Grooving Turf Tires?

Erik Graham

Member

Equipment
B2630, LA 403, RCK60-30B, L2550 GST
Nov 30, 2009
38
7
8
Toronto, Ontario
Greetings, I recently purchased a used B2630 with turf tires on front and back. 24 8.5-14 on the front and 13.6-16 on the rear. The tractor does have a 60" MMM that came with it and an FEL, but my main use for the tractor will be more towards light ag work-roto tilling and grapple work in and around the wood lot. Had I been purchasing the tractor new I wouldn't have gone with turfs but have to live with them for a while until the budget will allow for R-14's. I have the tractor at home in the city at the moment installing a 3rd function valve and a grapple and have noticed in moving things around in the yard here that the turfs definitely will be a problem in the wild. I'm wondering if deepening and widening the existing sipes might give me a boost in traction as an interim measure. Any thoughts/insights gratefully appreciated. Cheers, Erik
 

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North Idaho Wolfman

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Jun 9, 2013
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My opinion waste of effort, you very unlikely to get any more improvement.
And very likely to do tire damage, as turfs are very thin to begin with.
Get a set of chains for it.
 
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Henro

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B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex.
May 24, 2019
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North of Pittsburgh PA
Greetings, I recently purchased a used B2630 with turf tires on front and back. 24 8.5-14 on the front and 13.6-16 on the rear. The tractor does have a 60" MMM that came with it and an FEL, but my main use for the tractor will be more towards light ag work-roto tilling and grapple work in and around the wood lot. Had I been purchasing the tractor new I wouldn't have gone with turfs but have to live with them for a while until the budget will allow for R-14's. I have the tractor at home in the city at the moment installing a 3rd function valve and a grapple and have noticed in moving things around in the yard here that the turfs definitely will be a problem in the wild. I'm wondering if deepening and widening the existing sipes might give me a boost in traction as an interim measure. Any thoughts/insights gratefully appreciated. Cheers, Erik
Why do you think you need more traction than the turf tires will offer? Planning on being in mud most of the time? R4 tires are not good in mud either. My personal experience anyway.

I have read that with loader work, R4s on the front are better than turf tires. You might consider having the front turf tires foam filled if you think punctures or loading might be an issue. I foam filled (by a tire dealer, not me) the front R4s on my B2910 soon after purchase, when I quickly got my first flat. Same with my smaller BX. but before I got my first flat, ha ha. The BX has AG tires.
 

Henro

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B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex.
May 24, 2019
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North of Pittsburgh PA
My opinion waste of effort, you very unlikely to get any more improvement.
And very likely to do tire damage, as turfs are very thin to begin with.
Get a set of chains for it.
Just as an adder to NIW's post, with turf tires you can use simple ladder chains with good results. With R4 tires, the ladders seem to find a way to drop between the lugs for the most part, and simple ladder chains are not that helpful, but they do help to some degree.

So for the price of the cheaper ladder chains and keeping your turf tires, you may have a winning combination, as far as reducing out of pocket costs goes...
 

Erik Graham

Member

Equipment
B2630, LA 403, RCK60-30B, L2550 GST
Nov 30, 2009
38
7
8
Toronto, Ontario
If I had to choose a title for this post it would be "Glad I asked!" The idea of using ladder chains is a solid one that I hadn't considered but makes consummate sense. That way I can still have the advantage of the wider stance that the Titan turfs give me and would set the stage for getting ready for next winter.
Wondering if any Canadian members might be able to suggest a domestic source for chains. The US/Canadian exchange rate often a deal breaker. Cheers, Erik
 

Henro

Well-known member

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B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex.
May 24, 2019
5,116
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North of Pittsburgh PA
If I had to choose a title for this post it would be "Glad I asked!" The idea of using ladder chains is a solid one that I hadn't considered but makes consummate sense. That way I can still have the advantage of the wider stance that the Titan turfs give me and would set the stage for getting ready for next winter.
Wondering if any Canadian members might be able to suggest a domestic source for chains. The US/Canadian exchange rate often a deal breaker. Cheers, Erik
One additional thought. Check to see if you have clearance between your turf tires and the fenders on the inside.

Some tractors have very little clearance with the wider turf tires. My B2910 is barely satisfactory with R4 tires and chains. I understand if I had turf tires chains would be impossible without buying wheel spacers.
 

Erik Graham

Member

Equipment
B2630, LA 403, RCK60-30B, L2550 GST
Nov 30, 2009
38
7
8
Toronto, Ontario
One additional thought. Check to see if you have clearance between your turf tires and the fenders on the inside.

Some tractors have very little clearance with the wider turf tires. My B2910 is barely satisfactory with R4 tires and chains. I understand if I had turf tires chains would be impossible without buying wheel spacers.
As it turns out you were exactly right about clearance. I checked last night and I have only a 1/2" between the sidewall of tire and a portion of the fender. So, it looks like if chains are to be considered wheel spacers would definitely be added. Adding wheel spacers might mean having to modify my MMM as well. Going to phone our local Kubota dealer to see what a set of R-14's (not R-4's) would set me back. At this point have no idea of whether or not new rims would have to be factored in or not.
 

sheepfarmer

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L3560, B2650, Gator, Ingersoll mower
Nov 14, 2014
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MidMichigan
Before you get out your wallet, consider trying your rig out the way it is in a couple of environments. You might be pleasantly surprised. I pretty much never catch my B with turfs spinning its wheels, but the L with the “industrial tread“ does. Even the L has never knock on wood gotten stuck. Either 4wd, the diff lock, or pushing with the loader gets it out. But then I’ve never had to drive it into a swamp, but I think it wouldn’t matter what kind of tires it had in a swamp.