Tire Selection R3 Turf vs. R4 Industrial on CUTs

[WinterDeere]

I figured this horse must’ve been beaten to death on this forum, but I’m not really seeing any recent thread that hashes out this debate.

Machine: 2500 - 3000 lb. CUT (30 - 40 hp), most often loaded with another 1500 lb. FEL + ballast

Uses:

1. Spreading seed and fertilizer on lawn (no loader + ballast)
2. Moving firewood from wood lot to house, across lawn (with loader + trailer), often in snow conditions
3. Removing snow from paved surfaces with loader or 3pt snowblower
4. Skidding logs out of the woods, usually dry conditions, sometimes snow, with loader attached
5. Aerator, walnut harvester, and other ground-engaging implements on turf / lawn, with loader removed
6. Brush hogging trails in the woods, usually with loader attached

Having run turf tires all my life, as I don’t think R4’s were even an option when I bought my prior machines (all older), I have never had issues with 90% of the above. The two exceptions being:

1. Pulling my firewood trailer from wood lot to house in snow
2. Brush hogging trails, if I hit a muddy crossing

Now buying a new machine, debating going R4 vs. staying with turf. Lawn damage is a concern, I do keep a nice lawn. I don’t mow with the tractor, but most of my activities are taking place on the lawn, and things like walnut harvesting mean lots of circles around various walnut groves on the lawn.

I do run chains on my turf tires, if I plan to go down to the lower parts of the property in deep snow. They work great, but they’re a PITA to install and remove. I don’t like leaving the chains on for snow plowing or blowing, as they’re not necessary or beneficial on paved surfaces, the turf tires seem to do fine there.

Thoughts? The R4’s do look like they’d have some advantages for loader work or when hauling firewood in deep snow, but the turfs have many advantages, as well.

 

[davrow]

Stick with turfs if you do any lawn work at all.
Any tire is a compromise, I think you know what is most important, and you just have to put up with less than optimum in some cases.

 

[RalphVa]

Turfs are A LOT more comfortable, just a little bit weak for heavy FEL work. Offer LOTS better turning force than R4s. Turfs good in snow.

Have had tractors with both. Never had any problems with R4s, but BOY ARE THEY ROUGH. Had several problems with turfs coming off rims, leaking, etc. on fronts, never any problem on rears.

Ralph

 

[Diggin It]

Machine: 2500 - 3000 lb. CUT (30 - 40 hp), most often loaded with another 1500 lb. FEL + ballast

Uses:

1. Spreading seed and fertilizer on lawn (no loader + ballast)
2. Moving firewood from wood lot to house, across lawn (with loader + trailer), often in snow conditions

That will likely destroy your lawn if the ground is at all soft, regardless of tires.

 

[ruffdog]

I owned my TC33d for 19 years, doing similar jobs that the OP is planning, and the turfs were fine.

 

[WinterDeere]

Turfs are A LOT more comfortable, just a little bit weak for heavy FEL work. Offer LOTS better turning force than R4s. Turfs good in snow.

Have had tractors with both. Never had any problems with R4s, but BOY ARE THEY ROUGH. Had several problems with turfs coming off rims, leaking, etc. on fronts, never any problem on rears.

Ralph

It's funny you mention this. My 855 with 52 loader has been thru three sets of front tires, but is still on the original (1986!) rears. The current fronts are brandy-new 6-ply rating turfs, and still one has a very slow leak that needs topping off once per month.

That will likely destroy your lawn if the ground is at all soft, regardless of tires.

I've been doing this routine for the better part of a decade. I just try to time those activities for when the ground is frozen in winter, in summer it's no real issue. Spring is tough, I just choose my days and my paths carefully as I move the mulch around to the various gardens in spring. The lawn still looks good enough that neighbors kid me for trying to run a golf course.

I owned my TC33d for 19 years, doing similar jobs that the OP is planning, and the turfs were fine.

Cool. The turfs have been fine on my 855, with the exception of getting stuck in the woods a few times, and having to chain up when I fetch firewood from the back wood lot in deep snow.

 

[WinterDeere]

Was stewing on this again this evening, and I guess it comes down to this, from someone whose never run R4’s: What supposed turf damage is this tread really going to do to your lawn, that a turf tire won’t? I know the shoulder is harder, and the ride stiffer, all good for loader work. But the tread still has a lot of contact area, and ain’t exactly a mile deep. So, again, how much or what kind of “damage” is it really doing, that a turf tire will prevent?

 

[Diggin It]

I know the shoulder is harder,

The biggest issue I've seen so far is that shoulder on the fronts cutting/digging when turning while in 4WD.

 

[WinterDeere]

The biggest issue I've seen so far is that shoulder on the fronts cutting/digging when turning while in 4WD.

As in tearing out grass, or just leaving an impression in the dirt?

I know this is a lighter machine, but this has me thinking R4’s really aren’t too bad on the lawn:


How much DAMAGE do R4 tires do to a wet lawn? - YouTube

 

[Diggin It]

As in tearing out grass, or just leaving an impression in the dirt?

Both. And dry or wet doesn't matter. Turning a wider radius helps, but I can't always do that. Slow turns help too. Powering through a tight turn is the worst.