Tire brand/experiences

[old grayfellow]

Thanks to everybody for the info.

Checked BKT tires website, but it looks like they don't offer any R1 tires in either of the sizes i need.

Tucker tire does have the sizes i need, but as to brand/origin, IIRC about all they could tell me was that the tires were from China. The price is lower than the Carlisle, but without knowing more, i don't feel confident. Think they're not that much less $ than the Carlisles to be worth the risk..

The Carlisles seem to have a good reputation, and i also read on the website of one retailer who sold both Carlisles that they recommended the "Farm Specialist" over the "Tru Power" line, saying the Tru Power was lighter duty and not really recommended for heavy use on a 4wd tractor.

The Bridgestones sound like the gold standard, but the one place i found that had them wanted about twice as much as the lowest price i found on the Farm Specialists. Plus, if the Bridgestones last 40yrs they'll probably outlive me.

The ones currently on the rear of the tractor are Goodyear, and look like they might have been the original ones for the tractor 30yrs ago. Pretty beat up and cracked, with parts of the tread coming off.

Guess i'll go with the Farm Specialists.

 

[Oldpath05]

All you guys that have tractor tire's that are 20-30+ year's old must keep the tractor in the hay field or in the garage. My 07 L3400 has 600 hrs. of mostly hauling out firewood and digging dirt with FEL. Had the right rear tire fixed in 09, now it's leaking again, black stuff, in between the lugs, looks like a 2" cut, might be the same place.

The tire's, USA made Titans AG 11.2-24, 4PR, still has 1" of tread left, but all the tires are showing cracking and small cuts, the front's are 7-16, 6PR. The last time I had the tire fixed, it cost almost $200.00, I don't know if they can fix that 2" cut or not, if not, I'll have to get 4 new tire's, that's gonna sting, and if I get new tire's, I'll get the most ply's I can get, 4PR doesn't seem like enough for the rear. I'm gonna do some calling tomorrow, but Look's like my tractor will be down for a month, they probably have to order the tire's.

 

[clemsonfor]

They may be aboe to put a partial boot in your tire and put a new tube in it to fix that 2" slit.

My tires i assume to be 20-30 years old and look like they have 85-95% tread, they come from Japan and have plenty of life when these yanmars get here. There rice tires so you can wear the things down to like 50% of the original tread before they are even equal with normal US ag tires.

I doubt many Jap farmers or other parts of the world keep thier tractors in a shed out of the sun, the ones that do are proabably pretty rough leanto type bldgs and i bet the sun still hits them.

 

[Oldpath05]

I thought about trying to fix tire, and might of, if it was 8 ply in stead of 4, but that 2" long cut on a 7 year old tire with 600 hrs. and warn down quite a bitt, and after 2 3 4 5 hrs. of hemming and awing, scratching my head, I decided to replacement was best.

I called a couple tractor places, the first one was up the road from where I bought my tractor, I thought they was a bigger place, so they should have them on hand, wrong, 2-3 weeks to order, $1,200.00 and not even mounted yet, a StarMax brand, never heard them, that's what we need, more tire brands, then I push the panic button already, but the guy said Stratham Tire might have tire's on hand. Next, called the place where I bought my tractor, and they gave me a definite maybe for late next week on 8ply BKT tires, they said everybody and their uncle was bringing in lawnmower's to get their sparkplug cleaned, but at $1130.00 plus tax, I put them on the not happy happy happy list.

Then I took the first guy's advice, called Stratham Tire, they said they have 8ply Firestone and AG Pro, 11.2-24, and 6ply 7-16 Galaxy for the front right here, $1,130.00 out the door for AG pro, and Galaxy, and can put them on as soon as I get the old tire's out here, $400.00 more for the Firestone's, $300.00 more, was my limit for a name brand that I recognize, so I went with the AG pro, and Galaxy's, got the new tires on now, and now we wait to see what if I got junk or a good tire

 

[kenmac]

the ag pros and the galaxy's are probably china, India, Korean, etc, made I think the new rears I had put on mine were made in India, the fronts were from china . A lot of car tires are now coming from china. Some (so called) American tire companies have plants in china.

 

[Oldpath05]

I couldn't see where the 11.2-24 AG pro tire was made, could be India, the 6 ply Galaxy's on front says made in China. What I don't get is why USA made Firestone tires are $400.00 more, instead of $1,133.83, they would of been $1,533.83 with no guarantee that it was a better tire.

Then after I got the tires on, I wanted to check air pressure, because the felt hard as a rock, I called Stratham Tire to see if I can use a regular tire gauge to check pressure, they said yes, and move the tire so the valve stem was on top, and let some air out, and they recommended 25 lbs. One tire had 36 psi, and the other maxed out my 50 lb. tire gauge, I had 18-20 lbs. in my old tire's, the front tires had 36, I usually have 34 lbs. in front. Seem like I was an half hour letting air out down to 24 lbs., and looked like 4 gal. of calcium came out to. I would think that a tire garage would made sure the right air pressure was in the tire's, and I still think 24 lbs. in a 11.2-24 tire is still to hard, and why does so much calcium come out when the valve stem is on top, I could use some input on this

 

[kenmac]

why does so much calcium come out when the valve stem is on top, I could use some input on this

Because it's full of calcium. My rears are full of water. Even with the valve stem at the top, I can get almost all the water out just by having the stem on top. I then roll the tire till the stem is at the bottom to remove the rest of the water. You can run as much air as you want in the tires just don't exceed the manufacture rating. Less air ,will most likely give you better traction

 

[George2615]

You could also send a PM to Miller Tire who is a member of this site and see what he has available.

 

[clemsonfor]

USA made Tires cost more casue of Higher wadges here, Corperate Taxes that are some of the highest in the world and all the other employee benifits that american workers and execs get.

In india and china they probably make a few dollars a day not $17/hr like here!!!