[AT] O.T. -- Tires; Turf VS Lug

[Herbert Metz]

Larry,
I found out earlier today that the tire I described is the R4 industrial.
Is this low-profile high-flotation tire that you mention also known as the
R4 industrial, or what are their differences?   
Herb


> [Original Message]
> From: Larry D Goss <rlgoss at evansville.net>
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Date: 7/24/2007 11:26:43 PM
> Subject: Re: [AT] O.T. --  Tires; Turf VS Lug
>
> Herb, I've been mowing a 6-acre tract with turf tires for 10 years.  I 
> changed them out about two months ago for low-profile high-flotation lug 
> tires and I WILL NEVER GO BACK.  Turf tires burn the turf -- all the
time. 
> As soon as I converted to lug tires, the mowing time for this plot was 
> decreased by 25%.  Mowing time went from four hours down to three hours. 
> There are some slopes on this property that are absolutely bare after all 
> these years of using turf tires.
>
> I suspected from the experience I had while working in a local
dealership, 
> that something of this nature would happen, but I didn't have first-hand 
> knowledge of it until a couple of months ago.  The experience I had was
that 
> on brand new ZTR mowers, owners were complaining about not having good 
> control of the mower while mowing across slopes.  They were loosing all 
> traction on the upslope wheel.  We would bring the mowers in, change out
the 
> turf tires for low-lug high-flotation style, and the owners seemed to be 
> content.
>
> Around April of this year, I serviced a tractor that was being
troublesome 
> for the owner.  I fixed his problem with an on-site service call and I 
> noticed that he had the "super size" versions of the high-flotation, 
> low-profile lugs on the rear of his equipment.  I asked him about it and
he 
> said that for mowing the slope on his earthen dam (close to 1/4 mile
long) 
> he couldn't operate without them.  He mowed the dam once (just once) with 
> turf tires and got tired really quickly of not being able to track
anywhere 
> close to a straight line across the dam.  He's been mowing the dam for 
> better than 15 years with the lug tires and the grass looks perfect.
>
> You can moan and groan all you want to about lug tires tearing up the
grass, 
> but my experience is showing otherwise.
>
> YMMV.  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
>
> FWIW, I'm running 29X12.5-15's.  They cost around $450 per pair,
including 
> wheels.  At the dealership, we typically not only changed out the tires
but 
> also sent the new ones back loaded with calcium-chloride.
>
> Let the flames begin.
>
> Larry
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <D8RMAN at aol.com>
> To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 7:54 PM
> Subject: Re: [AT] O.T. -- Tires; Turf VS Lug
>
>
> >
> > Herb, It sounds like the turf tires will work just fine for a just
mowing
> > job. The lugs can damage the turf much easier than a turf tire. If the 
> > tractor
> > was going to be used in some other application just remember that most 
> > turf
> > tires are a lower profile and thus gives you less ground clearance
making 
> > the
> > tractor easier to get high centered, I've been there and done that. 
> > Willard
> > Smith, Tacoma, WA.
> >
> > O.T.   ---   This information is for a good friend  who plans buying a
new
> > tractor.
> > This discussion concern is turf tiresVS lug  tires for a new J.D. 2305 
> > with
> > 54" belly mower that will be used primarily for  maintaining five acres
of 
> > GA
> > soil that is sloped (average slope is  3/12).     The lug tires have a 
> > 3/4"
> > wide x 3/4" high bar with  1 1/4" between bars; bars are perpendicular
to 
> > travel
> > in center of tire and  approx 45 degrees to travel at outer 1/3 of
tire. 
> > I
> > am not  sure of the kind of grass, but it appears native in that  tthe 
> > only
> > maintenance is mowing.    Ground is just north GA soil, mostly red 
clay; 
> > and
> > normally very hard.
> > Will these lugs (rear tires are  approx 20" high x 8" wide) on a J.D.
2305
> > tractor tear up the grass and/or  soil?
> > The. 2305 has front wheel assist with useage  optional.(front tires are
> > approx 14" x 8').
> > Should one be concerned about  slippage of turf tires on wet grass on
such 
> > a
> > slope?
> > Is wear on front end  less when using only rear wheel traction?
> > Herb
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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