Colt Case Ingersoll Garden Tractors

I'm considering getting a set of these:
https://www.farmtirewarehouse.com/brand ... ac-ii-r-1/

It will clearly help traction for loader operations.

But am I going to hate it for routine mowing? Is it going to tear up my grass?

Bob

Those tires look good! I'm afraid when they say "request a quote".

If the ground is even a little soft you will hate them. Using your loader with turf tires you will hate. Get a second pair of rims and tires and be happy. I know you got limited space but two wheels can be hung high up on the ceiling, when you are as inventive as you Bob.

Thats' good advice. I suppose I'll need to fab up some of those "instant change" hubs like they use to change tires in Indy cars!

lol

Bob

Eugen wrote: ↑Mon Oct 25, 2021 7:38 pm Those tires look good! I'm afraid when they say "request a quote".

Whats the old saying, OH yah. If you have to ask, you can't afford it

The 6 ply would probably be a rougher ride than you would like when mowing. But with the loader and counter weight the ride should smoothen out.


Gordy

The 8 -16 R-1 's is what I have on Frankie in the summer . He weight 2314 lbs with loader on , 3 pt blower and me in it . Only is an issue when ground is soft (from raining a lot ) . I do not mow with him . For you , because you need a do all tractor I would recommend a hybrid tire like a R-3 or go for a good lug Snow tire radial run at low pressure will have good bite and soft ride.

Dave

I actually don't like myself to make such strong statements about other people's feelings, so maybe you won't hate them. This is what I don't really like about Ag tires on my tractor. Our ground stays soft for quite a while after a rain, and because I usually have the tractor pretty heavily loaded, it leaves big marks on the ground. Now, we have less than stellar lawn, but if I cared about the lawn a lot, it would bother me greatly. On the other hand, this is not the tractor I use for the lawn. You are in a difficult position having the same tractor for double duty. This has been discussed in another thread, but on loader duty, I had trouble with the original 644 tires! They are not shaved, but pretty worn out, and I could not push well into a pile of crushed lime stone. With the new 8-16 Ag tires on, it does that so much better.

Maybe your best compromise is to have another set of wheels, as I said. Yet it's a pain to change the wheels in the summer when you probably mow often, and need to use your front loader. I predict that you will use your loader with the turf tires, perhaps with chains on. And you will be fine as long as you don't expect to load your bucket fully. This is my opinion. Truth is always found on the ground and in the doing.

Hello guys
I have a AG's on one of my 444's when mowing I make sure "no tight turns"
But I have a low spot were there's water standing and if I didn't have my AG's on I'd still be sitting in the middle of the low lands
Also have a few nasty hill's to climb the stock tires would not get the job done, not a BIG Fan of slipping sliding ⛐ thank goodness
for the hold back value if you don't have one ya better just hold on your in for a real ride

My 644 came with some old Monkey Wards snow tires with some pretty good chains out back, I'd like a brand new set of AG's but ya know no one makes them anymore

cc

@crazycase you know @sdunt uses Carlisle Ag 7-16s on his 646 obviously with 16" rims. I use Denmann Ag 8-16 on my 644 also with 16" rims. But @Harry beats us all with his monstruosly big tires.

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

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

Harry wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:10 pm 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!

thebuildist wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 8:32 am 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

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

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.

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

Gordy wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 4:16 pm

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!

Eugen wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 3:33 pm 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

Gordy wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 4:16 pm 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

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

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

Guys, I didn't mean to say you put tracks on. I just wanted to show the lugs added to the tire chain. If I were to do it I'd probably cut the C channel in half and weld each half to a half of the cross section of the tire chain. Thinking more about it I'd be more inclined to use square steel tubing, maybe 1/2". The C channel may be too sharp and dig too aggressively into everything. The square tubing resembles ag tire lugs more closely. Justin my 2c.

Gordy wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 8:00 pm 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

I hadn't thought of that, but you're right. That's a big footprint to force to twist on the ground. I suppose I should forget it.

How was the traction with the M&S tires? Meaningfully better than the Carlisle turfs?

Bob

Eugen wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 8:33 pm Guys, I didn't mean to say you put tracks on. I just wanted to show the lugs added to the tire chain. If I were to do it I'd probably cut the C channel in half and weld each half to a half of the cross section of the tire chain. Thinking more about it I'd be more inclined to use square steel tubing, maybe 1/2". The C channel may be too sharp and dig too aggressively into everything. The square tubing resembles ag tire lugs more closely. Justin my 2c.

I'm sorry, Eugen, because you were quite clear: Just the metal cleats around the rear wheel, not tracks.

It was all the picture's fault! It unleashed my inner child, who wishes he had a half-track lawnmower!

Bob

thebuildist wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 10:24 pmI hadn't thought of that, but you're right. That's a big footprint to force to twist on the ground. I suppose I should forget it.

How was the traction with the M&S tires? Meaningfully better than the Carlisle turfs?

Bob

Nah go ahead and do it I you had it mounted to the 3pt like you mentioned, you could raise it a bit in the corners

As to the tires, unfortunately it was not in service very long before it turned into a project, that keeps getting slid back on the list

If you have the newer tractor with the fuel level window on the back, and there is a buildup of whitish crud on the tank leave it alone. I lightly scratched at mine with a finger nail and put my finger through the side of the tank.


Gordy

Have you considered that you may just have superhuman fingers?

thebuildist wrote: ↑Fri Oct 29, 2021 1:28 pm Have you considered that you may just have superhuman fingers?

That plus the moonshine he's running ate the tank up.

Timj wrote: ↑Fri Oct 29, 2021 2:59 pm

thebuildist wrote: ↑Fri Oct 29, 2021 1:28 pm Have you considered that you may just have superhuman fingers?

That plus the moonshine he's running ate the tank up.

OH no no no no NO!!! There are far better uses for good shine

Superhuman fingers, well maybe 40 years ago

I think the tractor spent A LOT of time outdoors and the UV got to it, it was very brittle and thin.


Gordy

thebuildist wrote: ↑Fri Oct 29, 2021 6:39 am I'm sorry, Eugen, because you were quite clear: Just the metal cleats around the rear wheel, not tracks.

It was all the picture's fault! It unleashed my inner child, who wishes he had a half-track lawnmower!

Bob

No worries Bob, I just wanted to clarify what I was saying. That being said, if course I think tracks are cool

I’ve used my Ferguson tractor with six foot finish mower, loaded R1 tires a round my sons house and sister in laws place. And no marks in the lawn.

Noel