R1 vs R3 or 4 Traction

[JDAOWNER]

WHEN I MOUNTED MY OWN TIRES, AND WHEN I INFLATE MY TIRES I PUT ONE LUG ( AGS) ON THE BOTTOM, AND THE NEXT LUG FORWARD AND BACK JUST TOUCHING THE GROUND. I DO THIS ON A FLAT HARD SURFACE AND DON'T BOTHER TO CHECK THE PRESSURE. HAS ALWAYS WORKED FOR ME.

 

[kthompson]

We had about a 45 hp Case in the mid 90s. It came with either Goodyear or Firestone R1 radials. Those were great pulling tires. Road great. Could run over lawn about as good as turf tires. The design is much like Titian's R14. When looking to replace that tractor asked local Kubota dealer about the radials and no reason to pay more for the radials for their only benefit was better ride and traction. Know back then they were saying single R1 rear radial was replacing the need for duals in many applications. By far the R1 is your soft, tilled, muddy well field tire as they are truly a design that does work there. Yet buying new tractor with R4 for it will sell little tillage work, but more lawn work. Will just have to tolerate the loss of traction when pulling a blade with those tires and hope four wheel drive makes up for it.

Only tire I have ever had to break free was R4 on a Kubota B2710, sideways so stiff you can not judge the air pressure by looks. Think most people who use R1 filled get good at judging those tires by sight.

 

[Smokeydog]

Been playing around grooving R4 tires to improve traction. See little road travel. Improved lawn/Pasture traction.


Used both wood carving disk on grinder and tire groover.


Have tilt gauges on tractors.

 

[CoyPatton]

Good to hear from someone with actual experience rather than just conjecture without any real first hand experience with all three.

It would be interesting to see where Titan's R14T hybrid tires fit in. Interesting concept, but then again, everything is a compromise. I am a dedicated user of R1 tractor tires. However, if the R14T tires had been available about two years ago when I purchased my new Kubota, I may have given them a shot.

My guess is that merely by the name hybrid, it is a compromise by design. It tries to borrow the good points from each to apply across a wider range of applications. This compromise is even more apparent if you consider the R4 a compromise to begin with. Time will tell as to how well the R14 will preform.
My prediction is that it will not provide the traction that a R1 does, it will not be as kind to grass/lawns as R3’s, now the question is will it replace the the R4 as a better compromise tire? Again time will tell! The R4 could become like the R2, just not a worthwhile product to produce in the given market. Again time will tell.

 

[RickB]

WHEN I MOUNTED MY OWN TIRES, AND WHEN I INFLATE MY TIRES I PUT ONE LUG ( AGS) ON THE BOTTOM, AND THE NEXT LUG FORWARD AND BACK JUST TOUCHING THE GROUND. I DO THIS ON A FLAT HARD SURFACE AND DON'T BOTHER TO CHECK THE PRESSURE. HAS ALWAYS WORKED FOR ME.

Winner.