Tire Options for JD 3320

[CT Yankee]

First time on the site...thanks in advance.

I am hung up on tire sizes for the JD 3320 I plan on ordering. I thought I wanted the R1's at first but they are pretty thin. I have two size options in the R4's...any pros or cons to the larger size. I am looking for the beefier look. This will largely be a toy right now but down the road who knows. The brand is Galaxy..OEM for JD. Any word on their quality? Thanks again.

Mike

 

[dirtworksequip]

CT, just curious as to why you were looking at R1's and then switched to R4's? One thing you may want to look at is with the R1 wheels you have the option of making the rear wheel stance a lot wider as the R1 wheels are adjustable to 8 different wheel positions. With the R4 wheels you can only reverse their position and change the wheel stance a few inches.
Just something to consider. Go with the R1's if you need maximum traction and don't worry about their skinny look.

Sincerely, Dirt

 

[tglass]

Don't forget about what your going to use it for. I got the R4's because they are kind of a mediam for me. Don't tear up the yard unless the ground is pretty wet of I turn real sharp, but still give good traction when I have an implement in use. I've thought about reversing mine to make it look a little bigger and more stable with the loader, but the con of that is it makes it wider than the MMM and can't see much more stability with the loader in my situation. Depends alot on personal pref. and what your using it for. Good luck.

 

[CT Yankee]

Thanks for the info gentlemen.

Actually...I got talked out of the R1's by the salesman. I was thinking along the same line as you for adjustability and traditional tractor look. The JD salesman informed me that he hasn't sold a 3320 in CT with the R1's yet. He said if you buy them you are stuck with them...I can't trade them like R4's.

The Galaxy name...know anything about them? I prefer a US tire but it's not offered on this line. Galaxy is made in Serbia according to the sidewall.

 

[JCB]

CTYankee,

Dirtworks and tglass gave good advice. R4's are medium and R1's are maximum traction. If you're gonna spend significant time on a lawn, you really don't have much of a choice, R4's only.

Regarding size, this is probably only my preference, but I think it's easy to get seduced by the look of the larger tires. Depending on your use, I'd go smaller just to make it easier to get on and off.

For me, the bigger the tractor the less you really want to get off to move that rock that you're gonna hit with the mower, rotary cutter, tiller disc, etc.

Something to consider.

Joe

 

[RollTideRam]

I don't think either size R4 will make a differance with a mower, they are the same width. The larger size will give more ground clearance, but also raise the center of gravity. The smaller size is 6ply the larger is 4 ply. I got the larger size on my 3320 because they hold more liquid ballast. I think the R1's are taller than the larger R4's but they also go a good bit wider. JC

 

[putt_putt_green]

And if you are ever going to use chains, smaller tires are better (more clearance).

 

[Kahuna]

I have a 3320 with the R4 tires and find them to fit all my needs. It does well on loader work, good with mowing jobs, adequate for light tillage and is easy on the turf. The only reason I would get the ag tires would be if I did heavy tillage work (disking, plowing, etc.) but you probably would not do that type of heavy work with a 3320.

I have no problems with the quality of the tire. John Deere wouldn't take the risk of putting a cheap tire on a quality tractor. I'm sure the tires are like a lot of the non-American made parts on both cars and tractors, even though they are made overseas, they are built to the US specifications of the manufacturer.

 

[rkylane]

I just placed an order yesterday for a new 3520 & was not sure what tires to get. After talking with the dealer & doing a lot of research I chose the R4 tires. If I do not like them it is easier to get rid of the R4s than the R1s. Also I can always add chains if needed. My tractor will not be here for at least 3 weeks. I hope I can wait that long.

 

[RoyJackson]

Maybe you should concern yourself more with the expected tasks for that 3320 rather then the "look".
If you're going to do mostly field work, the R-1's would have the advantage in traction. Most other tasks (incuding finish mowing the lawn) would be better with R-4's.
Also, the wider R-4's give the tractor better stability.

 

[jcmseven]

I have had both on a 3000 series tractor (the same one) and my experience is this: the R1 tires definitely give better pulling traction, but the difference is not huge, just notable. They look funny to me as I agree they are too thin. I would like for JD to offer a 1-2" wider front and rear R1 option. With a loader bucket full of gravel on a firm surface, the R1's notably distorted in front. They also do not hold as much ballast due to their lower volume, so one must compensate with ballast either in wheel weights or three-point ballast. The R4's on my terrain offer about 80% the traction of the R1's when pulling; they do not distort under heavy bucket loads, they do look better to me, and they wear better and hold more ballast. They get no where near the grip in thick mud (which I do not have to excess) as the R1 tires. To me, these facts, combined with the limited trade-in options on the R1's, led me to get the R4's. Sometimes I wish for the additional grip when pulling heavy three-point attachments, but my tractor has never NOT done something I wanted it to do with the R4's. I like the R1 tire, just for most of us, it truly is not the best option.

John M

 

[Killer_B]

I have the OEM turfs on my 3320. I think they're quite stylish. Show stoppers, really. Not unlike a classic Chrysler Newport with landau roof and rich Corinthian leather.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Killer_B

I think your tires look great too. Have they worked well in snow for you this winter? It's a much heavier tractor than your B7610 was but it would be interesting to hear a comparison now that you have used the green one for a while.

 

[Killer_B]

Killer_B

I think your tires look great too. Have they worked well in snow for you this winter? It's a much heavier tractor than your B7610 was but it would be interesting to hear a comparison now that you have used the green one for a while.

Hi Chuck,

My observations so far:

1. On the paves surfaces I have to clear snow from, the turfs work just fine. No chains needed.

2. The quick hitch mounted plow (that I had on the B7610) is better than the loader mounted one. The former can be put into float mode and forgotten. The latter wants to dig in and flop forward on the trip springs if not set down just so.

3. The rear mounted blower is no big deal to use. Barely less convenient that the front mounted, IMHO.

4. The added weight and power of the 3320 vs. the 7610 is mostly offset by the larger plow and blower.

5. I really do like the buttery smooth operation of the Ehydro. And I hope it never breaks.

Best regards,

KB

 

[ChuckinNH]

Thanks KB,
I didn't mean to hijack the thread, but I think that useful info was added. I just knew that we could count on KB for an honest apprasial.
Chuck

 

[orlo]

Hope I don't start an argument here but I had a 3320 with the large R4's and had them on my 3720 cab until I got the R3's I now have. (I also have R4's on my 2305 and love them there but it's much lighter). I was going to go with the super turfs but I didn't since they weren't compatible with the super turfs.

I found with the R4's that on hard packed surfaces and hard lawn they actually slip MORE than the R3's in my case. If I was going up a short steep hill in 2WD with the R4s all it would take was a little bump and one tire would spin and dig up the lawn. The R3's 'stick' much better and I think are a little more compliant to the terrain. In Mud the R4's would be much, much better, and the R1's better yet but if you are going to be on mostly hard surfaces you might want to reconsider. I know R3's don't 'look' cool but as Roy said consider your use.

I did get wheel extensions so I'm running really wide (6" wider on each side so a foot wider overall - I can go to 72" in the wide position if I want).

One other thing I've discovered is that in some snow conditions (In particular snow over asphalt) the R3's give me better traction than the R4's used to. I'm running a 59" blower with a 66" wheel width now and the unchained R3's have no problem running over the snow on the side the blower doesn't get and give me plenty of grip when I'm going over ice.

Again, I have no doubt I could (and do occasionally) encounter situations where R4's would be a ton better than the R3's (Mud is one, really, really soft dirt is another) but for me R3's seemed the better choice. Also, I'm running almost 6000# when I mow (I take the bucket off but leave the loader on) and the R3's flatten the grass but leave no marks in or compact the soil since they have a lot more contact area instead of the few hard bars of the R4's.

 

[RollTideRam]

Another reason for the R4's is they are some better at being "flat resistant". We had turfs on the front of our old 650. I can't remember how many times we had to get flats fixed. Of course we have locusts trees that cause most of the problems. So far, I have had no flats in two years of using R4's. I am sure to have one now though. I think the life of the R4's should be alot longer also. JC