Which tread pattern?

[Asmith902]

I have a bobcat t650 that I use around the farm. Mainly grass/mud and occasional snow.

Which tread pattern should I look at buying? Zig zag or multi bar?

 

[Tim in New York]

Not sure what you mean by zig zag. I have the R-4 bar industrial tires on my little Kubota and its good to use on the lawn, but pretty worthless in mud and snow without the tire chains I had to put on it.

 

[Asmith902]

Not sure what you mean by zig zag. I have the R-4 bar industrial tires on my little Kubota and its good to use on the lawn, but pretty worthless in mud and snow without the tire chains I had to put on it.

Here’s what I’m talking about. From what I’ve searched, it seems to be best for my use.

T650 zig zag tread rubber tracks

 

[DWF]

I use the basic Zig zag and they work fine and I use it like you. There is always something better for one use, but not another, so mine came with the zig zag , so it seems fine.
DWF

 

[Asmith902]

I use the basic Zig zag and they work fine and I use it like you. There is always something better for one use, but not another, so mine came with the zig zag , so it seems fine.
DWF

Thanks!

 

[DWF]

I didn't see your second post. Mine is more like the C Lug in vender's site.
DWF

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Not sure what you mean by zig zag. I have the R-4 bar industrial tires on my little Kubota and its good to use on the lawn, but pretty worthless in mud and snow without the tire chains I had to put on it.

Track machine, not tires.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

I have a bobcat t650 that I use around the farm. Mainly grass/mud and occasional snow.

Which tread pattern should I look at buying? Zig zag or multi bar?

I have zig zag and like them. Neighbor who works commercially had some and they gave out very quickly. So, even though they may look alike, are there different grades out there? Then he got straight bars-spaced about the same, just no zig zag. We both had originally had C or D bars, or whatever they're called, and they might as well have been slicks.

 

[Texasmark]

I don't have a Bobcat but In the 1940's to name a period, military vehicles had straight bar mudgrips and the rationale was that they could provide traction in both directions. The movies I have seen, since I was born in '41, show a lot of getting stuck.

R1 farm tires, of which I have and had a bunch, have angled lugs and the reason is to allow mud to work its way out of the lug....but they are direction limited, but farmers usually plow with the engine forward. With that said, any tread with a slant, in my limited education on the subject opinion, would be where I'd put my money.

 

[bc]

I don't have a Bobcat but In the 1940's to name a period, military vehicles had straight bar mudgrips and the rationale was that they could provide traction in both directions. The movies I have seen, since I was born in '41, show a lot of getting stuck.

There was the right way, the wrong way, and the Army way. The Army way in action. The new humvee tread and the old army tread.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

There was the right way, the wrong way, and the Army way. The Army way in action. The new humvee tread and the old army tread.

View attachment 103928View attachment 103929

And the new tread is apparently for going in circles! With one, one way, and the other, the other way!

 

[Destroked 450]

Here’s what I’m talking about. From what I’ve searched, it seems to be best for my use.

T650 zig zag tread rubber tracks

That’s a good price if the quality is there, I looked up my machine and the price is a few hundred $ less than I paid for the aftermarket tracks I have now. The tracks I have now are not holding up as well as the OEM tracks, but they are several hundreds $$$ higher

 

[Texasmark]

Years ago I wanted some mud-grips for the rear of my truck. Shopped radials and none had a v lug, all had these posts like is in the center of the tires on the Hum-Vee pictured. So I said heck with the radial and found some bias ply and got the pattern I wanted. Apparently there is something about the radial that prevents it from having the V lug design. Surely tire companies have the resources to see what works in mud and what doesn't. Open to comments as to the functionality, reasoning behind their choices.

 

[bc]

Years ago I wanted some mud-grips for the rear of my truck. Shopped radials and none had a v lug, all had these posts like is in the center of the tires on the Hum-Vee pictured. So I said heck with the radial and found some bias ply and got the pattern I wanted. Apparently there is something about the radial that prevents it from having the V lug design. Surely tire companies have the resources to see what works in mud and what doesn't. Open to comments as to the functionality, reasoning behind their choices.

By V lug do you mean these? Michelin cross climate 2. Put these on the Subaru last month.

 

[Texasmark]

No I mean this:

https://salina.craigslist.org/hvd/d/rubber-tracks-skid-steer-excavator/7822423714.html

 

[caterpillar guy]

I always heard the old military tire tread was so they enemy would not know which way you went by the tracks versus a different pattern that was directional like a tractor tread.

 

[Farmall m farmer]

I don't have a Bobcat but In the 1940's to name a period, military vehicles had straight bar mudgrips and the rationale was that they could provide traction in both directions. The movies I have seen, since I was born in '41, show a lot of getting stuck.

R1 farm tires, of which I have and had a bunch, have angled lugs and the reason is to allow mud to work its way out of the lug....but they are direction limited, but farmers usually plow with the engine forward. With that said, any tread with a slant, in my limited education on the subject opinion, would be where I'd put my money.

But it is a skid loader so he will be pushing and pulling in both directions

 

[Texasmark]

I always heard the old military tire tread was so they enemy would not know which way you went by the tracks versus a different pattern that was directional like a tractor tread.

I like my story better. Makes more "sense" and making sense makes sense...Grin

 

[Destroked 450]

I always heard the old military tire tread was so they enemy would not know which way you went by the tracks versus a different pattern that was directional like a tractor tread.

Dad was in the 4th Armored during WW2 driving a truck hauling prisoners back and supplies forward, he told me preventing the enemy from knowing which direction you where going the was the Armies reason for the non directional tires

 

[bc]

It would make double sense that you are both right. There were two reasons to use that style tread. My Dad as a dozer operator in the Leyte Gulf and Okinawa invasions did a lot of pulling vehicles through the mud when he wasn't clearing airfields and building roads.

In reality they all new where the enemy lines were and most driving was done behind, at the lines, or when advancing.