getting better snow traction with R1 tires

[nfisheremti]

Big lugged tires just don't do good when there is a chance of that slick building up. Grooves and sipes should help but you are asking the question before you cut up good tires. Understandable. I think you are in a bind and I hope someone can help you. :drink:

Exactly I can't think of any place else where someone might have this knowledge (that I have access to). Hopefully someone on here has the answer.

 

[airbiscuit]

You might check out this thread, and PM moship.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/tires/267476-rubber-tire-chains.html

 

[nfisheremti]

I've looked at these too. I didn't see them in 11.2-24 or 7.2-16. Maybe somebody has them, if so I missed them. I did have the crazy idea of making my own. I still might, though I'm thinking that might be a bit pricier than a grooving tool. Of course it won't damage the tire, so it might be cheaper than a new set of R1s to replace the set I might slash.

 

[airbiscuit]

You could try a set for the front. You could also contact the seller to see if they have anything close for the rears.

SoftClaw Rubber Tire Chains, Traction without damaging your surface

 

[Oldpath05]

Kubota BX25D - R4 Tire Grooving - Improve Winter Traction - YouTube

Ideal Tire Groover Cutter With #4 Blades Grooving Iron IMCA | eBay

 

[LouNY]

I don't know what you are running for tire pressure,
on my 18.4-30s I run 12-14PSI.
On the tractor that I mow hay with in the summer which runs 20.8-42s we run 20-25 psi.
I have absolutely no idea what sipping R1's will do for you.
I run the studded Euro style chain, I seldom see any damage from the chains as they get a good enough grip that I do not spin.
The only time I saw pavement damage was pulling a stuck truck back up on the road, he was high centered on snow with his plow blade digging in as I pulled him back onto the road. I did scratch the road surface a bit but not bad. Can't even see it after a few months.

I would wonder what a set of non studded utv chains would do for your front tires.
ATV - Diamond - Page 1 - TireChain.com
This style should run smooth enough not to slow down your travel speed.

 

[nfisheremti]

I don't know what you are running for tire pressure,
on my 18.4-30s I run 12-14PSI.
On the tractor that I mow hay with in the summer which runs 20.8-42s we run 20-25 psi.

That's a really good question. I guess I'm running whatever pressure the previous owner was running. They feel pretty darn hard, while driving. How far can I air them down and not risk losing the bead? I'm assuming that lower pressures will help me.

 

[5030]

That's a really good question. I guess I'm running whatever pressure the previous owner was running. They feel pretty darn hard, while driving. How far can I air them down and not risk losing the bead? I'm assuming that lower pressures will help me.

Interesting comment. Without coming across as insulting, it might behoove you to check it. Like Lou, I check and adjust my tire pressures regularly, kind of like checking the fluid levels before starting my machines. There is no ideal tire pressure for everything, but knowing what it actually is rather than a crapshoot is always better.

 

[old and tired]

While you are at it... front axle is normally low on fluids from most dealers. Check that while checking air pressure...

 

[nfisheremti]

When I bought the tractor (used from a friend) i went through and checked all the fluids, changed the oil, and gave all the grease zerks a good zot, and replaced a few clogged ones. Changed the filters etc. Tires never made it to the list, since it had to go into service the day after I bought it. I know checking the tires is a pretty easy thing to do, I just haven't gotten to it. It raises the question, what should my tire pressure be (high or low vs factory recommend) for best snow traction?

 

[LouNY]

I usually set mine by looking at the tire contact patch, am I getting 3-4 bars in contact with the ground are they contacting all the way across, how much bulge does the sidewall have.
I like a nice curve (in the sidewalls) looking from the rear, not super wide but well curved (you can read this several ways).
Realize that you can change the lead / lag of your tires considerably by adjusting tire pressures.

Once I like the way they look and are pulling then I'll check with a guage and make sure both are the same.

 

[oosik]

I have a mile long gravel driveway. My Kubota M6040 has R-1 tires. 16 psi in the rear - 30 psi in the front. I've "bulked up" the tractor and the R-1's are great in the snow. My M6040 weighs 10,100#. I plow the driveway snow with the rear blade. Seldom do I ever have to use 4WD.

You should be OK with the rear tires if you do this. Drive out onto a hard surface. The rear tires should make full chevron contact all the way across the rear tire. Drive slowly - check the chevron pattern left on the hard surface. I've got full contact at 16 psi and have run at this level for the twelve years I've owned the Kubota. The fronts are at 30 psi because I do heavy lifting with the grapple.

 

[nfisheremti]

I'm almost entirely on pavement. I have a couple of concrete driveways, and one gravel. None are even close to a mile, but many have 12-15% grades. I'll try airing down the fronts, and see if that helps. I've got some snow coming tonight, so I'll have a good idea of how it does later in the day.

 

[nfisheremti]

I tried airing down the front and rear, so that 2 lugs contacted the ground, then set the tires to even pressure on both sides. I went for the lower of the 2 for both front and rear. 12F 7R. no better traction plus tractor was very squirrely on side hills (can't avoid them). I pumped them back up to 16.5F and 11R, traction was the same (horrible), and side hills weren't so scary. I'm going to try grooving and siping the fronts, and see if that helps (cheaper if I destroy the tires). I'll report back how it works.

 

[LouNY]

Those tire pressures sound good enough.
Good luck with your grooving or siping.
In my mind sipeing would do as much as grooving,
but I haven't grooved a tire since my dirt stock car days.

 

[airbiscuit]

 

[nfisheremti]

wait! i'm using the wrong beer!

 

[LouNY]

OK, he is grooving his tire, siping would be putting a lot of slices in the lug to allow it to flex and bite.

 

[George2615]

I think the biggest problem was mentioned by the OP in post#8 which is STEEP driveways. Very hard to back up that type driveway pushing a rear mount bower without chains. I used to plow a few driveways like that and even with chains it was hard to do. I found I could drive through the snow to the top of the drive and then plow or blow downhill. That way I had the blower on back for extra weight to get up the hill. My 2 cents would be to use front chains, sipe the tires, drive up and plow down, use the loader bucket to go uphill then back up and dump snow or get more weight on the wheels or in the tires. Lastly would be to change beer. I stopped doing steep driveways years ago because it took so much time to do a good job for what I was making. People didn't want to pay extra for my time.

 

[BrkMstr]

- Unfortunately I can't comment on the R1's, what I can tell you is it made a tremendous difference in my R4's - I go places now that I could not previously without spinning - I'm not sure if just the sips would help, it may, but to me would be limited as the groves would grab and hold forward / backward - I believe the sips would help with turning more than travel.....