Tires R4 or turf tires

[dennisthomas]

I'm sure this question has been asked before but here i go. I need to replace the worn out turf tires on my 755 JD soon and was wanting to replace them with some R4 tires because i plan on putting a loader on it and want some traction. I dont use it for mowing but i do have a aerater that i want to use on the lawn and the neighbors lawn (hes real picky about his lawn) so i was wondering if R4s would be a good idea or should i just stick with turfs.

 

[53gravely]

There's a compromise tire that some Kubota dealers are offering called "Bar Turf" tires. I nailed this photo off Carver Equipment's site. The reson I didn't go with these is that:
1) I was concerned they'd wear quickly
2) I figured my regular turfs would be easier on the lawn and I bought chains for the winter and mud

 

[MadDog]

I have had R4s since I bought my B7800 almost two years ago and am happy with them. Obviously, they don't give as much tranction as ags, but then again, they are not too hard on my grass (unless you are in 4wd or on very soft and wet ground) and will last much better than ags if you operate at all on pavement. I have found that their traction is pretty good for FEL work and I was able to use them for FEL snow removal last winter without really needing chains.

All in all, I think that they are a pretty good choice if you are going to use them on various surfaces and for a range of uses.

Hope this helps.

 

[thcri]

I mow all the time with my R4's with no troubles.

murph

 

[53gravely]

a better photo of bar turf tires

 

[ronjhall]

It may not as simple as buying new R-4 tires if you want to switch. R-4 tires may require different rims. I use my B2910 with FEL and Turf tires. At 250 hours I had to replace front tires. They had worn out from doing a lot of FEL work on hard surfaces. R-4 tires may have helped to stop this wear. Rear tires do not show any major wear after 400 plus hours. New front tires do not show wear that original tires did at 150 hours. I may have learned my lesson on how to operate in 4WD on hard surfaces. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
I would still get Turf tires if I was to buy another new tractor. I like the wider tread width over R-4's.

 

[dennisthomas]

thanks for the info. i was wondering if i would have to change my rims to go with R4. i guess ill find out when im ready to purchase the tires. again this website is the best place to get a wealth of knowledge on anything tractor.

 

[kevincook]

dennisthomas,

You say that you want traction for use with an FEL but you didn't say what type of terrain you wanted the traction in. I have turf tires on my L3010 and find that I have plenty of traction for use. Almost my entire yard is lawn and I figured that if I needed more traction than 4wd and turf tires could provide that I should just wait until things dried out a little, otherwise I was creating a big mess that I would have to be fixing later. If I was in the woods with muddy trails the turf tires would not work. The R4's are terrible in mud also, you really need R1's for that. The R4's are great on pavement since they will last longer than the turf tires.

Let us know what type of terrain you are operating on and somebody will have better advice.

Good Luck,
Kevin

 

[daTeacha]

Dennis -- I'm not quite sure where Troy is, but Millersburg Tire in Millersburg is probably the largest tractor tire dealer in Ohio. That's in Holmes County, about halfway between Mansfield and Canton and then 15 miles or so south. Don't feel you need to work through the tractor dealer for tires.

 

[Whitefield]

Funny you should mention this. I just replaced the original turf tires on my 1987 JD 755 with new R4s and new rims. I wanted the better tread and the stronger tire construction, and I was having some problems with the tiny front turf tires when using my FEL for heavier work. I went through my JD dealer because I knew that the R4s weren't a standard option on the 755, and it did take some research on their part to determine the correct rim and tire sizes.

Since the R4s have different sizing, you will probably require new rims as well. My new R4s are 23x8.5/12 front and 12x16.5 rear. My old turfs were 20x8.00-10 front, 33x12.5/15 rear.

The new R4s look great, and should preform well too. I don't expect to need tires again for this tractor. See attached photo.

 

[JSUnlimited]

dennisthomas,

I used to have a Kubota with the bar-type tires pictured above and they did a pretty good job. I mowed and maintained a limestone driveway that was all uphill without any problems. I then traded the Kubota in for a NH with R4's. So far, I have been able to do the same stuff without any problems. The R4's have not damaged the grass (while finish mowing which is 90% of tractor use) and is also good for the "dirt work". I'm still waiting on the snow though!

My vote is for the R4 tires especially if you are going to hang a loader on the front. I have a loader and a backhoe and I'm sure the turfs would'nt have lasted long (wear and anger from being stuck).

 

[RoyJackson]

I had the bar turfs on my old Deere 670. These are a good alternative to the R-4's if one doesn't want to buy new rims. This tractor is the same size as your 755 and does have a loader, although not installed when I took the picture.

I have been told R-4's are tougher then the bar turfs, but I have brush cut quite a bit of very rough field with no problems. I've also ran this tractor over the road (asphalt) with no undue wear.

My current tractor, a Deere 790, has the R-4's. I like them a lot. But if I had turfs and wanted a more aggressive tread, I'd go for the bar turfs rather then buying new rims.

Now, I don't know what sizes bar turfs are available in...I doubt if one can get a bar turf for a tractor any larger then a 670 (or Kubota 7500 series and other equivalents).

 

[al3]

I’d order my CUT with R4s but it arrived with turfs, so I had the pleasure of test driving the latter for little over 2 months. During that time I re-moved about 40 yards of sand from a pit and moved another 20 yards or so of 3/4 decayed tree trunks. The R4s then arrived and were used to remove another 50 or so yards from the hillside. All and all, the turfs performed beyond what I’d expected (4wd FEL work). The R4 certainly didn’t slip as much, but dug holes a lot quicker/deeper when they did. And they also left marks in lawn areas in situations where the turfs wouldn’t.
This is in soil that predominately sand, so things might be different in your clay, especially if wet. Can’t comment on longevity or snow use---yet. Good Luck.

 

[40_acre_mule]

I have to disagree with Kevin about R4s in mud. My old tractor had ag tires that dug in and sunk real fast in my swamp, but the R4s are much better. I think the wider tire makes a big difference in rolling over the mud.

 

[Green4Me]

I got both R4 and T1 for my 4310. The R4s work well for most situations. My tractor with R4s is like a sports car. It is quiet and responsive. Really handy for getting around in tight places. works well on the loader. It runs down the road smoothely and offers good traction. With the T1s, it becomes a totaly different machine, a tractor in every sense. It sits higher. The tires rumble on the highway. Gear ratio changes such that there is a dramatic increase in road speed and corresponding loss in power. I use the T1s in the winter up in my sugar bush in the mud and or deep snow. The R4 just do not cut it under these conditions. They load up with mud and spin too much. The wheels for the T1s can be set out nine inches wider than the R4 wheels and offer three inches more crop clearence. My seat of the pants feeling is that the T1s give me about fifty percent more tractive effort over the R4s.
Sorry for rambling. on.