Best tires for snow?

Harvey9 · Aug 1, 2014

My previous tractor was a Kioti CK25 with Ind tires, I used it for 6 winters doing my somewhat steep driveway. The Ind tires worked ok. I now have a BX1850 with turf tires, two totally different machines so it's tough to make an accurate comparison. The turf tires also worked ok, i ended up fitting them with Diamond pattern ATV chains (rear) and there was no stopping the BX. As stated you can't go wrong with chains, they make a world of difference. Price out ATV chains, mine were about $80 ten years ago.

Harvey

coachgeo · Aug 2, 2014

Same reason turf is slick in wet grass is same reason I would think they would suck in snow butttt... little experience. My old Unimog had a tread simular to Turfs and the Mighty Unimog was made a fool of... I couldn't drive in a farmers field up a small grade.. tires just spun in wet grass. not dug in. just slide like it was on baby oil.

Wide Turf tires spread the forces out real wide. Less PSI in every spot. This is why they are used in turf. Lower PSI per ground contact.... less damage to turf. Now the Wide Turf tire MIGHT help though due to FLOTATION in some snow conditions? Can you Sipe Turf tires? Might help tremendously. Contact Le Swab and see?

Tractor ... tire.... HIGH psi per contact patch... Sorta digs you down straight to the real terrra firma below where you have more traction potential. Many old timer off roaders prefer thin tires over wide like is often used today cause of the higher PSI per contact area. also Tractor tire might also have a; paddle tire on loose sand, like effect in the snow.

But.. then again my experience is not much with tractors yet. so my .02 is not real relevant?

bdm300 · Aug 7, 2014

As far as pushing or blading snow on hard pack such as concrete or asphalt, my vote is turfs. The analogy I use is ags are like football cleats on a gymnasium floor, they just don't work as well as basketball shoes. Turfs have more contact area and more siping than ags that grip the pack snow or wet surface. But offroad is a totally different argument. Just my .01 cent!!

davidwarner63 · Aug 7, 2014

I can kind of see how on pavement where the snow has been removed, that turfs may do well. My dilemma is that I need to do snow removal on paved surfaces and on my neighbors dirt drive and some areas in the dirt road around my mail box. I guess there's no perfect option. Hopefully the industrials will do well enough.

Cal270 · Aug 14, 2014

I had a L3800 hst 4x4 last winter
& a rear blade with loader.
Made it thru a bad MI winter with no issues.

davidwarner63 · Aug 14, 2014

Cal270 said:
I had a L3800 hst 4x4 last winter
& a rear blade with loader.
Made it thru a bad MI winter with no issues.

What kind of tires?

WFM · Aug 14, 2014

I've seen two tractors working clearing snow in New Hampshire. Same size tractors about 45hp. One ag tires, one industrial tires. The tractor with the Ag tires would push the snow several tractor lengths farther. Time and time again. I wasn't smart enough to think of the tires when I ordered my tractor. BUT Thank God it came with the Ag tires. One winter with them. Never stuck once.

OldeEnglish · Aug 14, 2014

My father has a B2910 with multi trac loaded turfs and it always works well. He has a long steep gravel driveway and never had a problem. Hes had it over 10 years and 2 years ago realiized he doent need to have the backhoe on for weight. We live in the mountains of western mass and get our fair share of snow. I have yet to try my b7100 with old dry rotted slicks in the snow. I have chains for all the tires but i have a concrete driveway And dont want to wreck the concrete. Hopefully ill have new tires before the snow. It has trailer tires with no tread on the fronts but i was able to find a 10 ply with a better tread pattern in the same size. The rears are easy to find and should work fine on a level surface crawling around with a 3 point blower and angle blade on the front. I Just need to pony up the $750 for the rubber!

Cal270 · Aug 18, 2014

Oops....
They were turf tires.
Always leave loader on tractor and left in 4x4 all winter.
Did just fine.

tiredguy · Aug 19, 2014

davidwarner63 said:
Can anyone else comment of turf tires in snow? As compared to Industrial.

Heck yes I'll throw my 2 cents in LOL!

I'm a fellow Michigander living in the northern lower where it snows a lot and
being in the tire business older than dirt plenty of experience in every aspect of dealing with it. When you're plowing or snowblowing snow you're on hard pack or ice NOT deep snow wallowing in it once you drop the blade, so a tire with a broken up pattern like tire tires have actually has more bite than the smooth lugs. Actually the most awesome tire on ice would be to take the turf tire and have it tractionized where they make micro sipes which are cuts across the tread to give more biting edges. An R1 ag lug tire on ice is about as useless as it gets and why anyone serious about movong snow runs chains so they can get some "bite" in the hard pack/ice. Chains are most effective on turf tires because it's flat so the chain stays in the best position to get a "bite" on the surface. R4 industrial are the second best option but would be way better too with chains because the tread blocks are flat so that the chain gets a good "bite" too. R1's are the worst because they don't have enough surface area to get a "bite" and when you put chains on they won't lay flat across like turfs or R4's so they're not effective.
So that's how it works and if you ever saw a deer crossing a slippery road and fell down or couldn't move on the slippery road it's because their hoofs have less surface area than you do with boots or shoes. If you were going to plow snow and have no intentions of taking it all off leaving several inches of depth R1's would work best to drive thru it because it would get it's "bite" in deeper snow just like it was designed to in dirt.

Sorry I'll get down off my soapbox now.
Al

homer44 · Aug 24, 2014

I would like to see a r4 tread and ag thread? I know what a turf tire looks like. any pics would be nice..tnx

85Hokie · Aug 24, 2014

homer44 said:
I would like to see a r4 tread and ag thread? I know what a turf tire looks like. any pics would be nice..tnx

here ya go !

Turf, Ag, Industrial !

jb62901 · Aug 25, 2014

Turffs at work on a BX2360 with a home made plow, 15-20" of snow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQxoIGaV-y4

tiredguy · Aug 31, 2014

OldeEnglish said:
My father has a B2910 with multi trac loaded turfs and it always works well. He has a long steep gravel driveway and never had a problem. Hes had it over 10 years and 2 years ago realiized he doent need to have the backhoe on for weight. We live in the mountains of western mass and get our fair share of snow. I have yet to try my b7100 with old dry rotted slicks in the snow. I have chains for all the tires but i have a concrete driveway And dont want to wreck the concrete. Hopefully ill have new tires before the snow. It has trailer tires with no tread on the fronts but i was able to find a 10 ply with a better tread pattern in the same size. The rears are easy to find and should work fine on a level surface crawling around with a 3 point blower and angle blade on the front. I Just need to pony up the $750 for the rubber!

$750.00 for 4 new tires, really? I'm thinking you've got ( or should have ) 20.5-8-10's on the front, and if you found 10 plies then that would be trailer tires not Turfs for that size. The 4 ply turfs will carry what the tractor should carry even with a loader and bucket full so I'd be doing some more research and shop prices etc before you buy them. Be careful running those trailer tires because they may not have the correct rolling circumference and break some expensive parts.
AL

Garandman · Sep 1, 2014

davidwarner63 said:
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 tires..

Around here they do not recommend industrial tires for snow use, but plenty of folks have them and just mount chains come winter.

snobhill · Oct 14, 2014

davidwarner63 said:
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?[/QUOTE

Just stumbled onto this site; very interesting. I live in the north and use my B7500 for snow removal in fairly cold weather. I use turf tires and they seem to flex and grab quite well.

Humblebub · Oct 15, 2014

I have no snow experience with snow yet, but my dealer told me the same. He said stay with the turf tires. He did quote me $503 for a set of industrial tires and wheels but told me to save my money. I do have chains if needed.

85Hokie · Oct 15, 2014

Humblebub said:
I have no snow experience with snow yet, but my dealer told me the same. He said stay with the turf tires. He did quote me $503 for a set of industrial tires and wheels but told me to save my money. I do have chains if needed.

Chains are better than any tire, cheaper too - PITA to put on sometimes.....
but they answer the call !

ipz2222 · Oct 15, 2014

I can't imagine turf tires doing any good in snow unless they have chains.

SLIMSHADIE · Oct 15, 2014

ipz2222 said:
I can't imagine turf tires doing any good in snow unless they have chains.

I cant either, but thats seems to be the census. My R4 industrial tires did excellent last year in the snow. I was using the FEL and a rear blade, moving forward. Now with a front snow blower on the way and a clean path, I think any tire will work.

Best tires for snow?

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