Tires industrial R-4 tires on BX2230?

[lstumper067]

I would like to get a set of industrial R-4 tires for my BX-2230
is anyone out there using them now? If so what brand and size are they?

many thanks
stumper

 

[SeymourBota]

I'll be surprised if you can find them. The BX series has a rather uncommon front tire size.
I have sourced replacement tires for both my B2410 and BX2200 and while there are many options for the 2410, there are just bar and turf for the BX.
The bar tire option is more like an R4 in that they are the same size as the turf tires- fairly wide like an R4. A true ag tire would be much thinner.
What type of tires do you have now??

 

[jim_wilson]

I believe that you could get industrial tires onto your BX2230 but you will have to do a little bit of mixing and matching. When I bought my BX23 I thought about getting industrial tires for it and here is what I remember. All of the subCUT class tractors - the Kubota BX, the John Deere 2210, the NH TZ series, and the Massey Ferguson GC's take the same size rear tire. I was in the John Deere dealer the other day and they had a 2210 on the showroom floor with industrial tires on it so I know they are available in the correct size for the rears. The fronts however are a different story. The BX has a tire size of 18x8.5 - 8 on a 4 bolt rim , I believe that the NH TZ's use the same size front tire but they use a 5 bolt front rim. The JD 2210 uses a 18x8.50-10 front tire on a 5 bolt rim and the Massey also uses an 18x8.50-10 but on a 4 bolt rim. After going thru all this I realized this I went to a Massey dealer and measured out the front rim on GC and they appear to be the same bolt circle as the BX series. I found out that the rims alone are about $45.00 each for the GC. So I believe that if you really wanted to get those industrial tires on your BX you could do it by using a Massey GC front rim and figuring out who makes the tires that John Deere uses on the 2210. Oh - and you will need a can of orange paint because the Massey rims are grey.

 

[Henro]

I have R4s on my B2910 and had turfs on my BX2200, but bought and installed a set of bars on the BX this summer.

I like the bars better than R4s and doubt I would ever want R4s on my BX.

What would the R4s gain you? Now I don't have a loader, but I did have my front BX bar tires foam filled, and I bet the foam filled bar tires would perform as well as R4s if I had a loader. Now I am only judging that by comparing how my foam-filled F4 tires work on the larger tractor, extrapolating downwards...

Really curious...what advantage would the R4 tire have on a bx over the wide, shallow profile of the bar tire?

 

[lstumper067]

Henro, now this is just my thinking, but I think the R4's will do less damage to the lawn than the bars. I also think the tractor may look better..I know I sure like the looks of the JD's with the R4's. They just look beefed up to me...I am now running turf's.

P.S. Jim, thanks for the research and info....

stumper

 

[Henro]

I think the R4s might be a little gentler on the lawn than the bars...how much I don't know. I am running liquid filled rears and foam filled fronts on my BX, and I do notice some signs of "bar marks" when I ride on the parts of the yard that is more short weeds than grass. Those marks go away the next day though. I have seen similar marks from the R4s on the larger tractor.

The turfs were the gentlest which is not surprising, but on slopes when the ground was on the wet side, they sometimes would spin if I were not careful, especially if I was in 2 wheel drive. I really like the bar tires and doubt I will put the turfs back on. I think all in all the bars are no worse on the yard than the turfs were, but that is a judgement call and probably greatly depends on each and every lawn/yard... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

One thing about the R4s on the other tractor is that they load up with mud and turn to slicks pretty easily...not that I plan on taking the bx too deep in the mud...but if you do, this is something to consider.

I've never seen a small tractor like the BX or other color with R4s on it, so I don't know what the effect is. I can say I identify with the "look" aspect. I like the looks of my BX with bar tires A LOT more than when it had the turfs on it.

A guy thing, I know... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[frank_f15]

don't know if u will find them, a friend of mine has an older b8200 and he can find no tire make that makes R4's for that size tire, can't recall the size but is a slight difference than my B2400 (which has R4's) not saying that is the case with your tractor, but don't be surprised if it is the case.

 

[frank_f15]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( One thing about the R4s on the other tractor is that they load up with mud and turn to slicks pretty easily.. )</font>
i can attest to that as the other day i got in some real mud and the front turned to slicks(used the bucket to push out) but i am not sure that any tire in that mud would have been any different. but over all i like the R4's

 

[Jim_Becker]

The bar tires for the BX are not unkind to the grass...I had turfs on my previous BX2200, but put the bars on my BX22. I'd never go back to the turfs and have had no lawn marking with the bars unless it's 1) really wet and 2) I am making a tight turn in 4wd. Some folks actually call the Maxxis bar tires "bar-turfs" because they float well on the lawn. But they also provide very nice grip when you need it, such as with FEL work. R4 tires are actually "harder" than the turfs or BX bars and may actually slip 'n rip more, especially in wet or muddy conditions.