AG Tires VS Industrial Tires for Driveway Grading/Box Scraping Compaction Advice?

[LDowney]

Hey guys. I need some feedback and opinions on anyone out there using their tractor with AG tires for grading gravel driveways. With my business, grading and packing gravel driveways is about 40% of my business. I currently have a tractor with Industrial Tires and I can accomplish some compaction with these tires for needed areas like steep inclines. My dealership on my new M7060 tractor is giving me the option of the standard AG tires that come on the tractor or replacing them with the Industrial Tires. Now EVERYTHING else I do with my tractor business, the AG tires would be a huge advantage. Rototilling, bush hogging, pushing snow, ect. Grading and being able to pack down gravel driveways are my ONLY concern with the AG tires.

Is anyone out there using a box scrape with AG tires and accomplishing any compaction with their gravel driveway grading?

Thank you.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Hey guys. I need some feedback and opinions on anyone out there using their tractor with AG tires for grading gravel driveways. With my business, grading and packing gravel driveways is about 40% of my business. I currently have a tractor with Industrial Tires and I can accomplish some compaction with these tires for needed areas like steep inclines. My dealership on my new M7060 tractor is giving me the option of the standard AG tires that come on the tractor or replacing them with the Industrial Tires. Now EVERYTHING else I do with my tractor business, the AG tires would be a huge advantage. Rototilling, bush hogging, pushing snow, ect. Grading and being able to pack down gravel driveways are my ONLY concern with the AG tires.

Is anyone out there using a box scrape with AG tires and accomplishing any compaction with their gravel driveway grading?

Thank you.

Yes AG's will give you about Zero compaction.

You could do a FEL mounted roller for compacting!

 

[BigG]

If compaction is important to business perhaps a roller would be a worth while investment.
I have one made with an 18" pipe filled with concrete and a "v" shaped tongue. I use the winch on the trailer to load it and flip the tongue over and pull it off with the tractor as the roller can be difficult to back up onto the trailer. The cost was minimum and the usefulness has proven to be well worth the investment. A hitch on the back of the box blade or land plane means a minimum of time to grab the roller and then move on to the next job.


Like your website.

 

[Kurtee]

If ag tires give zero compaction why do the farmer worry about it in their fields. Where I come from weight rolling over earth causes compaction. To me the tread pattern is irrelevant it will pack the ground. More weight is more compaction. Get whatever tire you want it won't matter for compaction. I have worked the ground after ag tires have run over it. Extra wide floatation tires pack also. Moisture content affects compaction also. I am just an old farm boy tho so what would I know?

Kurtee

 

[bucktail]

If ag tires give zero compaction why do the farmer worry about it in their fields. Where I come from weight rolling over earth causes compaction. To me the tread pattern is irrelevant it will pack the ground. More weight is more compaction. Get whatever tire you want it won't matter for compaction. I have worked the ground after ag tires have run over it. Extra wide floatation tires pack also. Moisture content affects compaction also. I am just an old farm boy tho so what would I know?

Kurtee

I think they're talking about the width, not the pressure. You'll get more pressure with narrow R1's than anything else, but if you're trying to pack a driveway with the tires, you'll be there all day. On top of that the lugs can give you an uneven pack. But yes, you certainly get compaction with R1's. We used to pack our silage pile with them every year, but they're talking about making a nice surface on a gravel driveway.

 

[RCW]

LDowney - -

I did a VERY quick look at Kubota build website, and pasted it here:

Agricultural Tires - Bias (R1)
FRONT - 9.5-24 R1 Titan Tru Grip Lug
REAR - 16.9-30 R1 DURA TORQ 17 mm holes
FRONT - 9.5-24 R1 Goodyear Dura Torque
REAR - 16.9-30 R1 Goodyear Dura Torque Cast
FRONT - 9.50-20 R1 Bridgestone Farm Service Lug M
REAR - 16.9-24 R1 Titan Hi Traction Lug TL 2.8"offset
Agricultural Tires - Radial (R1)
FRONT - LSW320/70R24 GDYR OPTI R1W
REAR - LSW 420/75R34 GDYR OPTI R1W
FRONT - LSW320/70R24 GDYR OPTI R1W
REAR - LSW 420/75R34 GDYR OPTI R1W CST
FRONT - 320/85R20 R1W ALCE FRMPRO
REAR - 420/85R30 R1W ALCE FRMPRO CAST
Turf Tires (R3)
FRONT - 9.50-24 R3 Goodyear All Weather TL
REAR - 18.4-26 R3 Firestone All Non Skid (ANS) 17mm holes
FRONT - 29x12.50-15 R3 Titan Multi Trac 8stud
REAR - 21.5L-16.1 R3 Firestone Turf & Field
FRONT - LSW305-521R3 Titan Grizz LSW Soft Turf
REAR - LSW570-648 R3 Titan Grizz LSW Soft Turf
FRONT - 13.50-16.1 R3 Firestone (ANS)
REAR - 18.4-26 R3 Firestone (ANS)
Industrial Tires (R4)
FRONT - 14-17.5 R4 With 0.55" Inset
REAR - 16.9-24 R4 Titan Industrial Tractor Lug

Looks like R1's will get you 16.9" (Bias) or 16.5" (Radial - 420mm) width
R4's are the same 16.9, which surprises me is not wider...Is that right?

I honestly expected a difference in width....like 15.5 vs. 18.4, or something like that...

But, the R1's will have the narrow lugs, maybe 1/3 or 1/4 that of R4, and possible uneven compaction track like bucktail mentions.....

I can certainly see your concern with the issue, given gravel driveway work is such a big part for you....

For a hard driveway in dry conditions, R1's might be fine. But with one a little soft or wet, R1's might make a washboard when it hardens up, even with the box blade behind it... I like to do my driveway early spring, when it's a little soft and wet. Oddly, the R1 9.5 fronts might be more of a problem if your doing a lot of loader work.....R4's are 14...

I'll be curious what others say.

I tend to lean toward R4's even though width is comparable. It's also what you obviously know for a big part of your work. They may also wear better given your other work, like snow, some of which might on paved ground?

Best wishes and Good luck! Be curious which way you go!

 

[Lil Foot]

A minor point that may have little or no effect on compacting a gravel drive.
When I raised my driveway a couple feet to install a culvert,
https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21954&highlight=raising+driveway
most of the fill I used was a mix of large rock (2"-3") and various fines. After it was rough leveled, I used multiple passes with the R-1s on the tractor to push the larger rocks down below the surface. I then used a roller & my 7700lb truck to compact it, leaving a very smooth surface. Industrial tires would not have worked as well to sink the large rocks.