R-1 vs R-4 tires

[Buzzard7]

Does anyone have any thoughts on using R-4 (industrial?) tires on a Kubota M7040 instead of the standard R-1 (agriculture?) in a farm setting (primarily mowing, moving round bales and other light FEL work, and some light land clearing?

 

[Double Orange]

Buzzard7, I can answer 2 of your questions. Earlier you wanted to add a canopy to your M7040 but you where afraid it would make your total height of tractor to tall for your garage/barn door. I was going to suggest going for the optional R-4 tires becuase they are not as tall as the R1's. But are a little wider.

I have a L 5240 Cab with R4's.[not loaded] I use it to maintain 2- 10 acres horse pastures, maintain a couple miles of horse trails, cross 2 creeks, 1 30' wide the other 20', I go into our sand pit area, the wet lands, I climb hills with grades that after joining TBN I was informed I shouldn't. I log trees, clear and grade area that are wet/muddy.
Today I went to our neighbors farm to p/u 350 sq bales. There where 4 tractors there over 50 hp and 3 had R-4's. Including the farmer, Pee Wee. He also has round bales for sale. And said he has no problems or regrets with the R-4's.

I'll pull a 6' scraper blade, 6' york rake, 6' RFM, 6' BrushBull. Hay wagon, horse trailer, etc.

BUT I don't pull plows, disc,cultivators, or other heavy ground engaging emplements.

I also believe that the R-4's are less prone to puntures

Now all that said, for my preference I go with R-4's.


Live Well!
Die Strong!
Frank

 

[n8wrl]

Good morning, Buzzard!

R4/R1's have been discussed many times. Do a search and I'm sure you'll turn up lots of hits.

I have loaded R4's myself because I drive on my lawn frequently and don't want to tear it up.

-Brian

 

[SnowRidge]

I also believe that the R-4's are less prone to puntures

Interesting observation.

Our neighbor's place and our place were both cut out of the same larger piece of property. He has R1s on his tractor and gets all kinds of punctures. I have never had a puncture on my tractor with R4s. We both use them for mowing and some loader work. I also occasionally use a a subsoiler and a tiller.

I am very happy with my decision to go with R4s.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I have only punctured one R-1 and that was because of a piece of steel. Driving over brush stubble, rocks and anything else I have never had a puncture problem but I also buy quality tires. Some tires are too cheap for their own good.

As for R-1/R-4 if you don't plan on doing any ground engaging work or using the loader in heavy mud often then R-4's will work. If you think you will be doing work where traction will be an issue then R-1's will be the better option.

 

[RobJ]

What about r-14?

 

[N80]

I'm one of those hard headed folks who can see almost no benefit to R-4s outside of small tractor on pretty lawns or industrial use TLBs. I have a deep suspicion that people mostly get R-4's for the looks and that dealers like to sell them for the mark up. I think its a fad.

Where I live we are covered with black locust and honey locust trees. I've never had a puncture. I have hills. We get lots of slick mud (back when it used to rain). I mow. I pull a box blade, a two bottom plow and hope to have a disk soon......and there are times when my R-1's slip. I cannot even imagine the appeal of R-4s on a tractor like a 7040 unless it is being used as a TLB.

It is also important to realize that you lose some tire width options with R-4s. With R-1's, at least on my tractor, you can take advantage of a wide range of wheel settings to allow for very wide or narrow wheel spacing. As far as I know, you cannot do this with R-4's.

The way I see it (which is admittedly one sided and hard headed) is that if you buy a tractor of any size and then limit its traction because you use it as a lawn mower, then you need a better lawn mower. Like a z-turn.

 

[machmeter62]

For that size tractor, N80 is giving you the "real world" answer. You are using it in a farm environment, and R-1's give you more options that R-4's can't; optional width for safety, and max. traction for performance! You might check on the additional cost of the R-4's too?

The only benefit of R-4's would be working on a hard surface for ride, and maximum loader work with the wider front R-4 tires bearing the additional weight?

 

[N80]

and maximum loader work with the wider front R-4 tires bearing the additional weight?

That's a good point and I had not thought of it.

 

[TalonDancer]

Does anyone have any thoughts on using R-4 (industrial?) tires on a Kubota M7040 instead of the standard R-1 (agriculture?) in a farm setting (primarily mowing, moving round bales and other light FEL work, and some light land clearing?

Obviously many people use R1s and many use R4s. And what's more, both camps swear they made the best choice

I often find thinking about the end members helps me when making decisions like this...
R1s are at their very best in softer, lower abrasion settings like loose or muddy soil where the narrow tapered tread bars can dig in for traction and the wide gaps between tread bars can self clean on the way out. IOW a true agricultural usage like plowing a field.

R4s are a their very best on hard, high abrasion settings like paved/gravel roads, or construction sites where the wider blocky tread bars have more contact area for traction and load bearing on hard surfaces and the narrower gaps between the tread bars can still self clean some loose material. IOW a true industrial setting like TLB usage at a construction site.

Of course most of us use our tractors for things in the vast middle ground between these end members, where either tire can do the job. Hence the continuous debate

FWIW I chose R4s because the +primary+ use of my L3240 is as a TLB at our construction site we like to call a ranch. The soil is so thin here you can plow it with a soup spoon or dynamite. The extra traction of the R1's narrow tread bars is of no use. But the abrasion resistance, load capacity and traction on hard surfaces of the R4s wider tread bars were worth the difference in price.

Talon Dancer