I've been looking at the Kubota L series and i'm wondering what anyones experence is with r4 tires vs. ag tires. I have ag tires on my 9n but looking at a 4x4 so it's a bit different. My intent is to use this for moving and hauling wood off road and moving snow banks when necessary on my 1000' paved driveway, i also might look to do small jobs for hire - any opinions?
looking for thoughts on tractor tires
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If it was me, I'd do the ag tires UNLESS you plan on being in the yard when it's wet. Even with 4wd. I think you'll probably be happy with either.
The R4s will be a nicer ride on any cement or pavement when/if you do some plowing, though.
The R4s will be a nicer ride on any cement or pavement when/if you do some plowing, though.
I have R4s and 4 wheel drive. Not nearly as much traction as R1s in mud, but I don't tear up the grass. There have only been a few times when the R4s have been a show stopper for me. It's a small price to pay for not tearing things up. Others will have different experiences.
R4s are industrial tires and usually have a better load rating, important if you will be doing a lot of heavy loader work. You can't run R4s on one axle and R1s on the other on a 4wd machine. I imagine you already know that, but just in case you don't....
Not much snow here, so no real tire experience worth commenting on.
R4s are industrial tires and usually have a better load rating, important if you will be doing a lot of heavy loader work. You can't run R4s on one axle and R1s on the other on a 4wd machine. I imagine you already know that, but just in case you don't....
Not much snow here, so no real tire experience worth commenting on.
My Dad ran ags on his small tractor (25 or 30hp diesel) for a couple years. He traded that tractor in and got one with turf tires instead. Said it worked MUCH MUCH better on snow/ice.
I run both, have ag on 1 and turf/combo on the other
the ag are much better plowing / pushing/dragging
but as stated above hard on the grass areas even when its not wet
luckily the 4x4 kubota with ag's doesnt have to come
out to much in the summer mainly use for snow removal
I use the JD in the summer
with that being said if I was going to one tractor
the combo tires would be my choice because the ag's
really rut up the ground
the ag are much better plowing / pushing/dragging
but as stated above hard on the grass areas even when its not wet
luckily the 4x4 kubota with ag's doesnt have to come
out to much in the summer mainly use for snow removal
I use the JD in the summer
with that being said if I was going to one tractor
the combo tires would be my choice because the ag's
really rut up the ground
woodmeister said:
"small jobs for hire" to me means around someone's house which means you don't want to be tearing the yard up.
R-1....standard ag tires, deeper/narrower cleats, more dead-ahead pulling torque (plows, discs, etc), will dig into the ground.
R-4....industrial tires, more shallow/wider cleats, more load stability and normally load carrying capacity, cleats are usually closer together than R-1 tires making it a tad "tougher" tire, better at not digging into the ground but will still leave "tractor tire" impressions in sod.
R-3....turf/diamond/button/etc treaded tires, knobby treads, good stability and normally not as high rated ply-wise as R-4s, higher flotation than R-1s or R-4s will keep above the ground better and will not tear the grass up as bad as the other two, BUT....will not pull nearly as strong as the other two, used often on grounds keeping equipment.
A 4x4 that I'm not row-cropping with....I'd go with R-4s.
BTW...I have no experience with snow.
Pick your poison.
Ed
I found the ag tires would cut through the turf in the woods and if it was wet I would sink and be stuck. Had to leave the tractor one fall till it froze so I could drive it out. I have R-4 industrial tires on my dk45 and like them better. Smoother ride, heavier duty rating, better floatation. You will have a more aggressive tread with the ag tires that you may notice in deep snow. I think with a heavier tractor the R-4s work just as well. I have gone through wet area's last fall that I know I would have been stuck if I had ag tires.
Doug
Doug
I have Ag tires on my tractor and for plowing snow in the winter, I have chains. Without the chains, especially if it is icey, the tractor is somewhat useless. If your plowing involves and slope to it, my experience with the Ags is they are useless.
I first bought the tractor and plowed with a back blade. 1000' driveway, through the woods, not straight, and when the weather warms up and rains, the hard snow pack turns to ice. Top to bottom....ice. Perfect for a luge or bobsled, but a human can't even walk on it. Truck can't come close to getting up (even with good snow tires and 4WD).
I just spread 4 80-pound bags on the driveway this morning to be able to get a grip...had the car stuck in the snowbank on the way to taking the kids to school.
Once on the tractor during my second year with it, I was go up the driveway, all 4 tires were spinning, and I was sliding backwards. That scared the sh!t out of me....sliding backwards about 30' sitting up on top of this damned thing....and I bought chains with ice cleats for all four corners. Now I would take that tractor out on the sheet ice (like this morning) without fear or concern....amazing difference.
These days I plow with a 4-wheeler...much faster...unless I need to push snow banks around. Then I have to get out the tractor.
Ags will tear up the yard and leave their footprints for sure. If you had the R4s and chains, seems like that might be the best bet. Chains take some time to put on and they aren't cheap (though many build their own from old truck chains or similar). If I ever buy a new tractor, mine is an old Zetor, I think I'd go with the R4's and chains for the winter. I'd FORCE myself to buy those chains though for the winter, and a front mounted snow blower, becuase without them....I know I'd be in trouble.
My experience is things like backhoes with R4's (2WD) are really useless in snow.
Chains in the winter....R4's to prevent destruction of grass in summer.
Becareful leaving chains on all summer....the grip is staggering...and something has to give. I'd prefer a tire to spin then wreck a drivetrain somehow.
I first bought the tractor and plowed with a back blade. 1000' driveway, through the woods, not straight, and when the weather warms up and rains, the hard snow pack turns to ice. Top to bottom....ice. Perfect for a luge or bobsled, but a human can't even walk on it. Truck can't come close to getting up (even with good snow tires and 4WD).
I just spread 4 80-pound bags on the driveway this morning to be able to get a grip...had the car stuck in the snowbank on the way to taking the kids to school.
Once on the tractor during my second year with it, I was go up the driveway, all 4 tires were spinning, and I was sliding backwards. That scared the sh!t out of me....sliding backwards about 30' sitting up on top of this damned thing....and I bought chains with ice cleats for all four corners. Now I would take that tractor out on the sheet ice (like this morning) without fear or concern....amazing difference.
These days I plow with a 4-wheeler...much faster...unless I need to push snow banks around. Then I have to get out the tractor.
Ags will tear up the yard and leave their footprints for sure. If you had the R4s and chains, seems like that might be the best bet. Chains take some time to put on and they aren't cheap (though many build their own from old truck chains or similar). If I ever buy a new tractor, mine is an old Zetor, I think I'd go with the R4's and chains for the winter. I'd FORCE myself to buy those chains though for the winter, and a front mounted snow blower, becuase without them....I know I'd be in trouble.
My experience is things like backhoes with R4's (2WD) are really useless in snow.
Chains in the winter....R4's to prevent destruction of grass in summer.
Becareful leaving chains on all summer....the grip is staggering...and something has to give. I'd prefer a tire to spin then wreck a drivetrain somehow.
bpirger, wow I share some of those experences only in a f250 pretty hairy from all this great advice it sounds like r4 is the way to go I was leaning towards ag but i've been properly schooled. thanks to all!
Go to www.tractorbynet.com and search the forums. Endless debates there on best tire choices for various major uses.
I've had turf tires on my Deere 755 with 4WD for the last 20 years with no complaints for use in my woods, plowing snow, or mowing turf. Based on what I've read on the tractor forum, if I didn't have a choice of turfs, I'd go with the ags because I recollect a consensus of poor performance of R4's in snow. BTW, my tractor before the 755 was a 9N.
I've had turf tires on my Deere 755 with 4WD for the last 20 years with no complaints for use in my woods, plowing snow, or mowing turf. Based on what I've read on the tractor forum, if I didn't have a choice of turfs, I'd go with the ags because I recollect a consensus of poor performance of R4's in snow. BTW, my tractor before the 755 was a 9N.
I have a compact massey 4x4 hydrostat. I mow with a 60" belly mover, plow the snow with a rear blade and haul wood out of the woods in a trailer. I have big wide turf tires and I think they are the best option. I have trouble pulling a chisel plow when the gound is damp. Tires load up quickly and just spin. I never have trouble with snow when the trailer is loaded unless it is a steep uphill. I am thinking about chains. They don't tear up the yard.
We are getting a 9450 ready for the line now... Once the cage is ready they will add some custom tires... They tell me they are 37 ply airplane tiers that have been recapped????? All I know it is almost imposable to put a hole in one..
Same problem my Dad had with the Ags on his tractor as well. He didn't have chains, figured a 4x4 tractor should be able to plow a driveway just as easy as a pickup can... yeah right!
With the new tractor he has and turf tires he said it was a night and day difference.
I think it comes down to having very little rubber contacting the ground on an Ag tire.
We have R4 tires on the Bobcat and Toolcats at work and they work great in the snow.
With the new tractor he has and turf tires he said it was a night and day difference.
I think it comes down to having very little rubber contacting the ground on an Ag tire.
We have R4 tires on the Bobcat and Toolcats at work and they work great in the snow.
bpirger said:
A lot of times they'll buff the beads down on surplus aircraft tires. You'll find somebody looking for a 15 or 16 inch tube or tire when what they actually have is a 20" rim....southbound said:
Ed
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