Tires New shoes for "Big T" - turfs for my L5740

[sbakf]

My L5740 ("Big T") came back today with some new shoes. Kind of funky looking, but should do the job they're design for - saving my turf and my ribs. My loaded Ag's were leaving shallow grooves in my fields. I spent days/weeks smoothing them with disk and tiller only to have them go washboard on me with each cutting. Rear tires have around 22" of thread width - fronts about 11". Additionally, with these turfs, my tractor has been lowered about 5". Should be a bit more stable on the hills.

 

[beppington]

Very nice! Boy those rear tires are wide! They should be very easy on your lawn :thumbsup: Where did you get them? How much did they run you? Did you need to adjust the tractor's 4WD to account for the different diameter tires? I would sure like to have turf tires, but I'm still doing work amongst trees, branches, stumps, etc., & I'm concerned I'd pop a tire. Maybe I'll swamp if this work ever ends

 

[Mpking]

Nice looking field there!

 

[Go Wings]

I love my turf tires. Have never had a situation where I needed anything else and they do not tear up the yard. :thumbsup:

 

[TripleR]

Interesting looking tractor. Our ground is so hard I have mowed our yard with a Case CX80 with Ag tires and not left a mark. For several years I mowed it with a Ford NAA.

 

[WilliamBos]

Looks great!! After going with turfs, our only other choice would be R1, but the turfs have not let us down. I called the R4 'kidney shakers' because they were so hard on the back.

 

[crazyal]

Those back tires look like you're ready to do a few laps on NASCAR. :laughing:

 

[troe]

i have been looking at a 5740 with turf tires, when you switched to turf did you use the same rims or did you have to buy new rims with buying new tires? i sure would like to buy a 5740, i did get a price the other day so i am getting close to buying one.

 

[arsenix2001]

I am assuming you went with the galaxy turfs? They are huge! I thought my 44x18 r3 titans were big lol.

 

[PHILIP8N]

I would say he op has galaxy 'golf course' tires due to the minimal tread depth, but they do not look oem. Kubota offers 3 types of turfs. The galaxy, the ones you see on my tractor here, and a narrow set of mis-matched turfs. I am very happy with mine. Philip.

 

[troe]

i thought the r4 tires was more like general purpose tires and the r1 was Ag tires with the heavy lugs and turf tires are more for grass use. i always liked the r4 tires because i road my tractors on payment and still get traction off road. they all have there pluses and minus's

 

[sbakf]

Here's more of the story. Told my Kubota dealer that I was tired of the ruts and to get me some turfs to go on my L5740. I didn't really care too much about the cost. I'd worked too hard and long getting my pastures smooth and I didn't feel like going back to rough - kidney and rib busting rough. He told me he had 2 sets in stock, but they had already been spoken for - a local golf course. So, told him to order me some - guessing I got the same. It took about 2 weeks for them to come in and I'll admit I was somewhat taken aback in their shape. Not so much with the width (wider the better), but with their height (10" smaller diameter vs stock R1's). Sure leaves an empty looking wheel-well. The lowered ride does have some benefits, though. Especially going side-to-side on a hill - cutting is much easier now (i.e., less pucker factor).

Dealer tells me these tires and rims are straight from Kubota (i.e., they're OEM). I've attached some sidewall photos showing make and size info (meaningless to me), but info appears to match some of what's in Kubota's Grand L40 brochure.

I've cut about 5Ac this weekend with the mounted turfs. Here's what I've found so far. My trenching problem is gone - big plus. Unfortunately, the ride quality of these turfs is worst than the R1's. These tires (turfs) ride the surface of the ground (flotation) and if a harden ridge is there, you will feel it - big time. First couple of passes, I was bouncing hard over the grooves made previously with my R1's. Back to the barn to let out some air. When delivered, front tires were at 30psi and rears were at 40psi. I lowered fronts to 20psi and rears to 25psi. Ride quality improve considerably with far less bounce, but I still feel the hardened ridges. The turfs didn't come loaded like my R1's - wonder if that would make a difference in the ride? Course the added weight might get me back to cutting shallow trenches again - don't want that. Will add, however, ride is smooth as silk on my roads. So will work on getting my pastures smooth again - more work unfortunately.

 

[arsenix2001]

Here's more of the story. Told my Kubota dealer that I was tired of the ruts and to get me some turfs to go on my L5740. I didn't really care too much about the cost - $2,000++. I'd worked too hard and long getting my pastures smooth and I didn't feel like going back to rough - kidney and rib busting rough. He told me he had 2 sets in stock, but they had already been spoken for - a local golf course. So, told him to order me some - guessing I got the same. It took about 2 weeks for them to come in and I'll admit I was somewhat taken aback in their shape. Not so much with the width (wider the better), but with their height (10" smaller diameter vs stock R1's). Sure leaves an empty looking wheel-well. The lowered ride does have some benefits, though. Especially going side-to-side on a hill - cutting is much easier now (i.e., less pucker factor).

Dealer tells me these tires and rims are straight from Kubota (i.e., they're OEM). I've attached some sidewall photos showing make and size info (meaningless to me), but info appears to match some of what's in Kubota's Grand L40 brochure.

I've cut about 5Ac this weekend with the mounted turfs. Here's what I've found so far. My trenching problem is gone - big plus. Unfortunately, the ride quality of these turfs is worst than the R1's. These tires (turfs) ride the surface of the ground (flotation) and if a harden ridge is there, you will feel it - big time. First couple of passes, I was bouncing hard over the grooves made previously with my R1's. Back to the barn to let out some air. When delivered, front tires were at 30psi and rears were at 40psi. I lowered fronts to 20psi and rears to 25psi. Ride quality improve considerably with far less bounce, but I still feel the hardened ridges. The turfs didn't come loaded like my R1's - wonder if that would make a difference in the ride? Course the added weight might get me back to cutting shallow trenches again - don't want that. Will add, however, ride is smooth as silk on my roads. So will work on getting my pastures smooth again - more work unfortunately.

I think you may have been happier with the titan r3 from kubota, they are as tall almost as R4's but about 75% as wide as these galaxies. They are a bit stiffer and I believe have more plies. The galaxy is a golf course tire soley used for reasons of low ground pressure. Eiether way turfs bounce. Your field was absorbing some energy because the r1 lugs sank in and are much stiffer. The turfs bounce like a beach ball sometimes.

 

[sbakf]

I think you may have been happier with the titan r3 from kubota, they are as tall almost as R4's but about 75% as wide as these galaxies. They are a bit stiffer and I believe have more plies. The galaxy is a golf course tire soley used for reasons of low ground pressure. Eiether way turfs bounce. Your field was absorbing some energy because the r1 lugs sank in and are much stiffer. The turfs bounce like a beach ball sometimes.

I'm not following you. The Grand L40 brochure (Pg. 23) pictures 3 different turf tires. They are (1) "Galaxy tire", (2) "LSW turf tire" and (3) "Turf tire". The "Galaxy tire" looks far more rounded than mine and shows little tread pattern. The "LSW turf" tire shows more tread and squared edges. The "Turf tire" looks quite narrow (compared to the others) and resembles (to me) vintage bias-ply tires. From my latest photos, you will see that my tires are by Titan, ID'ed as LSW and have a somewhat squared edge profile with discernible tread pattern like (2) above. I see nothing to suggest that what I have are Galaxy (golf course) tires.

 

[WilliamBos]

We have Carlisle (Titan) multi trac HT on the 1635, and the ride is awesome, better than R4.

 

[crazyal]

The good news is that the tires should smooth out your lawn. They will act like rollers.

 

[arsenix2001]

I'm not following you. The Grand L40 brochure (Pg. 23) pictures 3 different turf tires. They are (1) "Galaxy tire", (2) "LSW turf tire" and (3) "Turf tire". The "Galaxy tire" looks far more rounded than mine and shows little tread pattern. The "LSW turf" tire shows more tread and squared edges. The "Turf tire" looks quite narrow (compared to the others) and resembles (to me) vintage bias-ply tires. From my latest photos, you will see that my tires are by Titan, ID'ed as LSW and have a somewhat squared edge profile with discernible tread pattern like (2) above. I see nothing to suggest that what I have are Galaxy (golf course) tires.

Okay i just went to kubotas site and "built" your tractor. It seems the brochure is either outdated or generic. I do know of those cruddy bias looking 1960's tires you mentioned but we'll forget about those for now. Under turfs, you have two build options. Titan multi trac R3 turfs (what myself and philip8n have) and then the LSW turfs. The multi trac R3 with rear size of 44x18x20 is a taller stiffer and narrower (looks about 25% less than yours) tire. They are 4 ply rear, 6 ply front. It is your standard multi use turf with deeper more agressive tread. Your asws are similar to galaxys in terms that they are a very soft wide golf course/sports field tire designed to minimize turf damage and compaction. Dont get me wrong, both tires bounce more than R4s or1s but i would tend to believe the asw "might" be worse. Hope that cleared things up

 

[TripleR]

I run mine between farms, it seems those smaller tires would really throw your speed off.

 

[PHILIP8N]

I only run 20 psig in my front and rears, which is what Kubota and Titan recommends. Your front sidewall is not very tall, which I am sure leads to a rough ride. Here are close up's of the Titan Multi-Trac. Philip.

 

[sbakf]

I'm seeing the numbers 44x18x20 for the TITAN Multi-Trac tires in this thread and on the Kubota website. Is this the appropriate size for my L5740? Can one go bigger? I'm not getting anywhere with my internet searches. Have found references to them, but no indication as to what they fit to. Also confused on number strings. Finding 44X1800X20 04 TITAN MULTTR C/S and 44X1800X20 06 TITAN MULTTR C/S. Are the 04 and 06 numbers indicative of ply strength?

Talked to my Kubota dealer this morning. He understands and appreciates my disappointment and is working on a possible swap if that's what I want. He's been great from the beginning - anything to please.