R1 Tires for Kubota M62???

[RedNeckGeek]

There's very little flat land here on my little 13 acre parcel, and most of it runs between 10-15% gradient, with some close to 25%. I've been running R4 tires on a Kubota L3240, and get a lot of slipping when the grade gets steep. Now I'm looking at upgrading to an M62 for more power and a backhoe, and I'd appreciate any feedback on how much, if any, additional traction the R1 tires might provide. I understand that they'll tear up the ground, and that's OK because I don't have anything close to what most folks could call a "yard", only meadows and open areas that are mostly wild grasses and weeds. They're part of the problem, because when they're green, they get slippery especially when chopped up by the flail. And when they dry out, the stalks and leaves help the tires spin.

The other issue is that Kubota doesn't offer R1 tires as an option on the M62. It might be because it weighs a good half ton more than a comparable ag tractor, and even more with the 'hoe on the back. There's also the need to match the tire diameter to the tires that Kubota does offer in order to keep the drive line from tearing itself up in 4WD. So I'm also wondering how difficult it is to get the proper front-to-rear size match, and whether or not that means a wheel swap as well. Does anyone out there have any first hand experience to share that might shed some light?

 

[jeff9366]

RedNeckGeek

Kubota doesn't offer R1 tires as an option on the M62. It might be because M62 weighs a half ton more than a comparable ag tractor, and even more with the 'hoe on the back.

Typically R1/ag tires on compact tractors are four ply. The flex in a four ply tire improves traction with bar tread.
R1 tires are seldom seen on T-L-Bs because Loader/Backhoe weight squashes down the four ply tire, putting high pressure on the thin, vulnerable, bulging side wall of the R1 tire.

R4/industrial tires on compact tractors are six ply. Eight ply is not unusual. A much tougher carcass. The tougher carcass is needed when a bucket is loaded or a backhoe installed to support the weight. The area of R4 tire in contact with the ground, tire patch, is greater for R4/industrial tires.

Commercial T-L-Bs like the M62 are used in all manner of puncture prone construction sites. There may not be a R1/ag tire that Kubota considers safe in construction sites on an M62. A puncture could roll the equipment. I speculate the R4 tires on Kubota M62 T-L-Bs are construction grade tires, possibly with Kevlar or steel mesh belts.

My recommendation:
Buy Kubota supplied wheels and tires.
If you encounter traction problems add rubber tire chains, steel tires chains or stud the Kubota tires.

There's also the need to match the tire diameter to the tires that Kubota does offer in order to keep the drive line from tearing itself up in 4WD. So I'm also wondering how difficult it is to get the proper front-to-rear size match, and whether or not that means a wheel swap as well.

YES. You would need new wheels in addition to new tires.

There are a number of threads in the archive where T-B-N contributors explain how to do the calculations. Caution: Not everything published on web is reliable.

 

[jeff9366]

There's very little flat land here on my little 13 acre parcel, and most of it runs between 10-15% gradient, with some close to 25%. I've been running R4 tires on a Kubota L3240, and get a lot of slipping when the grade gets steep.

L3240 is likely at least ten years old.

Have you replaced the original tires?
How "sharp" is the tire tread?
Is your L3240 2-WD or 4-WD, 2-WD was 'standard'.
Are the rear tires filled with liquid or inflated with air?
What transmission motivates your L3240?

 

[RedNeckGeek]

L3240 is an older model Kubota.

Have you replaced the original tires?
How "sharp" is the tire tread?
Is your L3240 2-WD or 4-WD, 2-WD was 'standard'.
Are the rear tires filled with liquid or inflated with air?
What transmission motivates your L3240?

Even new, the R4s were slippery.

The tractor is 4WD, and it's engaged anytime it's not on concrete.

Rears and fronts are filled with water. I run about 12 psi.

It's an HST.

 

[ptsg]

Have you looked at radial R1 tires? They provide a better tractor, better ride off and on road. They can also handle low pressure without damaging the sidewalls versus the standard 4 play R1. The price is high though.

 

[tradosaurus]

How much backhoe work will you need? Maybe stay with smaller tractor and R1 tires and rent the backhoe from Kubota.

 

[Smokeydog]

I face the same issue with B26 and M59. The B26 is our farm lawn mower so the R4 do better not tearing up the turf. Did groove the front to help with traction.
Grooved the fronts of the M59 too. Improved steering and side slippage while bush hogging. Plan to do the rears too. Adding edges makes a difference. Helped with snow the little we have. While they will not be the same as R1s it helps with traction while having the durability. Still an experiment in progress.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

I face the same issue with B26 and M59. The B26 is our farm lawn mower so the R4 do better not tearing up the turf. Did groove the front to help with traction.
Grooved the fronts of the M59 too. Improved steering and side slippage while bush hogging. Plan to do the rears too. Adding edges makes a difference. Helped with snow the little we have. While they will not be the same as R1s it helps with traction while having the durability. Still an experiment in progress.

Well now there's an idea, SD. Mind sharing some photos of your work? And maybe writing a few words on how you went about cutting the grooves?

Thanks for sharing!:thumbsup:

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Have you looked at radial R1 tires? They provide a better tractor, better ride off and on road. They can also handle low pressure without damaging the sidewalls versus the standard 4 play R1. The price is high though.

Worth a look ptsg. Thanks!

 

[RedNeckGeek]

How much backhoe work will you need? Maybe stay with smaller tractor and R1 tires and rent the backhoe from Kubota.

The problem with a smaller ag tractor is I haven't seen any with decent mounts for the FEL. Sidehilling with a load of dirt or rock in the bucket flexes the mounts laterally and eventually they crack. The L47 and M62 mounts are fabricated from steel plate and tube instead of cast parts, and the resulting box structures are much stiffer. And much more durable.

One of the first jobs for the 'hoe will be terracing a 100'x100' pad into a hillside for a shop building. That job alone will pay for the hoe. The thumb will also come in handy for pulling the remnants of the many trees and shrubs left by last November's Camp Fire. There are enough of them that it's very likely it'll take me several years to get to all of them.

It's often said that a Swiss Army knife type of tractor, which Kubota's TLBs are often called, gets you a tractor that can do a lot of things, but it won't do any of them particularly well. The R1s may not completely solve the traction problem, but I'm just trying to figure out if they'll cause any worse issues.