Whuch Tires do I get? AG? Industrial?

[sweep]

I have R1 ag tires and have never beat up or dug any ruts in the the ground in 5 years and my rear tires are loaded and I have a fairly heavy tractor. Here is my Dad brush hogging and we have had near record rain this year. My neighbor has a Kubota with ags and a finish mower-same thing his yard looks great.

They pull great in the snow and I have never had to use chains and won't-I hate putting them things on.

 

[sweep]

Ag tires look cool. .

Simple and to the point. I want my tractor to look like a tractor.

 

[RickB]

#6 - I know the loggers lost at least a few lugs off their giant AG tires on thier JD skidder and cutter because I have found the lugs out on the property.

Thanks in advance,
Confused David...

Logging equipment generally uses purpose-built tires that look like R1 tires but are built with many more plies in the casings. You won't see skidders, feller-bunchers, or forwarders with R4 tires because they simply won't provide sufficient traction. You will find some logging equipment with R1's installed for purely economic reasons.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Statistically speaking, that's when you'll roll it. Guys who are being cautious rarely roll their tractors...it's the guys who have grown comfortable that do.

That is what I figured.
Maybe I will ALWAYS be timid...

 

[Boondox]

Years ago there was an excellent post on this topic called The Ag Tire Elimination Rule. It sure would be nice to resurrect that thread as it had some great points and was the most succinct "which do I get" summary I've found anywhere.

Pete

 

[stravis]

Given the above, if I get R4's and chains, and when it is wet/snowy I put chains on will I have any traction issues?

In addition, SPECIFICALLY how much "lift" weight do I lose with AG tires?

Thanks in advance,
Confused David...

1. Never used R4's with chains, so I can't answer. My personal opinion would be that I'd rather have tires that don't require chains if at all possible.

2. My opinion, none. Sure there is a load limit that's lower on the R1's, but you will exceed the load limit on your loader before you exceed the limit on your tires. My tires can handle anything and everything my loader can dish out. While I use my loader often, I use my tractor with an empty loader far more.

Let me stress again, unless you're driving on pavement a lot (hence the reason for "industrial" tires), you are not going to wear out the R1's for a long long time. Most tractor folks I know who don't drive on pavement often replace their tires, R1 or R4 because of chips and cuts long before they do because of wear. My 1974 Ford 3000 has one of the original R1's with probably 3/4 or more of the tread. they're cut and chipped, but the tread is there. The other was replaced due to a cut and dry rot.

 

[crazyal]

Chains will work great. Here's a close up picture of mine.

If you are going over logs you'll want to get a minimum of VEE bar chains. But they are heavy the box (wooden crate) they came in weighted 230 lbs. I put mine on in the fall and in spring take them off. At over 100 lbs each you don't just toss them on or take them off and hang them up out of the way. Also they will do damage to roots of live trees. But there's a reason why log skidders use them, they get the job done.

 

[crazyal]

......In addition, SPECIFICALLY how much "lift" weight do I lose with AG tires?

Thanks in advance,
Confused David...

I don't think you will loose lift but when I have the bucket loaded I notice the ag tires are really squatting. It's got to be a heavy load though. This is a place where R4's really shine. They do make ag tires that are better for handling the weight but who wants to replace the tires on a new tractors.

Like everything with a tractor you have to make compromises. You're not going to find a perfect set. R4's are the most common type of tire sold on compacts so they aren't a bad choice.

 

[RickB]

1. Never used R4's with chains, so I can't answer. My personal opinion would be that I'd rather have tires that don't require chains if at all possible.

.

If we all lived in Georgia, few of us would need tire chains.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

They do make ag tires that are better for handling the weight but who wants to replace the tires on a new tractors.

Crazyal,

What are these AG with better lift tires?

This is a brand new tractor, this is my one chance to try to get it perfect from the start.

As to the squatting AG tires, are yours liquid filled (I am getting mine that way).


I suspect I will end up with R4's because of mixed use.

I will be using MUCH of the 2,700 lbs of lift on the FEL on a regular basis...