Mowing R4 Tires and mowing

[Dascro]

I put about 5 hours on my new B7610 over the Labor Day weekend. I am loving this machine!!

One of the jobs is using the Woods RFM to regularly mow the yard. The RFM did a good job, but I am starting to wonder about my decision to go with R4 tires. By the time I was able to mow, the ground was drying, but still soft (but not soaking wet) from all the rain from Ernesto. And the tires did leave marks if I turned too sharp and on hills.

I decided on R4's because of the mix of work I do with the tractor (i.e. snow removal, 1/2 acre sweet corn patch, 1/2 acre vegetable garden, 300 yd sloped gravel lane maintenance and upkeep, rotary cutter and of course mowing about a 1 acre yard). I had turf tires on the BX and they did very well mowing and were decent in the snow, but struggled maintaining the gravel lane and in field work (rotary mower, tiller, or anything with soft loose dirt or gravel).

For those of you using R4's for yard mowing, is the "marking" typical for these tires or simply because the ground was soft from all the recent rain? Is your experience that the R4's will mark less when the yard is completely dry?

I am wondering if I made on mistake on tire selection.

Dascro

 

[RoyJackson]

I have R4's on my Deere 790. They leave marks but the grass recovers in two or three days.

I do not operate the tractor on wet grass. Those tires will slip even more and can result in ruts.

Your Kubota is quite a bit lighter then my 790 so I don't know if the marks would be more or less the mine.

However I'd go for R4's again. Just use a bit of caution when your finish mowing. I suggest you not use 4WD when mowing.

 

[Dascro]

Thanks Roy.

This is my first experience with R4 tires and mowing the yard. I am hoping the soft, wet ground exagerated the potential for the tires to mark.

I'll see next weekend as the grass is growing faster now (the conditions are perfect for grass here) than in the spring.

I will plan on being careful and take it easy in the turns.

Lastly, when I use the search feature and "R4" I can never get any returns. Yet I know there has to be a ton of info on R4 tires and mowing yards on this site. Any suggestions in this area from anyone?

Dave

 

[ccsial]

I use R4's on my L3400HST with no problem. I have well drained soil though. If you have wet soil I suspect even turf tires would leave a bit of a mark.

I have never yet been able to search on this new board. Anyone else have any luck?

 

[ToddW]

The R4's on my L2800 don't mark my lawn any more than the turfs on my JD lawn tractor. My yard (lots of Florida sand) drains well so I've never driven on it very wet.

/Todd

 

[Dascro]

Thanks for the replies. I am starting to feel a little better about my R4 tire selection. Hopefully it will be much more dry when I mow this weekend.

Dave

 

[Barnboy]

I have R4's on my B3030 and they work fine if we have not had alot of rain. I wait 3-4 days after a good rain and then I have no problems with marks. I'm glad i have R4's when i'm tilling or pulling my middle buster. I dont think turf's would have been a good option for me. I think the R4's are a good compromize.Just my opion.

 

[8561]

I have the same tractor with R4's. My rears are loaded with calcium chloride. First of all, MFWD engaged is an absolute no-no. Second, if I mow within a day of moderate rain, I get some marks, that as was posted previously, take a few days to come out. If it's dry, no problems at all. The other suggestion I would offer is to try to vary your path on the lawn. Using the same "routine" to mow each time can create depressions in those wheel paths. I'm always zigging and zagging all over. Hydro and an RFM make it easy.

 

[Timber]

use the advanced search option and your search will work fine.

 

[Dascro]

Thanks Timber. I also think you need to enter more than just "R4" to get any returns.

 

[Buster57]

If your tractor can use R4s (obviously yours can) it's the only way to go. You lose some traction but they leave less tracks or ruts.
They really work much better on pavement.
You made the right choice.

 

[PAB_OH]

I have the same tractor with R4's. My rears are loaded with calcium chloride. First of all, MFWD engaged is an absolute no-no.

Huh? Why is MFWD engaged a no-no? Did I misread it or are you saying to not mow with 4WD engaged? Or is that only if you are on flat land?

I have 3-1/4 acres that might as well be moutainside. I HAVE to mow in 4wd. Granted my GL-21 has two 4WD options, one of them is a sort of super-steer or quick-steer. When I have that engaged the tractor will literally almost turn on the inside wheel. The front outside wheel accelerates and the rear inside I think becomes disengaged from the drivetrain. It results in a very quick and tight radius turn.

I have mowed in normal 4WD also, it tears the lawn up pretty good but sometimes is it required due to the speed generated in the "quick-steer" 4WD (QS4WD) mode. Sometimes that is a bad thing so I have to go into normal 4WD. As long as you aren't on pavement or another hard surface there should be no issue with being in 4WD.

All this on R2 tires too. I'm sure if I had R3's or R4's I would have almost no marking in QS4WD. Normal 4WD, I think it's almost impossible not to get some marking. It doesn't hurt the drivetrain though, as long as the surface being driven on will give, if it doesn't, the metal in the axles or driveline will.

 

[PAB_OH]

8561,
I just noticed in your profile that your 'bota has "bi-speed turn", is that the equivalent of what I described as Quick Steer 4WD? Interesting if it is.

How long has Kubota offered this state side?

 

[8561]

I also live in pretty hilly terrain, one area of which does require me to throw it in MFWD temporarily. I'm probably not as hilly as you describe. The comment on no MFWD is not based in an issue with hurting the drivertain (no issues there), but rather in cutting up the lawn while turning. It has been discussed here dozens of times in many threads and the consensus has always been to avoid MFWD if at all possible. First of all, for most its not necessary, second, if your ground is at all soft, it will do more damage with the MFWD engaged. If you need it for your property, or if your lawn is firm enough to not be affected, go for it. By the way, I also mow without the FEL on to reduce the weight on the front.

As far as Bi-Speed Turn, its a great feature. When engaged, it spins the outside front tire at about twice the normal speed and dramatically reduces turn radius. A great feature Kubota stopped doing on the B series a few years back.

 

[DWW68]

I also have R4's on my B7800. The tires do leave more marks when wet. Even when the ground is dry you must not make sharp turns. Also keep tractor moving while turning wheels. After a couple of mowings you should be able to mow with leaving very few marks. You will find out quickly how to avoid them.
Good luck
Dan

 

[PAB_OH]

The comment on no MFWD is not based in an issue with hurting the drivertain (no issues there), but rather in cutting up the lawn while turning. It has been discussed here dozens of times in many threads and the consensus has always been to avoid MFWD if at all possible. If you need it for your property, or if your lawn is firm enough to not be affected, go for it.

Agree!

 

[rswyan]

For those of you using R4's for yard mowing, is the "marking" typical for these tires or simply because the ground was soft from all the recent rain?

Yes.

Is your experience that the R4's will mark less when the yard is completely dry?

Yes - although they will still mark if I turn very sharply. The thicker the turf the less this is a problem. IOW, if the grass is fairly thin it's worse.

I am wondering if I made on mistake on tire selection.

Nope.

 

[Dascro]

Thanks for all the useful information based on first hand experience. I appreciate it. I mowed again last evening and the ground was more dry than previously. There was less marking. And I did notice there is less marking where the turf is thicker.

I am beginning to feel better about my tire choice.

Dascro

 

[Dascro]

One other question. For those of you running R4's, what pressure do you run in the tires? Mine are 6 ply tires and listed at 40 psi max. But that seems awfully high and the ride is very rough.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[fishpick]

R4's will ride rougher than turfs.
And I'd keep them at the pressure listed in the manual or on the sidewall. I have personally never been a fan of operating any tire outside those listed values.