Industrial Tires

[shinnlinger]

I was wondering if there is any one here who is happy with their industrial tires? At first I thought they would make a nice compromise between turf tires and Ag tires. Not tear up the lawn as much as Ag tires but have more traction in the goo than turf tires.

I have loaded ags on my tractor and am really impressed how it goes in snow, mud, what have you. I have a buddy with a 50 horse JD who is constantly amazed at where my machine will go versus his and we both attribute the main faliure of his traction to his industrial tires (He ussually has a hoe on the back, so we dont think weight is the issue).

Last night I was at a bonfire and a neighbor, who happens to be from England, had just traded his 28 horse Kubota for a 43 horse model, and he was really dissapointed in the industrial tires that came on it also. "Worst of both worlds" He said. Tears up the lawn and doesn't grab.

My sense is industrial tires really stink at off pavement applications, but I see alot of newer tractors with them and I don't know why since most tractors are used off pavement.

What is going on here? I strongly suggest you not get industrial tires on your new tractor unless you are only using it at a construction site.

 

[Big Dog]

Was the neighbors tires loaded?

 

[jbrumberg]

There have been numerous discussions of the pro's and con's comparing R-1's to R-4's at another site. There appears to be a lot of style loyalty and inconsistent reports of style perfromance . The only real consistencies are that R-4's ride better on hard surfaces, have higher ply ratings, better floatation, and are more puncture resistent in the woods. R-1's appear to provide better traction, raise ground clearance, and are much more efficient going through mud. I will add here that
R-1's goo through mud better in forward than reverse due to design. It gets a little more complicated when you start comparing weighted vs unweighted and chained vs unchanged tires and styles. Choice of tractor tires requires tradeoffs- there is no perfect tire. I never had R-4's so I could be talking from where the sun don't shine . Jay

 

[Doc]

I have them and like them. They will fill with mud (not self cleaning like AG's) but they do everything I need. Understood, they are a compromise. I bought them for the exact reason you mentioned, not to tear up the yard but still get the jobs done. I liken it to the all season tires on our cars. Not the best for any one season, but overall they do okay for every season.

Mine are filled, and that makes a world of difference. I also have 4wd. I have a suspicion that R4's / Industrial tires would not be a good choice on a 2wd tractor.

 

[larryRB]

I've been operating backhoes since 1974 and many other tractors here and there since the same time frame,. For me, I learned to like the R4's much better than R1's.. Here, in the New England area I don't have to remind people that we have lot's of rock, granite, stone, boulders, cliffs, shale, etc,, The few farm tractors that I did operate, lost big chunks of tires going over shale or unseen rock formations and ended up with tons of damage, For me, if I ever trade/sell my LL 48 and replace it,, it will always have another set of 4's and no 1's for me.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I would have to say that everything has its purpose. Turf tires are best on the turf, AG tires are best at ag work and Industrial tires are best on an industrial site. That doesn't mean that each one won't work for the others purpose. Just that they probably won't work as well.

I have R4 tires, they have worked good for me, not that I would not like to have some AG tires while I'm disking, but I definitely want the R4s while I am grading my 2 miles of dirt roads. Unless you have unlimited funds, you have to make a compromise. Hopefully you make the compromise that is best for your circumstances.

 

[irwin]

Which pic looks better?
or this?


Seriously though, I'm very happy with my new R4's. I don't do any farming crops. My land is very rough on rubber, lots of rocks, pot holes, and other various hidden dangers. Once after just walking around I found that something ripped a chunk loose on the sole of a very costly ecco hiking boot...ruined them, shortly after that incident I did homework on mfwd ratio related to replacement tires, The decision to go R4 was economic...was able to use my existing rims, and keep the proper lead percentage...for me this works.....

 

[larryRB]

I've had this argument for a number of years with a particular person that most of us know from being on several sites,, He too, is in eastern CT. He swears by R1's only, and I am opposite swearing by R 4's only. He is constantly getting flat tires, loosing chunks of tire ribbing, and in general just plain bad luck. I've tried to convince him over and over, around here with all the rock, shale, boulders and such, R1's are the worse thing you can have. Of course running John Deere 710 hoe's and ocassionally the 410/310 models over the last 35 years, one has no choice but R4. The R4 can stand up to our geographical composition a hundred times better than any R1 will ever do. Turfs, I've never ran a tractor with them, and would never own those tires at least for my needs,, I guess they do alright under the right conditions, but for construction type work (except for hog mowing my own field, it is all I do) The R4 wins hands down.

 

[shinnlinger]

Larry,

You bring up a good point, that one consider geology when choosing a tire. I dont have sharp shale where I am, but rather smooth granite (lots and lots and lots of smooth granite). My tire problems have stemmed (pun intended) from ripping out my stems with a root or somthing and needing to hightail it home while I still have some pressure. Welding a colar around the valve would help with this.

To sum up this thread to date, Industrial tires, while they may be more durable, and look cooler, are intended for the hard surfaces at an industrial site. If you are going to be running your rig down the road alot, or working a barn, and only go off road to brush hog, R-4's are the way to go.

If you don't have sharp rocks lying around, and you intend to use your rig off pavement most of the time, but not on your lawn, then R-1's get much better traction.

I just want to reinforce this for a buyer who may not even know there is a difference. It seems that R-4's are standard in my area for whatever reason, but no one who I have spoken with have been happy with their choice as they didn't buy the tractor to drive down the road, and heck, most of our roads are dirt around here anyway.

I first noticed this when I was operating a 4x4 50 horse JD with loaded R-4's and a hoe on a slight slope in the rain. The bigger rig was going sidways in a dangerous way while my machine took it in stride

And yes, either way, loaded tires make a nice difference.

 

[Archdean]

This is reminiscent of the "Ford vs Chevy" argument.

I must of asked/answered this question a thousand times when I worked for Kubota!

Are you a farmer/rancher? If yes R1's over 30 HP
Are you a homeowner? If yes R4's period.
Of course 4 wheel drive is recommended for both!

This covers most buyers and the construction guys already know what they need for the most part!

I use this little guy (pic below) mainly to clean up my lake front (normally with the backhoe attached) makes it a lot more stable, the surface is a very hard sharp flint like shale and quartz!
R1's are good as new with very few cuts while my neighbor has torn the living h**L out of his Ag's!

Yeah but! I live in snow country you say and so did I for 14 years in Alaska and used a Bobcat 754 to clean snow from my driveway and store parking lot all winter WITH R4'S only (no chains).

R4's will no doubt outlast the time that you will own the tractor! Be happy!

***A side note most R4 rims have a valve stem protector while most AG brands do not!***

 

[urednecku]

When I bought my Kubota, I tried both tires. The tractor with industrial had to go in 4WD in places that the ag tires easily went in 2WD. I had no choice but the ag. Like said before... what are you doing on what kind of surface?

 

[Bindian]

When I ordered my Mahindra, I told the salesman R1s. I wanted the traction, as I have a low area that holds water, plus a gully that I will be cleaning out. When I lifted a whole tree with the FEL bucket and the front tires went flat, I wanted R4s. So I maxed out the air pressure in my front tires. But I love the higher ground clearance the R1s have over the R4s. Especially with the backhoe on back. I have driven through stump holes with no problem, that would have left R4s spinning up the sides of the hole.
hugs, Brandi

 

[shinnlinger]

Dean,

I dont see how this is reminiscent of the Ford-Chevy thing, because Fords are clearly superior in all conditions while Chevies are reminiscent of the mediocre racecar driver they are named after.

Rednck and Bindian,

Thank you for putting in a positive word for Ag tires.

 

[Dougster]

I must of asked/answered this question a thousand times when I worked for Kubota!

Are you a farmer/rancher? If yes R1's over 30 HP
Are you a homeowner? If yes R4's period.
Of course 4 wheel drive is recommended for both!

This covers most buyers and the construction guys already know what they need for the most part! {snip!} R4's will no doubt outlast the time that you will own the tractor! Be happy!

I think your answer is pretty much on the mark. I see these smallish, cheap Chinese tractors coming over and being sold with aggies and I wonder how happy a homeowner can possibly be with that combo.

I would only dispute the notion that R4's will outlast a tractor. I am experiencing plenty of wear and deterioration with my Titans... plus some ugly punctures and one split. My front tires... not true R4's but skidsteer tires... are wearing noticeably and chunking. Part of the problem is that I work mobile and can't load the tires... meaning some occasional loss of traction and slippage. It also may indicate my lack of experience dealing with certain tough terrain (read: rocky) jobs, but I sure don't see these current Titan tires lasting forever given the residential client grading & excavation work I do.

Dougster

 

[Bindian]

I think your answer is pretty much on the mark. I see these smallish, cheap Chinese tractors coming over and being sold with aggies and I wonder how happy a homeowner can possibly be with that combo.

I would only dispute the notion that R4's will outlast a tractor. I am experiencing plenty of wear and deterioration with my Titans... plus some ugly punctures and one split. My front tires... not true R4's but skidsteer tires... are wearing noticeably and chunking. Part of the problem is that I work mobile and can't load the tires... meaning some occasional loss of traction and slippage. It also may indicate my lack of experience dealing with certain tough terrain (read: rocky) jobs, but I sure don't see these current Titan tires lasting forever given the residential client grading & excavation work I do.

Dougster

Why can't R1s be made with the rating of R4s? With loaders and round bales, it would seem to reason today's tractors carry more weight on front. I have lost chunks of ribbing on the tires of my old Ford. Stumps do that sometimes. Are the Titans, as equipped on the Mahindras, lower in the quality department? On another note, my dealer gave me some pink valve stem caps. I painted them red to match the Big Red Beast.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Dougster]

Are the Titans, as equipped on the Mahindras, lower in the quality department?
hugs, Brandi

Good question! One I've asked myself many times.

As I shop for my (eventual) purchase of a used, full-size, commercial backhoe... I am often struck by the obvious strength, longevity and very different look of the R4's on the really big machines. Now I know I am comparing tires on my 7,000ish lb machine to those on 15,000+ lb machines, but the sizes aren't all that different... just the ratings and sometimes the manufacturers that are different.

Happy as I am basking in my blatant lack of knowledge on this subject, I've got to believe that better R4 tires are available for my Red Beast that won't wear and deteriorate nearly so rapidly.

Dougster

 

[Jim_S]

Good question! One I've asked myself many times.
Dougster

It appears that Titans come in several flavors including bias and radials. There may be different grades too, I didn't go into specific sizes.

I put turf tires on my L3400. I do a lot of mowing and no matter how careful I was the R4's cut divots. The only time I've had traction trouble is moving snow.

Jim

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Good question! One I've asked myself many times

Happy as I am basking in my blatent lack of knowledge on this subject, I've got to believe that better R4 tires are available for my Red Beast that won't wear and deteriorate nearly so rapidly.

Dougster

Michelin's, high dollar though.

 

[Dougster]

It appears that Titans come in several flavors including bias and radials. There may be different grades too, I didn't go into specific sizes.

I put turf tires on my L3400. I do a lot of mowing and no matter how careful I was the R4's cut divots. The only time I've had traction trouble is moving snow.

Jim

The (used, former daily rental) John Deere 110 TLB that I almost bought last year (before I bought the Red Beast) had turf tires on it. I often wonder how well that combo would have worked for me. Probably better on some jobs... probably worse on others.

I do tear up folk's lawns pretty good on some jobs.

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

Michelin's, high dollar though.

In other words... I better be satisfied with what's on there now!

Dougster