Factory front tires on 1025R

[WinterDeere]

Turf tires wont do loader work for very long, not John Deere's fault. They are lawnmower tires not tractor tires. Get R4's or similar.

That's not true. The problem is not that it's a turf tire, but that it's the wrong turf tire. They come in a range of ratings for each size.

Tires are a dealer select item, and many choose to put the cheapest 4-ply rated turf tires on their machines, which are completely inappropriate for loader use. I haven't checked the 1025R manual, but the other Deere manuals I've owned call out specific ply ratings for all types of tires (including turf) for use with the loader.

Generally, on a machine of that size, you're going to be looking for a 6-ply rated tire. They're available in nearly every size with a turf tread, if that's what works best for you. I run turf tires on my substantially larger and heavier 3033R, moving logs around constantly with it, with no trouble whatsoever.

Industrial tires are another good option, if you don't mind a little more lawn damage. But don't let anyone tell you R4's are somehow better than an appropriately-rated turf tire for loader use on a machine like yours, as that's simply not true.

 

[sea2summit]

That's not true. The problem is not that it's a turf tire, but that it's the wrong turf tire. They come in a range of ratings for each size.

Tires are a dealer select item, and many choose to put the cheapest 4-ply rated turf tires on their machines, which are completely inappropriate for loader use. I haven't checked the 1025R manual, but the other Deere manuals I've owned call out specific ply ratings for all types of tires (including turf) for use with the loader.

Generally, on a machine of that size, you're going to be looking for a 6-ply rated tire. They're available in nearly every size with a turf tread, if that's what works best for you. I run turf tires on my substantially larger and heavier 3033R, moving logs around constantly with it, with no trouble whatsoever.

Industrial tires are another good option, if you don't mind a little more lawn damage. But don't let anyone tell you R4's are somehow better than an appropriately-rated turf tire for loader use on a machine like yours, as that's simply not true.

Agree on the ply but you're trying to compare a 27 tire to an 18 tire...

 

[Jims1025R]

Thanks everyone, yeah... I have a call in to the dealer about this. The owner sold me the previous 650 in the early 90's, and knew that the 1025R was to be the replacement for the much appreciated 650, when it was lost in the fire. I guess I felt pressure to "move fast" as this was during Covid, when things were hard to get. The day of the fire, he told me he had one 1025R left, and the next were months away. I needed the tractor badly, so I said yes, without really comparing the 1025R to my 650.

I'm pretty happy with the 1025R, just rather insulted that the tires died so fast/were wrongly selected on my behalf. John Deere, on the whole, should know better!

 

[WinterDeere]

Agree on the ply but you're trying to compare a 27 tire to an 18 tire...

True. But I'm operating a configuration with almost exactly double the lift capacity and breakout force, all at 50% greater extension and height.

Deere is pretty good, between the tractor and loader manuals, in specifying which tire configurations are acceptable. I'll be real surprised if a 6-ply turf tire is not approved for use with that loader, but I haven't personally checked it. Either way, we can agree the 4-ply turf tire that the dealer installed on that tractor was likely a poor choice.

 

[ovrszd]

Happens all the time, some people strongly object to the R4's thinking they'll tear up the grass. I don't think the R4's on that size tractor do any damage the turfs don't do.

I agree. My old 2210 has R4s. I don't mow when it's muddy. Only place I notice damage is where I repeatedly make sharp turns in the same track. Probably have that damage with Turfs as well.

 

[ovrszd]

Thanks everyone, yeah... I have a call in to the dealer about this. The owner sold me the previous 650 in the early 90's, and knew that the 1025R was to be the replacement for the much appreciated 650, when it was lost in the fire. I guess I felt pressure to "move fast" as this was during Covid, when things were hard to get. The day of the fire, he told me he had one 1025R left, and the next were months away. I needed the tractor badly, so I said yes, without really comparing the 1025R to my 650.

I'm pretty happy with the 1025R, just rather insulted that the tires died so fast/were wrongly selected on my behalf. John Deere, on the whole, should know better!

I'm pretty sure the Dealer orders his stock. JD has no idea, nor do they care, the ultimate purpose of the tractor. Dealer had one left that was ordered on the cheap end. Then the Dealer installed the FEL and sold it to you.

If any of that is true, I place some of the blame on the Dealer.

 

[gstrom99]

The tires are: Carlisle Versa Turf 18x8.50R10 4 ply, and are made in China.

These would be a step up (ie: 6 ply). My 855 (with loader) has these. Still made in China, I bet...

https://www.amazon.com/Carlisle-Multi-Trac-Lawn-Garden-Tire-18X8-50-10/dp/B083GCVQVF?th=1

 

[WinterDeere]

These would be a step up (ie: 6 ply). My 855 (with loader) has these. Still made in China, I bet...

https://www.amazon.com/Carlisle-Multi-Trac-Lawn-Garden-Tire-18X8-50-10/dp/B083GCVQVF?th=1

If you picked up a 1986 Deere 855 with a 52 loader and 6-ply Carlisle turf's on the front, it very likely could be my old machine, shown in my avatar. I had sold it to a local used tractor dealer, after buying the 3033R in 2019.

 

[Jims1025R]

Well... The plot thickens...

My local tire dealer ordered replacement 6 ply, 18x8.50-10 tires for me. It didn't work, they're wrong:

Same nomenclature....

We agreed that my tire is inflated, and the new one's not, but the diameter is not going to increase 3" when that 6 ply is inflated on my rim!

So he patched my leaking tire on the inside for a temporary repair. In the mean time, the other front tire is on its way out....

So I guess I'll go tire shopping with a measuring tape!

 

[beenthere]

good luck

 

[WinterDeere]

Get a tailor's tape measure (your wife likely has one in her sewing kit) and run it around the tire. An 18x8.50-10 should run 18.0" to 18.5" diameter, and measure 56.5" to 58.0" circumference.

Point is, maybe the new tire is the one that's more "right", and the old tire never actually met the specified front/rear ratio for that machine.

BTW, neither of those photo'd is what I'd normally identify as a turf tire.

Carlisle Multi Trac C/S 18X8.50-10 82A3 6 Ply AS A/S All Season Tire

Carlisle Multi Trac C/S 18X8.50-10 82A3 6 Ply AS A/S All Season Tire

www.prioritytire.com

 

[dodge man]

I agree, those aren’t a true turf tire. John Deere is selling a lot of Versa Turf tires that are suppose to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. I wonder if that’s what you have. The new tire you show that is too big I’m pretty sure is a Versa Turf.

 

[Jims1025R]

The "too big" tire on top of the new ones is the Versa Turf removed from my 1025R which is failing. The versa turf seems to be about the most useless thing when paired with a loader!

 

[dodge man]

I had read on a JD forum people liked the Versa Turfs but I have no experience. I have the old fashioned turfs on my 2025r. I have a better idea what I’m looking at now in your pictures. The new ones are R4’s and they should have known those weren’t going to work. It also explains the cost, I knew Versa Turfs cost more but didn’t know the cost.

Im not 100% sure of this but I think if you want to go to a different tire on the front you will have to swap the tires on the back to the same type, which of course will be expensive.

 

[gstrom99]

If you picked up a 1986 Deere 855 with a 52 loader and 6-ply Carlisle turf's on the front, it very likely could be my old machine, shown in my avatar. I had sold it to a local used tractor dealer, after buying the 3033R in 2019.

Sorry, it's not yours. Mine is a '95, with a later model 420 loader, from Wisconsin...

 

[WinterDeere]

Sorry, it's not yours. Mine is a '95, with a later model 420 loader, from Wisconsin...

Good thing. The reason I sold the '86 was that this model year was different from all that came after. Sometimes a repair would involve upgrading several surrounding components, as the 1986 version of the part was NLA. Deere was great about providing upgrade charts and info, so you always knew what was needed, but the cost grew high in later years as the parts were farther and farther out of production.

 

[Jims1025R]

So I've measured, and done the math: The Carlilse Versa Trufs on my 1025R measure 19 1/4" diameter when inflated to 22 PSI. That results in a circumference of 60.5". An 18" diameter tire has a mathematical circumference of 56.5". So the tires on my tractor have a 4" larger circumference that the 6 ply 18x8.50R10's sitting on my tire guy's shop floor. My search of the internet does not turn up any 18x8.50R10's which are larger than 18" ('makes sense...).

Does that mean that JD designed the 1025R four wheel drive system for an 18" diameter wheel, and the Carlisile tire is really too large for the four wheel drive to work correctly?

As the 6 plys are sitting for me to ethier buy, or return, I'm thinking to have them mounted to my rims, and take my chances with the four wheel drive...

 

[WinterDeere]

Two observations:

1. The actual rolling circumference of your tire is less the number you'll get form unloaded diameter, something closer to 6.28x axle centerline to ground.

2. No dealer, including the one that gave you that tire combo, has ever put this much thought or effort into matching front/rear actual size. They go by the table of published combinations, actual resulting numbers be damned.

It's not super critical, with the disclaimer that you're instructed to not operate the machine in 4wd on any non-slip surfaces. Some prefer to have their front pulling slightly faster than their rear is pushing, it helps to keep the machine tracking straight in snow. Others insist on trying to match up the ratios perfectly, but given differences in actual loaded rolling circumference due to weight and load, this is an unrealistic goal.

 

[dodge man]

I said it earlier but you need to match the front and rears. If you put those on the front you should replace the rears to match them. I’m not sure if that difference in diameter is enough to make a difference or not. This is a really good Internet forum but you might want to post this on the green tractor forum. The JD guys seem to love the Versa Turf tires so I wonder if you just got a bad set. You also may get some better feedback on going with the wrong diameter tires on the front.

 

[gstrom99]

Since they're not worn out, (and IMHO - I like the tread pattern) may I suggest putting good tubes in them and just running them (a bit over inflated). My JD manual for the loader, has inflation #'s which are like 5 pounds over the tractor manual specs.