor...

I'm just trying to get the L4760 out of the barn a bit more often...
(sigh)
You know - I myself have said buy the biggest you can... but in this case - the tractor is just bigger than I need... tires are an attempted rescue.

 

[AaronD81]

Sounds like you have a bigger question to ask first, whether you'd really be happier with a smaller tractor. If your implements will work with an LX you might want to price one out and get a trade or sale price for the L, you can probably downsize without paying anything out of pocket. It looks like you may come out with some cash in your pocket based on a quick tractorhouse.com search. If you decide to keep the L I think you'll be happy with turf tires, it's allowed me to use my tractor a lot more.

 

[newbury]

but in this case - the tractor is just bigger than I need.

That is near blasphemy!.
Why didn't you move the furniture with the B24?
If you are at ALL contemplating selling it's definitely a good time to sell.

 

[JWR]

fishpick -- I have a much better picture of your circumstance based on post #6 above. I just don't see how swapping ag tires for turf tires improves your situation at all. I do not say what is right or wrong, I just don't see it. I have yet to meet the person who is happier with smaller tractor -- but again maybe you would be.
Every case is different.

$ wise it would make a lot of difference if you had some deal available (another person willing) to swap wheels and tires with you. Those deals are almost impossible to find unless you already have one lined up. Your case is puzzling enough that I can't vote strongly for any solution for you. Best of luck sorting it out and finding the sweet spot for what you need.

 

[fishpick]

Well @JWR - the turfs would get me able to use my bigger tractor (than I need) at least from March - May when things are so wet the R1's rip it all up...
But - I agree - I'm feeling like buying turfs I'm almost throwing good money at bad at this point... I do agree about most folks not being happy with a smaller tractor - but - I have tamed our 34 acres... don't move round bales anymore, don't have livestock trailers to drag through a pasture, don't use the Bush Hog for anything other than finish mowing of trails... Any tree I'm dragging out is not gonna be huge nor something I can't cut into smaller chinks if needed.
While we do get 80+ tons of gravel every few years for the driveway - waiting for those big jobs with the L4760 is - waiting... And a smaller tractor can pull a land plan to smooth out the seasonal pot hold that the driveway gets too.

I'm starting to explore the notion of selling/trading the L4760 (its so nice tho) and the older BX24 for something like an LX like @AaronD81 suggested - and seeing if I can "simplify" life down to a single tractor to rule them all...

I could blow the driveway in warmth in the cab with a front mounted blower, have a bucket and forks for about 2000# or lift, have a 3PT finish mower to take care of the yard and get back a bunch of space under the leanto and barn not having 2 tractors...

Just gotta see if I want to do that - if I like the platform of an LX - if I can even find one locally in stock to look at... etc, etc, etc... But I'm thinking about that route...