Turf Tires

Anybody running them on a small 4wd, FEL tractor, like 24 hp? Would appreciate comments pro and con. I am looking for a softer ride than 6 ply rigid sidewall industrials give me and am looking at (for) 4 ply turfs with softer sidewalls. Not doing any plowing. Just mowing, assisting crop planting and harvesting.....like running the rake for bailing, drilling seed, crimping wind rows, loading and hauling poop, odd jobs around the farm, including FEL work. Plan on keeping the front industrials for added traction when scooping out of a pile of sand, gravel, etc.

Thanks,
Mark

Only place you will notice a traction difference is mud. Turfs usually are better on snow/ice, but I think that might not be a problem for you.

Mark do not know what brand you are running ( tractor) but I have been in the KUBOTA business 28+ years. Those that have tried turf on anything over our 25 hp or so have had problems with the fronts rolling off the rim if you use the loader for heavy lifting. Be advised that running turf on rear and the industrials on the front do not give the right ratio and you can damage the front deferential .

I run Titan turf tires on a JD 4200 compact (24 hp) with a loader during most of the year and switch to mounted R-4 tires during the winter and spring till it's time to start mowing. Works pretty good for me but am about to need new turf tires on the front after about 1400 hours - Rears still have a lot of tread.

I have a 1981 model 650,(Yanmar) John Deere 2 wheel drive compact tractor. I used it for about a year with a loader and the agricultural tires that came on it. They were bad about the rears spinning down and mucking up everything. The front rib type ag tires made a mess when mowing the yard. I replaced the ag tires on the rear with turf type and the front ones with radial car tires and it worked much better. I finally acquired a backhoe/loader unit and took the loader off the 650 and sold it. The rear turf tires and the auto radial tires on the front are still there and do a good job now on just mowing with a flail mower behind it

Gene Davis Tennille, Ga.

might have trouble with getting the right ratio for 4x4 mixing the tires like that

Wow, didn't expect so much so soon. Thanks

My industrial rear tie size is 12x16.5, brand is Tiron, Korean, came on my Korean Branson. Tiron tire lists the OD of it's tires at 830mm for both their indust. and turf. I can't find a dealer for their tires and really do like the quality. Seems they aren't skimpy with the plasticizers that keep tires from cracking when sitting a lot....have a slick feel, quality molding.

Doing some www surfing I found Titan that makes both in a 12-16.5NHS 6 ply and a very pricy 33x12.50-16.5NHS 4 ply. Checking the dimensions (?" more balloon width on the turf as expected) they were almost a perfect match and the circumference difference was 99 vs 100....1% difference. That ought to work.

I will keep the Tiron 23x8.50-12 4 ply industrials on the front and keep them up to pressure as they are low profile and watching them while working a full loader bucket, I see no bulge nor side walking of the tread in a turn. That tractor specs gear oil in the front gearbox so I'm not worried that much about overloading the front drive and having bearings fail. Besides I realize it's not a tank and don't drive it like one. Grin

Do appreciate the quick and informative replies.

Mark

The sidewalls of the turf tires won't hold up if you are doing a lot of loader work. BTDT with my Kubota B2150,
Loren

Will keep R4s on the front. Do not have a backhoe and heaviest implement is a 5' light duty rotary mower (Bush hog type thing). Thanks.

I have had turf tires on two different compact tractors and R4s on the last two. I think even if I used it to mow the yard I would stay with R4s. No matter how careful you are not too you are still going to run into situations where you'll be glad you got R4s on it.

I may not be right and I've seen guys do it. But I always though it was best to run the same kind and size tires on the front and rear on a four wheel drive tractor. Rather than mix them up like your thinking on doing.

Mark Are you sure you want to do this? I was in the farm tire business 22+ years and put on hundreds of farm tires. You mention raking hay--Those soft sided tires have a very great tendancy for stubble to puncture the sidewalls. been out in the fields many times repairing them. Alafalfa stubble is tough on tires -- if you are forced to wait a week to get your hay raked. Good luck with your decision.

I have turf on my 25hp Mahindra. 300 hours on them. I muck out under a buddies barn once a year. Usually 2 to 4 steers. My turfs do just fine as long as I have the FWA locked in. I find myself riding the differential lock once I've made a few trips thru the barnyard. I think that R-4's have less tractive grip than a turf.

Got them ordered today. I have a HF tire changer and will keep the R4s if I have to go back to them which I doubt. In the year I've had the tractor the only time the R4s were challenged was on slick grass trying to dig into the piles of sand or the pile of river gravel and get a full bucket without the 4wd engaged. I really doubt the turfs can do worse.

These Titans, only brand available which I have been running on my 6530 for 9+ years in the R1 style, still looking great, lots of lug remaining, and have served me well. These turf tires have ⅜" of rubber which I compared to the R4s which were ⅝", but a lot more footprint and in the stud configuration (same pattern as you see on riding lawn mowers but a lot deeper) which I found to do very well on my mowers with ATV studs.

I thank all you for your thoughtful responses and punctual attention to this thread.

Mark

I have a B7800 kubota , and run R-1 tires on all 4 corners I mow the yard and push stumps with the loader . I wouldn't have R-4's if they were free. Turf or tractor .