R4 Industrial Tires

[JimFord850]

Are R4 Industrial tires as bad on snow and ice as some of the articles seem to indicate? Others indicate they are good if the tires (back) are loaded, have 4 wheel drive, and rear diff lock. I am looking at a New Holland Boomer 35 or TC35. This is Michigan, we get snow and we have a 1/2 mile private road that we plow.

Anyone have the R4s on their tractor and use it for plowing snow? Your thoughts please.

 

[Rustytractorguy]

We had R4s on our 545 w/ loader (diff lock only) worn tires, with little to no fluid. It could barely move itself on snow/mud. So we kept our 2 bottom rollover plow on for weight.

We"ve since replaced them with new R1s with fluid. It did a lot better in the snow but still could use more weight. I have a set of wheel weights I still need to mount and I"m going to build a 3-point counterweight when I"m home for vaction in August. We are in Northern Wisconsin.

 

[Ecnerwal]

Chains. Chains. Chains. I have a backhoe on (weight, ya-betcha) and it's still useless in snow, especially if there's a trace of ice. Chains.

 

[NNP]

depending on where you live and how you use your tractor,
yes, they are that bad.
My first modern 4x4 loader tractor had loaded R4's (dealer recommended)
Lots and lots of snow here, and clay soil that turns to slick glue when wet.
No chains, so I got stuck constantly on snow and ice, even in 4x4.
And when spring came, forget it, left it in the shed after getting stuck numerous times with the sticky clay quickly filling the
shallow cleats and tires looking like brown racing slicks.
Cost was too high to switch to Ags (different rims required)
traded the whole tractor, got another about the same size with
R1's all around.
No chains and I now never get stuck....

People say that r4's don't damage the ground as much.....
ya maybe, but if I have to drive across a wet field/lawn with Ags, I might leave some cleat marks..no spinning.
If I have r4's on, the foot deep ruts made as it spins and buries itself are much worse

ps when the dealer says with r4's, if you add, weight, 4x4, diff lock, chains, the traction will be good....
counter with....if my tractor has all that and I add Ag tires....twice as much traction!

 

[hd6gtom]

Jim I took a lot of them off and put R1's on for that reason, no traction. We used to have a couple of tractor dealers who would take in trades with worn out tires. They would have me mount the 4's on tractors they were sending to auctions. We sold them cheep to get rid of them.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

My backhoe has R4's and while they may be good on a construction site on a farm they are useless. When I come across the right deal on a comparable size set of R1's I will toss the R4's in the garbage.

In the winter it will get stuck going downhill unless I have chains on it.

 

[Brian in MA]

I have 2 tractors with R4 tires and they wear tire chains year round. I agree with the next post that they are great tires on pavement and construction sites. I would take them over turf tires, but in my opinion, you can't beat R1 for farm work.

 

[Jim in Ma.]

I think R4 tiers are great if you want to mow your lawn. Anything more you will need chains.

 

[JimFord850]

All your replies confirm what I have read and been told. I appreciate all your inputs and based on what I will use the tractor for the R4s are not an option. Thanks again.