Looking for tire recommendations for compact tractor

[Kefergus]

Hello everyone, I'm new around here. I have a kioti ck20s that I just picked up and need some opinions. I've read about every thread on here about tires but hopefully I can get some advice on my specific situation.

What's important to me (in order)
-front end loader work
-snow traction
-mud traction
-dirt traction

What I'm not really concerned about
-mowing or marking up grass (by the time I grow grass I will buy a small rider with turf tires)
-travelling on pavement

Currently the tractor has turf tires, which I don't think are ideal for my use. Would a R1, R4 (loaded and/or with chains for either??) be more appropriate and if so, which one and why.

Thanks to all! And if this is in the wrong section please feel free to move it.

 

[Diggin It]

I had all four R4s loaded with Rimguard. It's a pretty stiff ride but I haven't noticed any squatting under load.

I don't do snow though.

 

[oosik]

I have R-1's with loaded rears. I lift very, very heavy loads with my grapple and have not rolled the front tires off the rims. The loaded rear tires - Rimguard - add 1550 pounds to the tractor weight. If you will be working in mud, snow & dirt - I would DEFINITELY recommend R-1 tires. That is, if you want optimum traction.

 

[ddbackhoe]

Hello everyone, I'm new around here. I have a kioti ck20s that I just picked up and need some opinions. I've read about every thread on here about tires but hopefully I can get some advice on my specific situation.

What's important to me (in order)
-front end loader work
-snow traction
-mud traction
-dirt traction

What I'm not really concerned about
-mowing or marking up grass (by the time I grow grass I will buy a small rider with turf tires)
-travelling on pavement

Currently the tractor has turf tires, which I don't think are ideal for my use. Would a R1, R4 (loaded and/or with chains for either??) be more appropriate and if so, which one and why.

Thanks to all! And if this is in the wrong section please feel free to move it.

You might be surprised how well the turf work for some of these jobs. Mud and snow (depending on how much) chains are pretty easy to add/subtract when needed. Give them a chance, besides when you figure out how much a set of tires is, you might decide turfs aren’t so bad

 

[oosik]

ddbackhoe makes a good point. Try what you have - that may work for your situation. New tires ARE expensive. You can always upgrade if you need added traction.

 

[chim]

My approach to tire selection is a bit like meal selection at familiar restaurants. Agonize over the menu and then get the same thing because you like it. Most of us are pretty opinionated about what works best for us and the trouble is we view life based on our little piece of the earth.

My last 3 tractors have had R4's with liquid in the rears. The last 2 were grooved all the way around. I mow without the loader on and can get on the area near the creek a couple days after floodwaters recede. The L4240 is the largest, heaviest lawn mower to date and is the most gentle on the grass. It must be due to the tire contact area to tractor weight ratio.

Have a look at Post# 652 in the first link for my first-hand experience and Post# 11 in the second for 3 different tests by Neil Messick.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/snow-removal/193438-cutting-groving-siping-r-4-a-66.html

Tires??? - Page 2 - OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota

 

[BRMyers]

I have R4s on my L3560 and dad has R1s on his MF383 and MF275. The R1s dig into the dirt a lot more than the R4s. Yet, I have pulled him out twice now and I have yet to get stuck, but I also have 4WD, his is 2WD. My tires are filled and so far have been able to do the loader work I would like to complete.

 

[Diggin It]

Those extra 2 wheels make all the difference. In the short time I've had mine, I've found myself going nowhere in 2WD quite a few times. Switch over to 4WD and I'm back on my way. But R4s on mud? Like that tagline in the old TV Sitcom --- Sit on it and spin.

 

[nards444]

R1's are the best traction bar none. With that said I wouldn't be replacing anything until you try it out. Second if i were you if you had to go with R4s that way you have a good all around tire forever

 

[Egon]

Turfs have good traction on snow or ice and with chains work well in anything. The R4痴 are the sturdiest and with chains all points of traction are met. R1痴 are good in dirt but fall at wayside for snow & ice. With chains they are good for all conditions.

Keep the turfs and buy chains. That may be the low cost option.

 

[Jchonline]

How muddy? How much snow? It might help to have your location or general area of a state so we understand the local climate a bit better.

My biggest worry with turfs would be mud. If you have a bunch of mud without chains you are going nowhere. Granted your machine isnt that heavy it will likely still be an issue.

Turfs are nice in snow if you dont get a bunch, but they are not good in ice. Ice I would just get chains.

 

[Diggin It]

How muddy? How much snow? It might help to have your location or general area of a state so we understand the local climate a bit better.

Hey Jeffy2, OP can tell us about snow, ice and mud without saying where.

 

[Kefergus]

Thanks for all the replies! Maybe I will load the turfs and give them a chance as snow is coming soon and re evaluate in the spring once the house is built. I was spinning terribly on some wet clay the other day which I would not even call mud

Turfs just look so lawn tractorish too!

 

[Diggin It]

I was spinning terribly on some wet clay the other day which I wouldn't even call mud.

R4s will do the same thing. Trust me. I know.

 

[4570Man]

R4s will do the same thing. Trust me. I know.

Some R4s are more aggressive than others but they’re still a lot better than turfs.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I would agree with trying the turf tires first. At least you have them. Depending on how much snow you get, you may need chains right away though. May also need the front end engaged most of the time while pushing snow. At only slightly less than 2000 pound chassis weight, you don't have much tractor hiney to shove snow around. Filling the tires may help, but if you want to change them out for another tire, filled turf tires may not be very desirable to a buyer if you try to sell them.

I'm running filled rears and R4's and having no problems pushing snow. But I'm also 7100 pounds in tractor weight.

The R4's will be hands down better at loading with front end loader work. I do have to stay off my grass areas when it's wet/soft. But you said you don't care about that, so... I've never had mud issues with my R4's that I couldn't get out of with the front end engaged and the diff lock on. But when it's really muddy, I'm not running my tractor through it anyway. Our ground freezes up hard here in winter, so mud is usually only an issue during spring thaw.

 

[jcbGM]

I had R4s on my Deere 4400. Got R1s on my new ck3510se. So glad I went with R1s. I got stuck numerous times with R4s and could get the tires to spin mowing some of my steeper hills. The R1s go anywhere. I didn’t like the R4s in winter. We’ll see how the R1s do.

Keep in mind that I’m in hilly SW PA. The R4s would have likely been fine if I Ives somewhere that was flat.

 

[johncanfield]

I have R4s on my Deere 4720 and they work fine in our rocky soil, my old Kubota L2900 had turf tires and they worked great in sandy Florida but not optimum here in Texas.

 

[RjCorazza]

My preference is R4's, loaded rears. I particularly dislike turfs based on previous experience, but in another thread it was mentioned that 1980's typical diamond pattern turf tires are significantly worse than current turf tread patterns and materials.
My old diamond tread turfs were horrible in all conditions except pavement! Since you have likely new style turfs, I would give them a shot.

 

[dalola]

If your turf's don't work out, you might look into these new "hybrid" tires, I think they are called R14, kind of a R1/R4 cross. Supposedly made specific for CUT's. Might be the answer in your situation. They are now a factory option on some new Kubota CUT's, maybe other brands as well.