Tires Tires? Are R3's OK for loader use?

JATO_RaT · Apr 18, 2003

Tires? Are R3\'s OK for loader use?

Was wondering if any of you have R3's or Turf tires on your tractor and use them with a loader. If so, do they take the loaded bucket OK? The R4's I had were virtually bullet proof for loader work where the R1's on another tractor tended to get pretty flat looking when given a full bucket. R3's would probably be impacted even more so but I have never had them on a tractor. Thanks, Rat...

Casimir · Apr 18, 2003

Re: Tires? Are R3\'s OK for loader use?

Rat:

I have turfs on my 1520 and use a loader all the time. I have been pleasantly surprised at how well they have worked. I sometimes lose traction and spin (dig a small hole) when pushing into a pile of gravel, and they do load up quickly in mud, but overall, no complaints. My rears are filled with windshield washer fluid, but I have never even checked the front ones to see if they are filled. Even with a heavy load of gravel in the bucket, they don't squat too much -- maybe I am keeping too much air in them /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif.

Rowski · Apr 19, 2003

Re: Tires? Are R3\'s OK for loader use?

RaT

Like you mentioned the R4s are pretty rugged. I think the level of toughness goes from R4 (toughest) to R1 and then the R3. I wonder if you could install a R3 with more plys in then like form 2 ply to 4 ply, or 4 ply to 6 ply. With more plys you can add more air to support the load. I'm not sure if you can mix ply rating front to rear and still keep the lead-lag ratio the same.

This might be a question for MChalkley /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

billfires · Apr 19, 2003

Re: Tires? Are R3\'s OK for loader use?

Rat, I have R-3s on my NH 1920 but they are only 4 ply which has a max. air pressure of 30 psi. They will flex with a full bucket of gravel or loam. They are 27 X 8.50-15 which I think is a little narrow for a turf tire. They are made in a 27 X 10.50-15 which I think would be a better choice. Hope this helps, Bill C

rockyridgefarm · Apr 19, 2003

Re: Tires? Are R3\'s OK for loader use?

Can't imagine they'd be any trouble at all, as long as you've got them under a 7308 loader, why not?

thcri · Apr 19, 2003

Re: Tires? Are R3\'s OK for loader use?

My neighbor has turf's on his Deere 955. It seems to work ok until he gets into dirt or mud. But for the most part they work fine. He has a pretty long driveway (blacktop) and he plows snow with it pretty good. He has a steep back yard, even maybe steeper than mine and when he brush hogs he has to have it in 4 wheel drive.

I have R4's on mine and if I brush hog on the same hill I don't have to have mine in 4 wheel drive, but was just thinking here, I have sensi-trac so it may be going in and I don't even know it.

The R4 is a good all around tire but you do have to watch them on wet grass and heavy tractors.

murph

froggy · Apr 19, 2003

Re: Tires? Are R3\'s OK for loader use?

Kubota shows a R3 or galaxy turf tires available for loader work from the M4900 to the M6800.

Also the literature for the JD 5020 series shows a tractor with a 541 loader and turf tires.

Would think the smaller tractors with R3's would have no problem either.

JATO_RaT · Apr 19, 2003

Re: Tires? Are R3\'s OK for loader use?

Thanks for all the input. It's been helpfu. In my next purchase, I would like to either go R3's or R4's. Since most of the time accured will be mowing, I figured more emphasis should be placed on it. I am on some pretty hilly terrain and don't know if R3's will provide enough traction and obviously will load up quickly. On a L4850 we use R1's. With a bucket heaped full of dirt and the tires at maximum pressure we can still substantially flatten the tire. I did look at brochures to see if the manufactuers were showing any of their tractors with R3's and loaders. Most often, if it was loader work, they showed R4's, mowers etc R3's or R1's and no loader mounted. I was curious. JD's 110 has available to it, Galaxy industrial R3's, that is basically a R3 tread pattern with the bullet proof carcass of the R4's including the higher pressure rating and 8 plys. Thanks, Rat

froggy · Apr 19, 2003

Re: Tires? Are R3\'s OK for loader use?

RaT,

What about using R4s on the front & R1s on the back? I currently have a 2wd tractor that I mow with that has R1s on the rear and essentially F2s on the front. I plan on replacing it with a 4wd tractor (M4900 or JD 5205) with loader next year.

I have a steep hill in the back of my place and need traction. I never go there when its wet. I like the R4s, but don't know if they would give me enough traction and have thought of going the route of R4s in front & R1s in back.

Any drawbacks you can think of?

froggy

MikePA · Apr 19, 2003

Re: Tires? Are R3\'s OK for loader use?

<font color="blue"> Any drawbacks you can think of?</font>
With a 4wd tractor you have to keep the circumference of the tires the same as stock. Other than that, sounds like a good idea.