R1 tires on grass

[thebuildist]

Here is a pic of the tires on my 646. Bigger is not always better, but I can say I never got stuck with these guys in the rear. I can rut up the yard these these tires, so I stay off the lawn.

Keep the Peace
Harry

Those tires look better on there than I would have expected!

[Gordy]

Having read through everything, here's what I'm thinking:

1. I don't want to just replace my current turf tires with R-1's. The 6ply ride is poor and it'll tear up my grass.

2. The ideal thing is to buy an extra set of wheels and put R-1's on them. Cost: $3,125.00
(275 used 44x tires on ebay, 300 for R1's, $50 to convert rear hubs to protruding studs and $2500 to find a new place to live after the wife kicks me out. :-p)

3. Tire chains may well be a reasonable option: They take less time to install than swapping rear wheels, and they offer decent traction on soft ground, excellent traction on ice. We very rarely get ice around here, but I have cleared ice with my old 442 using a home built belly blade and running on turfs with chains. I was surprised how well it did.

I have a set of v-bar 4-link chains. I've just ordered another set of v-bar 4-link chains ($42 shipped on E-Bay). I'll combine my current set of chains into a single wheel 2-link chain. I'll do the same to the new set when they arrive. That will leave me with liquid filled turfs with a 2-link chains option.

I know it's not the ideal option, but I think it's workable and, given the cost difference, my best option.

Thanks everyone for your helpful input!

Bob

There is another option to consider. A tire midway between turf and R-1, like those used on mud running trucks. There are quite a few tread patterns to choose from.


Gordy

[thebuildist]

I gave that some thought. It looks like 265/75R16 is the size I'd be after.

But it seems like if I'm really needing traction I'll have to resort to chains anyway.... I suppose it could move the point where chains are necessary, allowing me to do more jobs without having to resort to chains.

But they're pretty much all 10 ply. Aren't they going to be uncomfortable?

Bob

[Eugen]

You could have a lot of traction with something like this but just around the tire. Could use 1" u channel to make your own lugs if you wanted to be extreme. Or smaller square tube.

I'm not sure what you're wondering about being uncomfortable.

[Gordy]

I'm not sure what you're wondering about being uncomfortable.

Stiff 10 ply tires and rough ride. Could tube them and only run 5 PSI to make them a softer ride.

Those track need studs. I had some 72 Polaris snowmobiles with channel pop riveted to the flat rubber tracks. Was a lot like ice skates on a side hill or when on the lake spinning shit hooks


Gordy

[thebuildist]

I'm not sure what you're wondering about being uncomfortable.

Stiff 10 ply tires and rough ride. Could tube them and only run 5 PSI to make them a softer ride.

Those track need studs. I had some 72 Polaris snowmobiles with channel pop riveted to the flat rubber tracks. Was a lot like ice skates on a side hill or when on the lake spinning shit hooks


Gordy

That brings back good memories! 1974 Arctic Cat, we'd jump off the bank and land on a frozen river inlet/backwater we called the "slough". ("Slew") We'd try to turn just as we jumped and hit the ice sideways and go spinning and spinning. Man, that was fun! And you're right, those steel u-cleats didn't have ANY traction on the ice!

[thebuildist]

You could have a lot of traction with something like this but just around the tire. Could use 1" u channel to make your own lugs if you wanted to be extreme. Or smaller square tube.



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I'm not sure what you're wondering about being uncomfortable.

I had given serious thought to building one of these, being sure that it weighs at least 500 lbs, with a defined place to add more weight if necessary. It would be combination counterweight and traction device. It would mount to the 3-pt lift, and I imagine I would adjust track tension via the top link.

The track itself would be made of 2" slices of 8" C channel, welded to every Xth link of 5/16 or 3/8 log chain. Then weld a V-shaped piece of 1/2" re-bar to the "face" of the track for bite-in traction. The rear idler wheel would be a golf cart tire.

But what I never satisfied myself with is ease of install. If it's a 10 minute fight to the death to get it installed, then I'll never really want to use it. I'm still mulling it over. I can use downpressure on the 3 point arms to pick up the rear wheels, so getting the tracks over the rear tires shouldn't be too big of a deal. But overall, installation needs to be no more of a struggle than installing tire chains.

But if I could make it happen, it would be pretty darn cool! And it would be quality content for my dozens of adoring fans on YouTube!

We'll see.

Bob

[thebuildist]

Could tube them and only run 5 PSI to make them a softer ride.

If that's really doable, it is at least conceivable financially. Something like $175 per tire. Not cheap, but conceivable.

How confident can I be that that's a viable option? Do we know anyone that's done it and liked it?

Bob

[Gordy]

I will have to look in the day light for the ply rating. But a 448 came to me with 245-75R 16 M&S Wild Country tires on it. They were at 25 PSI and rough riding, I dropped them to 10-12 PSI and it rode a lot better, but had trouble holding air till I put tubes in. Of coarse our little tractors are a lot lighter than the truck the tires were intended for

The 245-75R 16 are an inch shorter than the OEM 8-16, it has been suggested that 85R would give the proper diameter / height.


Gordy

[Gordy]

I have given some thought to the track idea for a number of years. But get hung up with my experience with 30, 40, and 50 ton tandem axle off road dump trucks. Those rears want to go straight, in tight turns the fronts can do as much plowing as steering especially in sandy or wet clay soils. The rears need to slip or slide when turning, an exaggerated example would be if you ever saw a semi trailer with spread axles making a sharp turn, they can leave a fair bit of rubber on the pavement The longer the tracks get the worse it would get.


Gordy