Tractor Tires: Buyers Guide

One of the most expensive parts of a tractor is its tires. You may find it difficult to factor these into your budget due to their cost, and you need to make sure that your tires will provide you with the power and traction you need. So, how do you decide which tire type will work for your tractor?

Tire Types for Tractors

Front and rear tires on tractors require different tire types. There are different grades and types for both the rear and front ends.

On the front end, there are three types of tires, and they are all made for different purposes. These are:

• F-1 (Single-Ribs): Penetrate deeply into soil
• F-2 (Three-Ribs): Prevent a lateral side-slip with their raised center ribs 
• F-2M (Four-ribs): Ideal for heavy loads carried over very firm surfaces

Four primary types of tires are designed for the rear of your tire, including:

• R-1 Tires: Standard for farming on dry land because of their traction-grabbing lugs set at deep angles 
• R-2 Tires: Equipped with deeper treads to cut through wet and muddy ground like rice paddies, so they’re not as commonly used here in the United States
• R-3 Tires (Turf Wheels): Good traction for gravel and sandy areas
•  R-4 Tires: Used for industrial work, and equipped with extra traction from interwoven threads

Before you purchase new tires, make sure to investigate what type will work best with your tractor, and your land.

Radial vs. Bias-Ply

The next order of business is to choose between radial and bias-ply. Radial tires are standard on automobiles and have been for decades, but bias-ply are worthy of your consideration on your agricultural machines. For low-speed traveling, bias-ply wheels will be easier and cheaper to maintain and replace, and they’re more durable and resist damage.

Radial tires are more expensive but will give you a smoother ride and impact soil less. They also have a longer tread life, particularly on hard ground. You can also run radials on lower air pressure which improves both work and fuel efficiency.

Load Rating

Finally, you’ll want to take the load rating of the wheels in question into consideration. If you don’t have tires with a high enough load rating, then your tires will operate inefficiently when overweight. Load ratings are designated in the form of stars that represent the maximum tire pressure in PSI. 1-stars have a maximum rating of 18 PSI; 2-stars have a maximum rating of 24 PSI; 3-stars have a maximum rating of 30 PSI. Combine these numbers with the general size to get your tire’s total capacity.

Once you’ve decided on the best tire for you, visit Southern States Milford in Milford, Delaware. We proudly serve those in Dover, Harrington, and surrounding areas.