R4 Tire Choices

buckle97 · Jun 17, 2005

I have always had R1 tires and now I am looking at R4 tires for my new tractor purchase. My dealer has many of the tractor model I am interested in on his lot. Some of them have Firestone R4's and some have Titan R4's. The tread pattern is definately different between the two. I am just wondering if anyone has noticed this and if anyone has had a good or bad experience with either type.

Firestone:

Titan:

I don't think these are the EXACT tire I am looking at, but these pictures show the difference in tread pattern that I see. The Firestone has the hook on the tread in the middle of the tire. The Titan is just straight at the end.

Lawrence

GeneD14 · Jun 17, 2005

I'm not a tire expert, but I have owned several machines with R4's and I would say that you will never be able to tell the difference in actual operation. The differences are just to subtle. I have bought both Titans and Firestone and Titans are usually a little cheaper around here. I don't think that you could go wrong with either one.

RedDog · Jun 18, 2005

I have the Titan's on mine. I have never seen the Firestone's until you showed this picture.

Just by looking at the pictures of the two, I would say the Firestone would grip better, and wouldn't have the "sideway" slide on hills. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I would be willing to try the Firestone. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

RedDog

frank_f15 · Jun 18, 2005

I have the titans on mine and i like them. Don't think you would notice any difference in using either, the design is not that much different.

Dargo · Jun 18, 2005

I've had both more than once. I currently have Titans. I think the Firestone R4's look "cooler", but I can't tell any performance difference. They are both a very tough tires.

Ok, quick note: my equipment destroying neighbor tells me that the Titans wear better. I suppose I could see that with more actual rubber making contact with the ground. Whatever. I just thought I'd add this since he certainly has worn out about everything known to mankind. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

JerryG · Jun 18, 2005

Ok, quick note: my equipment destroying neighbor tells me that the Titans wear better. 
The Titans seem to have a little bit harder rubber compound. Not very much, but some.

frank_f15 · Jun 18, 2005

Another quick obsrevation, MOST OF US CUT OWNERS WILL NEVER WEAR OUT A SET OF TIRES! More than likely the tires will need replacing to do old age, cracking and such.

Cactus · Jun 18, 2005

( MOST OF US CUT OWNERS WILL NEVER WEAR OUT A SET OF TIRES )

I am glad you said most.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

aloha · Jun 20, 2005

( MOST OF US CUT OWNERS WILL NEVER WEAR OUT A SET OF TIRES! )

The Titan R4s on the front of my B7800 are showing obvious wear after only 250 hours.

buckle97 · Jun 20, 2005

From the comments made here I have made my decision. I agree that the Firestone's look "cooler", but I have decided to go with the Titan's. Hopefully they work as well for me as everyone who posted here /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif.

Lawrence

Cactus · Jun 20, 2005

( The Titan R4s on the front of my B7800 are showing obvious wear after only 250 hours. )

Are you doing a lot of hard pulling that would cause the tractor to spin or are you running in 4wd on hard pavement ???Do you operate on hard surfaces regularly ???

Just curious as to what would cause excessive wear on your tires ?? I am hard on my tires(R-1's), but I do a lot of log skidding on hilly terrain...Generally the r-4's should wear pretty good...I have a set of R-4's I use for spares...

teddydo · Jun 20, 2005

That's what I have on my Kubota 4330. With no problems or complaints and I am just up the road from you, over here at Walnut. Luck be yours neighbor........teddy

frank_f15 · Jun 20, 2005

( The Titan R4s on the front of my B7800 are showing obvious wear after only 250 hours. )

THAT is really strange, i have well over 350 hours on mine and they look like new. I only use 4wd when necesarry and very seldom on hard surfaces, except when plowing snow. How do the back tires look?

Cactus · Jun 20, 2005

I wonder if the tires might be towed out or in too much.

aloha · Jun 22, 2005

For me, 4WD is a necessity for almost everything. The rear tires are Goodyears and look new.

Most of my hours have been accumulated in brush hogging, which tends to be tough going due to the fast growing, dense vegetation and hilly terrain.

fishman · Jun 22, 2005

Aloha,

My b2910 has only 125 hours on it and the fronts are obviously worn as well. In my case it is due to most of those hours being loader work. At first I was improperly using my hst and letting the front tires spin a lot by mashing harder on the hst pedal. I found that I just needed to let up on the pedal a little bit and I got more torque and very little spin. But the damage was already done. The bar edges are all rounded off and there are several cuts in the tread.

So it is possible to have tire wear on the front with low hours. By the way, my back tires look almost new.

RedHawkRidge · Jun 23, 2005

I checked with Goodyear, and they insist that a radial R4 will vastly gutperform the bias versions normally supplied on new compacts. Significantly more money, however.
jim

buckle97 · Jun 24, 2005

I have attached a picture of the exact Titan R4 tire I purchased with my new L3830.

Lawrence

John_Mc · Jun 27, 2005

You must be planning on moving a lot of that red clay around you have in McComb ? I've spent more than a few days just up the road in Brookhaven.

John Mc