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Average life span for turf tires

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JasonR
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Posts: 142 Northern Indiana
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2006-01-25          123446

I just joined this forum, as I think there is a lot of knowledge and insight here. Hopefully I can contribute as well...

Anyway, I bought my first utility tracter - a used 4110 - and it has about 350 hours on it. It has turf tires on it. The front tires appear to be virtually new, and the rear tires look somewhat worn. I say this because I can still see the "line" in the lugs of the front tire, whereas they are gone from the rears (assuming they were there in the first place). I measured the lug heights on both front and rears, and they are about the same on both - 0.32" to 0.39".

I understand that tire wear can vary greatly depending upon use and what you're using it on, but what's the typical life span some of you have seen on your turf tires?


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
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2006-01-25          123448

Jason, it sounds like you bought a machine that spent a bunch of time of a hard surface while in 4WD.

A local nursery here has one like that, the front tires are scrubbed bald after about 300'ish hours.

Our units that operate strictly off-road, don't ever wear out a tire. The tire will get ripped, puntured or will rot away long before you wear the tread out unless it's on asphalt, gravel, concrete, etc.

Best of luck. ....

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JasonR
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2006-01-25          123452

Thanks for the reply Murf, but I'm a little confused about your 4WD comment - my fronts are fine, it's the rears that are worn. ....

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Murf
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2006-01-25          123455

Jason, sorry, I must have been writing between the lines. LOL.

Nobody would try to sell a tractor with bald front tires, it's dead giveaway. I'd bet it's got two original rear tires, and two brand spankin' new fronts.

If that's the case be VERY sure they are the proper size for that machine. A wrong sized front tire can get really spendy in the long run.

Best of luck. ....

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
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2006-01-25          123459

Jason,
you have witnessed a miracle. (LOL) Murf does not miss something very often. He is good, no GREAT. Sort of like Tony the Tiger.

I had not thought about the dealer putting new tires on the front but had wondered about his not explaining it.

kt

....

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JasonR
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2006-01-25          123462

I suppose the previous owner could have replaced the front tires, but I'm pretty confident he didn't - or if he did - it was long before he put it up for sale, as one of the front had a small gash in the sidewall & while the tires look new compared to the rears - they've definately got some hours on them. (I'd be more inclined to think he found someone to swap rear tires with prior to selling it - but I highly doubt that as well.)

Either way, I'm not overwhelmingly concerened about whether the fronts were replaced or not. If I end up replacing the rears soon, I was wondering if that was something I'd be doing every 400 hours or so - or if it was more like 1000+ hours, etc.

FYI, the fronts are 23x8.5-12 and the rears are 31x13.5-15

Thanks ....

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Murf
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2006-01-25          123464

I'm not real familiar with that line of tractors, but your owner's manual will tell you what combination is the proper skins for the machine.

BTW, thanks Kenneth for the kind words.

Best of luck. ....

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
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2006-01-25          123466

Those sizes sound just about right for that model.

I suspect you have several years of wear left in the tires you have.

BTW, I found a used 4100 Gear at a local dealer last week. The rear R-1's were about 1/2 worn down and the clock said it had 120 hours on it.

Right, sure....... ....

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kthompson
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2006-01-25          123467

Jason,

Look back at Murf's first reply on how long tire last for his many tractors.

The front and read tires do not rotate at the exact same ground speed causing excess wear in 4 wheel drive on hard surface. Something your manual probably tells you not to do. It will bind the drive train.

Of course if the tractor was on hard surface either pushing or pulling something of sufficient load to cause the tires to spin that would do it.

If you keep your tractor off of hard surfaces the tires will last a long time.

Hope you enjoy it.
kt ....

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Murf
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2006-01-25          123469

Unfortunately the hours meter on a tractor is a poor way to judge a machine. Even more unfortunate is the number of people who look at very little else when they're shopping for a used tractor.

A few years back a buddy of mine asked me if I could help out his father-in-law who was wanting to buy a CUT, he wanted an 'expert' opinion on a used tractor he had found. He had been to see it with his FIL, and it looked good, but something about it didn't 'feel right' but he couldn't put his finger on it. Story went that a wealthy family member had passed away and this guy was selling it for the widow who had no use for it, it had only been a toy for the deceased. It was about 5 years old and showed about 350 hours on the meter.

When we got there it was in the driveway. My buddy & I started poking & prodding while the FIL knocked on the door. Right off I saw that it had been recently repainted, it also had new rubbers on the brake pedals, a new seat, and 4 new tires. Also, there was way too much play in the 3pth, the swivel balls in the lift arms were badly worn. There were marks on the dashboard where something had been stuck and removed.

As soon as the seller walked out to meet us I had it figured out.

He was the head of the greens department for the local golf course, I had met him several times over the years and he recognized me instantly. He nearly fainted when he saw me poking at the tractor, then he started screaming I was trespassing and to leave, all of us.

Bad move, the FIL was a cop.

It is a common trick. You disconnect the hours meter, if the tach dies too you just stick a tiny tach to the dashboard and go. Then when the tractor is about used up a few million hours alter, you remove the stick on tach, reconnect the hours meter and sexy it up & sell it. Since CUT's are so popular there is no shortage of people looking for a "good used tractor" at a few grand off the new prices.

BTW, the 'seller' not only didn't sell the tractor, he didn't keep his job or freedom either. A quick check showed he had been sued by a previous buyer when the 'nearly new' tractor turned out to be worn out. They charged him with fraud and a bunch of other stuff too.

Best of luck. ....

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
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2006-01-25          123473

Great story, Murf!

As far as wear goes, my tires still have the nibs showing at 150+ hours. It's always been run on dirt with short stints on a gravel road. ....

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JasonR
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2006-01-25          123483

Interesting story Murf - glad to see someone actually got caught... I doubt you are making any implications concerning my hour meter, but I am rather confident the hours are correct. I'm always skeptical of anyone selling anything - so I assume the worst and try to verify otherwise... After talking with the gentleman I bought the tractor from I was rather confident in what I was getting. After we loaded the tractor (and he had the check) he continued pulling things out of his barn for me to take, none of which were part of the deal.

Anyway, I bought it at a price where I assumed I might have to make some semi-costly repairs down the road, as I did buy a used tractor.

I've got a 46 Backhoe on order, so I'll have the dealer give it a good look-over when they install that. ....

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kthompson
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2006-01-25          123485

Murf,
A very good story. Reminded me of the recent stolen tractor case. Went to find it and came across another one.
Sadly, all liars are in in congress.
....

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SG8NUC
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2006-01-25          123489

So let me git this right I can keep my tractor in 4wd and on dirt with no adverse action. I have never taken it out of 4wd I am almost always using the FEL and have only once gotten above third gear. I have 150hrs on it no hard surface. I am not pulling anyones leg I want to know. ....

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kwschumm
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2006-01-25          123490

Sorry, I'm not sure what the question is. I don't run 4WD unless it's needed. It's sort of hard on the drivetrain to make tight turns in 4WD. ....

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SG8NUC
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2006-01-25          123491

I was under the idea that if you used the fel you had to use 4wd more means better. This is my first tractor. So 4wd when needed? ....

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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
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2006-01-25          123492

I only pull it in when needed. Often the rear wheels will slip and then I pull it in. I bought my 955 with new tires on the front and 150 hrs on the clock. I got one R4. Story was this was there first tractor and they kept hitting things. The dent it the rim and bucket confirmed their stories. Like Murf says the tires are not replaced unless damaged. Inexperience can damage tires. ....

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SG8NUC
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2006-01-25          123493

Well that clears up alot, I have no dents tires look like new. I'll save my 4wd. ....

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countryboy
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2006-01-25          123495

for what its worth I live amongst ravines and have 20 horse CUT don't know the last time I took it out of 4wd, but it won't do squat in 2wd. Have about 320 hrs on the meter and suspect I'll be buying front tires around 400hrs.
....

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kwschumm
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2006-01-25          123500

I don't use 4WD when using the FEL unless traction is lost with a heavy load. I use a grapple to lift slash quite a bit, and slash is usually bulky and light so 2WD usually works fine in that case. A full bucket of wet soil is another story. ....

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DRankin
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2006-01-26          123516

I live on a sandy hillside. If I take the 700 pounds of steel off the butt-end of my 4115 it needs full time 4wd.

With the weight in place I can keep it in 2wd 90 percent of the time.

All that assumes that the tires are matched to the terrain. I can go farther in 2wd with my radial M+S tires than I can with Aggies on all four corners in 4wd.

Ken.... I was thinking about you the other day. We are having a pretty wet winter here and I have MUD... as in liquid dirt... wow, mud and sage brush.

I recently put the R-4's back on the front end. Those puppies are worse than useless in mud; they are dangerous.

I have to find some other alternative in a 23 inch tire size.

....

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kwschumm
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2006-01-26          123519

And you guys thought it was just me having problems with R4s and mud all this time :) ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
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2006-01-26          123527

Mark, are there any tire re-capping places near you?

If so just get a couple of good but worn tires with the right size carcass, and get them recapped in your choice of tread pattern. A good re-capper can easily adjust the cap depth to end up with exactly the right sized circumference.

Best of luck.

....

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Iowafun
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2006-01-26          123534

Typically, 90% or more of the time you won't need 4wd. It's the 10% that will cause you to love it. If you ballast your tractor well, you can use a FEL without 4wd. But if the ground is wet or sloped or ice, etc, then the 4wd should be used. I use 4wd everytime when clearing snow. But then it's gravel and I know the fronts will slip on the ice and gravel so it's a non-issue.

Other useage is mud, but I try to avoid operating in that condition if I can. ....

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DRankin
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2006-01-26          123553

Murf... good thought. But first I have to find some rims in something larger than 12 inch with the strange metric bolt pattern on a 41xx.

The new 2530 has 14 inch rims for the turf tires that look like the same bolt pattern but I will have to see and measure one before I buy. ....

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Murf
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2006-01-26          123554

Mark, if you have a decent machine shop near you, anybody with a lathe can easily cut the center out of an existing rim, then index and create a new center.

If you were closer I'd do it here for you. It's only about a 2 hours job, including the Tremclad.

Best of luck. ....

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77simplicity
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2006-01-29          123720

I still have all of the original turf saver tires on my tractor except for on they are in terrable condition. Maybe i should get some new tires. ....

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