R1 or R4?

FRIZ · Jun 7, 2009

I am getting ready to order my JD4720. I was already set to order the JD4720 with R1 tires. But know I have second thoughts. What if I have a tree down next to the pond and I will have to drive over the lawn to get the tree stump and get it to the meadow?

Can I do this with R1 tires without ruining the lawn around the pond?

But if I go with the R4 tires, will I not lose a lot of traction in the meadow and woods?

Please share you insights.

Thank you,
Regards,
FRIZ

Ivan1547 · Jun 7, 2009

I have R4's on my Massey.

It is used for about everything, the only time I wished I had the Ag tires was when I was cultivating. The R4's would spin, but when I used the FWA there were no traction problems.

I had no issues with traction in the winter while pushing snow, or in the summer pushing dirt and gravel. The R4's are more gentle on the grass (no damage whatsoever when I drive across).

Also, I tend to drive down a paved road quite often, the R4's are harder wearing than the R1's.

jenkinsph · Jun 8, 2009

FRIZ,

Either will work but I prefer the R4 tires especially for fel work. I have them
on my 110 and 4520 and am very satisfied with their performance.

Traction has not been a problem even with my large box blade full of dirt behind my 110 which has no wheel weights or liquid ballast in the rear tires. My 4520 has three wheel weights each side and handles the large boxblade with no problems but is more powerfull. If I needed more traction then a lot of Rimguard could be added.

Steve

mjncad · Jun 8, 2009

I have R4's; but now I wish I had R1's for added traction. I don't have a pretty lawn, so I don't care whether the tires chew up anything or not.

spruce Deere · Jun 8, 2009

I have r-1 tires on the 790, and like'em. Long as you don't spin on your lawn with r-1s, wich will instantly leave a hole, you should be fine. On turns I get just a little scuffing, but like mjncad my lawn lacks the carpet type beauty. R-4 tires are designed for more of a construction/landscape type use and the"cross-over" ability. R-1 tires designed to grab, with no mercy, chew and spit out pieces

nmu98 · Jun 8, 2009

I drive my 5203 over my lawn all the time with R-1's and have no issues. If you were spin, like mensioned above, it would do damage.... You will enjoy the extra traction the r-1's will give you.

sunnyside360 · Jun 8, 2009

I'd go with R4's and add Rimguard for weight to help with traction and stability on hills. It's the best option between turf and R1 for all around use.

JohnDeere4300 · Jun 8, 2009

I have R4's on and wished i had R1's......I plan to put R1's on when my R4's wear out, because i need extra traction sometimes when i go over the river bank.

On my ATV i have the "ITP Mud-Lites" on and they are a deep lug tire, and i get great traction.....I have a nice lawn & i have a lot of money in it, and if i need to take my ATV in my front yard....then i try not to turn real hard and that helps not to tear it up.

Now i have had to turn in a tight spot & it did tear the top layer of the grass up...but i just laid it back in place.

The ITP Mud-Lites on my ATV look like the R1's for a tractor....and i plan to put R1's on.

LD1 · Jun 8, 2009

I think I agree with the majority here. I have R-1's and that is what I would reccomend. I even mow my yard with them. Like others, I don't have a masterpeice of a lawn, so I don't care much either way, but I have never had any problems. The only issues have been some small ruts, but not due to the tire, due to driving over the lawn when too wet, but r-4's would have rutted just the same.

It seems to me that their are a lot of people that have r-4's and wished they had r-1's but not many the other way around.

wolc123 · Jun 8, 2009

Here are a couple more reasons to go with the R1's. 1) They will cost you about $400 less. 2) There are a lot more folks stuck with R4's, wishing they had R1's than vise-versa, meaning you could trade someone later for R4's and still be money ahead if you change your mind, and make another individual very happy in the process. 3) R1's will let you get the full traction potential from your 4wd tractor, while with R4's its traction potential would not be much different than a 2wd of equal size with R1's. R4's are a compromise tire in CUT applications, and compromise most always leads to dissapointment. Unless lawn usage is a regularly occuring task, I would steer clear of them for anything but true industrial usage for which they were designed.

jenkinsph · Jun 8, 2009

Wow, I disagree wolc123, I have had both types and there isn't that much difference in traction. On a 4720 with 17.5x24 R4 or 13.6x28 R1 they both pull well. The R4s' will hold a lot of Rimguard.

Steve

SPYDERLK · Jun 8, 2009

jenkinsph said:
Wow, I disagree wolc123, I have had both types and there isn't that much difference in traction. On a 4720 with 17.5x24 R4 or 13.6x28 R1 they both pull well. The R4s' will hold a lot of Rimguard.

Steve

You must work on hard pack or sand&gravel to say that. How much difference in fill capacity?
larry

JohnDeere4300 · Jun 8, 2009

I think there would be a lot of difference between the two.

mfreund · Jun 8, 2009

Wow, another never ending thread. It might be easier to ask which are better lovers blonds, brunettes or redheads!!!!!!

LD1 · Jun 8, 2009

I'm kinda partial to blonde's myself

WH401 · Jun 8, 2009

mfreund said:
Wow, another never ending thread. It might be easier to ask which are better lovers blonds, brunettes or redheads!!!!!!

I like the R4's over my previous R1's on former tractors. R4's are a nice compromise between traction and the destruction they leave on the ground. R4's are a good all around tire and the only time you really need R1's is during field cultivation, but even then you could still get by with R4's and 4WD.

O and my girl's a redhead.

foggy1111 · Jun 8, 2009

WH401 said:
I like the R4's over my previous R1's on former tractors. R4's are a nice compromise between traction and the destruction they leave on the ground. R4's are a good all around tire and the only time you really need R1's is during field cultivation, but even then you could still get by with R4's and 4WD.

O and my girl's a redhead.

Yeah riiiight! Thats why you see R4's on farm tractors.

R1's have it hands-down in the traction department.

jenkinsph · Jun 9, 2009

SPYDERLK said:
You must work on hard pack or sand&gravel to say that. How much difference in fill capacity?
larry

Out west sand and gravel now, prior expeience was Pike county Miss. slippery clay.
If it is too wet you can bury anything (don't ask how I know).

Just a guess but the R4 should hold 50% more ballast. Right now I have three wheel weights (330 lbs) each rear wheel on my 4520 cab tractor and haven't needed the Rimguard yet.

Steve

soulasphil · Jun 9, 2009

We're lucky there are different sorts of tires to keep everyone happy !

I'm a firm believer in Ag tires myself and somewhat puzzled my dealer when I ordered R1s along with a MMM for my brand new JD3520.
I don't cultivate, but it gets very muddy and slippery here in winter. I need a lot of traction to get rid of the many trees brought down by the winter storms or move stones to repair the walls destroyed by the neighbour's sheep...

I don't have a lawn really, rather a meadow, so I don't notice any destruction.

Rob-D · Jun 9, 2009

It depends on what you're doing. If you have a relatively nice lawn and mow it with your tractor then R4s may be a better deal. If you do snow plowing in the winter and I have, then you can always put chains on. When it gets muddy here in the spring R1s will rip up everything so I opted for the R4s myself.
Yes, there are times when I could use R1s but most of the time the R4s are fine. I won't say I never spun a tire but I never got stuck where I couldn't get out with 4WD and locking the rear differential if needed.
If I was cultivating on a large scale and such then R1s would be my choice.

Rob