Best tires for snow?

[davidwarner63]

Hi All,

I just bought a BX25D with industrial tires and an extra set of turf tires. I aksed the maintenance guy how the industrial tires would perform in snow and he said that turf tires actually work better.

Previously, I had used Ag tires (for winter) on my BX1850 abnd they worked great.

Any thoughts?

 

[uncle carver]

I just stay inside when it snows. It is only about a day every year or two anyway. I got industrials and if I ever drive in the snow I will repost.

 

[quazz]

I have ag tires and have no complaints.

Turf tires? I don't get that. I would think that they would be the worst followed by industrial although I have never tried either in snow.

 

[Daren Todd]

Mass hysteria here every time it snows nobody knows how to drive in it, and everything shuts down for a week. Got rice paddy tires on the back of mine and glorified bycicle tires on the front. Haven't had any issues except for having to steer with the breaks go with which ever has the more agressive tread

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Little early to be on this subject isn't it!
#1 for snow traction is Chains, but not chains on AG tires.
Yes Turf tires bite better in snow than Industrials, just get a set of chains for either and you'll get right threw anything! I have a combination of different things, One tractor B7100 has Studded truck snow tires and chains, it's a beast in the snow, My other L3450 I have Power implement Ag tires in the rear and studs in the front, newer go it stuck even in real deep snow!

 

[davidwarner63]

Turf tires? I don't get that.

Yeah, I don't get that either. He said they work more like snow tires on a car. I could see mayby turfs with chains, but turfs on their own don't seem right to me.

 

[davidwarner63]

Yes Turf tires bite better in snow than Industrials

Can anyone else comment of turf tires in snow? As compared to Industrial.

 

[85Hokie]

Can anyone else comment of turf tires in snow? As compared to Industrial.

I aint buying it either.....
turf tires , mmmmm.....good traction on , lets see .....turf comes to mind...I have seen turf tires loose grip on light wet grass!

Ag tires......good for almost all offroad conditions........

Industrial in my thoughts are a cross between, I had no problem in 8" of snow with my BX with ind tires.......my biggest fear was the deck getting in the way!!! I figured I could blow the snow too - ok kidding.

I would go with industrials all the way......the turf have more "teeth" thus cannot bite into the snow, plus, if a wet snow, it will compact in the grooves of the tires and you arent left with nuttin.....Ind tires will throw out the packed snow, plus it will bite harder due to more weight on less "Teeth" However, they too can clog up. Both will suck on hard packed snow/ice.

Spend you some money on a good set of chains, and you will have the problem licked. Do your research on types of chains, some a "good" where others are mucccch better for a little bit more $$$... get the ones that serve your purpose the best.

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

I don't get the turfs either

I have the industrials and they worked awesome last winter. I was plowing my lane, must of got to close to the edge. Next thing you know I'm over the edge, thinking all or nothing. Now I knew I wasn't going to roll over or anything dangerous, but thought I was going to get stuck in the fresh snow 6-8" deep due to a rookie mistake.
Lifted the FEL and rear blade for clearance and tromped on the pedal. Walked right thru it.
I did have it in 4wd, not sure on low or high. Thinking high gear, I go slow though, no chains either. I don't think we can put rear chains on the BX without rear spacers? But it wasn't needed.

 

[davidwarner63]

Well, I'm glad to hear that at least some people say that the R4's (Industrial Tread) are ok for snow. I was getting ready to panic buy a set of Ag's.

I guess I'll wait and see....

 

[skeets]

I have R4s on my BX and never had a problem in the snow, in the mud well they are a little IFFY

 

[Tooljunkie]

Buddy has ag tires on his little green estate tractor, drives up to the floor in loose snow to make snow guards.bucket on front snowblower on back. In 4WD of course.

My old cockshutt wont pull a wiener off a plate without chains. 2WD with loader

Snowblower coming for my L1501, looking for truck tires and wheels so i can chain up. This past winter was the most extreme i have seen in my life. Plow truck was ok til i ran out of space to push snow. My banks were 4-5 feet high and 20+feet wide. Was down to one plow width at last storm in march.

 

[gpreuss]

I think turf tires plus chains is the best way to go. It gives you the best chain surface to the ground, even with inexpensive ladder chains.
Industrial tires with expensive diamond pattern chains work OK to GOOD. I was using 2-link ladder chains with industrials and got by, but most of every ladder section was wasted between tire bars.
I went to AG tires with sure-grip tire studs and have good service even on ice; no problems.

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

I had a JD X320 the previous season for mowing and snow removal. It cut could but only a 48" deck. It had turf tires on it, so i put chains on it, a snow blade, rear weights. Well only 2wd and the chains kept popping off, maybe my fault. It plain right sucked in the winter. Sold it and bought thr Bx25D. I almost wonder what I did with out it for the last 10 years. R4's and 4wd, it just doesnt quit. A couple times it came to a complete stop plowing, lock the differential, starts going again. That little tracor is a monster!!!

 

[olthumpa]

12.4 x 24 R1 with these chains, and just keep on going. They are not cheep but they put "almost" every other chain to shame.

http://www.labonville.com/Studded-Farm-Grader-and-Loader-Chains--12S7T_p_130.html

 

[rayc]

When i had turf tires on my L4310 it had good traction on packed or iced snow but not in deeper snow. So i put chains on them. Well that almost shook me out of the cab, it rode rougher then a tank. Installed r1 ag tires and solved all my problems, I don't use chains either but im on level ground. They work great in deep snow (in 4 wheel drive also).

 

[tiredguy]

I have ag tires and have no complaints.

Turf tires? I don't get that. I would think that they would be the worst followed by industrial although I have never tried either in snow.

It's really quite simple if you've even spent time in the ice and snow country and moved a fair share of it. The reason why turf tires are best is because once you drop the blade or snowblower etc the tires aren't running in deep snow simply on packed smooth snow/ice. Since turf tires don't have the big voides between tread segments you're putting more rubber on the ground.
Everyone looks at drag racing slicks and can't understand why they provide the best traction, and it's simply has more contact surface that a tire with a design carved or molded into it.

R4's follow turf as the next best thing for much the same reason and both turfs and R4's make the best use of chains because they lay flatter across the surface of the tire giving the chains the most amount of contact area.
( I'm still using R4's on my B3030 only because if I went with turfs they come in the next larger size and I can't get it in my garage won't clear the door opening dang it )

Now if you're going to head off across a drifted field to take hay to the cattle then keep the blade up and R1 ag lugs will probably get you through the deep snow as long as you're not crossing bare areas that can be icy or frozen over light crusty snow. R1's are designed to use the dirt that gets packed between the lugs to grab a bite and keep digging their way forward.
Al

 

[quazz]

We get a lot of snow so I think I will stick with the ag tires.

 

[davesl708]

I have turf tires and have pushed up to 10 " snow without a problem. This is on a concrete driveway. I have not used Ag tires so cannot compare.

 

[dwk121]

My BX1870 has turf tires.The rear tires are filled and I use 350lbs Of bagged sand in the ballast box. We had 12 to 14" snows this past winter and my driveway is asphalt up hill. No problems in 4wd wet or dry snow. As stated more rubber on the ground. My last tractor had Ag tires and would only get me half way up the drive before stopping. I am very impressed with the turf tires.