Ag tires VS ATV tires?

[brandonozz 168]

I have seen a few horses with ATV tires but most guys seem to go with the bar style tractor tires when they want more than turfs.  What would be the pros and cons of using ATV tires on our horses?  Do the bar style give more traction in dirt/snow and the ATV style do better in mud?  Both type are usually 4 to 8 ply and the ATV tires come anywhere from mild to wild with their lug patterns.

Good used ATV tires can be found much easier than bar style tires in my area and at a reasonable price.

Please give me your   

[WheelHorse79 271]

I have tried turf, ATV and AG (bar tires) on my JD 425.  Here are my opinions on each tire:

 

Turf: Tears up the yard the least if you lose traction, but also has the least amount of traction.  Can spin in wet grass.

AG: Tears up the yard the most if you lose traction.  Can leave bar impressions in soft soil and rougher ride on hard pavement.  Has the most traction, great for gardens, snow or gravel.  I still use these tires when I till my garden or haul mulch with my dump scoop.

ATV:  A good compromise between AG and Turf.  Better traction than turf but not as much as AG tires.  Tears up the yard a little when you lose traction.  However, in muddy ground the tread can ball up and lose traction.  I use these tires for regular mowing and yard work.  A good all-round tire.

 

The AG and ATV tires I have are 4 ply, and I've never had a puncture problem with either tire.  I no longer use turf tires at all.

 

This is what I've found from personal experience, YMMV.  Both of my Wheel Horses (C-101, 854) have turf tires and are in semi-retirement.  I generally don't use them to mow or do yard work because they have too much sentimental value.

[Hydro 131]

I guess it would depend mostly on what you are doing.  I don't have ATV's but do have AG's loaded with wheel weights and a set of Turfs.  I cut grass and blow snow mainly.  The one negative about AG's is they do not work well in reverse so in snow with the big blower out front  I would prefer ATV's.  For what I do ATV's would likely be a year round tire so no seasonal change required.

If I were gardening, pulling anything then I would stick with what I have.

[chrisd200(inactive) 55]

I'm not a fan of turf tires AT ALL! Unless your yard is mostly flat and all you want to do is cut grass, then they are ok. I use AG tires on all of my tractors and I use the tractors for mowing, plowing, tilling and hauling/towing. My buddy has a nice C101 8 speed with ATV tires and he loves it. He mows, plows and works his 3 acres with it.

[littleredrider 409]

Really depends on what ATV tire you use. I have a set on my 4x4 that make Ag tires look like slicks. Lugs are 1 1/2" deep. I have an extra set of tires that I got for free that I wanted to try. But I prefer Ag tires over turfs. My lawn is mostly level, but there is a couple side hills that are steep. I was mowing going up the hill with my ranger, and it lifted the front wheels off the ground. Not sure the turfs could get the traction to do that. For plowing on smooth blacktop, I used both, and neither did great. Slapped chains on and was pretty much unstoppable. But I also use a JD425 with Ags filled and with weights, and it does good. But the second you get off the blacktop, it will just spin. I've mowed thru some pretty muddy stuff without even spinning a tire, the turfs usually just turn into chocolate donuts. And buying them new, they aren't too much more expensive over turfs. Pus they just look cool....

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,415]

Heres what I did. These tires so far have impressed me both in loose dirt and in last winters snow. They have great traction in both forward and reverse. I have about 75#'s of weight on each rear wheel and do not run chains.

 

Mike...........

[littleredrider 409]

I just put new 18" on the ranger, and even with 10psi in the tires going up a wet incline they don't really dig it up. The 1045 diesel has dual 6-12 ags and that is the same, even going in muddy stuff, going slow letting it go it's thing, doesn't tear it up.

 

I thought bout those tires sparky, I have an extra set of 12x10 rims that new some new sneakers, maybe I'll try them....

[Forest Road 594]

I'm running ags on the 314h. It looks great and I can do all my plowing and road grading with ease. Pulling the steep slopes while mowing is a breeze. In the winter nothing beats chains!

I have some sort of ATV tires on the 522xi loader. They were cheap and seem to be holding up well. They certainly do the job.

Basically anything but turfs on my property.

[Hydro 131]

Heres what I did. These tires so far have impressed me both in loose dirt and in last winters snow. They have great traction in both forward and reverse. I have about 75#'s of weight on each rear wheel and do not run chains.

 

Mike...........

Yeah that's the post I remember.  I'd trade both my sets of tires for one set of those.  One & done!

[chrisd200(inactive) 55]

 

Heres what I did. These tires so far have impressed me both in loose dirt and in last winters snow. They have great traction in both forward and reverse. I have about 75#'s of weight on each rear wheel and do not run chains.

 

Mike...........

Yeah that's the post I remember.  I'd trade both my sets of tires for one set of those.  One & done!

 

Those look really AWESOME!

[brandonozz 168]

I'm like Chris in that I really have no use for turf tires.  I have turfs on my D200 right now and was looking to get something more aggressive for better traction.  I have chains for the turfs but dont want to have to pull them off every time I pull it into the garage.  I have found some pretty beefy used ATV tires but wasn't sure what experiences others have had using them in place of bar tires.  I guess I will find some good used ATV tires and give them a try.

Thanks for all the input!

[chrisd200(inactive) 55]

Definitely give them a try. Lots of guys like them, obviously.  Let me know what you think!

[brandonozz 168]

Finally got some tires for the D and went with some Carlisle 26 X 12.5 X 12 tires with 1.5" deep lugs.  When I first saw them on CL they put a smile on my face and had to get them.  Brand new never mounted for $125 for the pair.  I havent got to play with them much but I think they might be a little better than the turfs I pulled off 

The only problem was getting the tires onto these rims!  What a PITA.  It's like trying to seat the tire for 6" with those rims that have the large diameter on half the width of the rim.

 

 

Thanks for everyone's advice- I think I'm going to like them!

[DoctorHfuhruhurr 137]

Interco makes some interesting ATV treads.  Below is the Black Mamba. 

 

 

[SousaKerry 502]

That's not a tire it's a mid-evil tourcher device

[Englands704 4]

this is my lod girl

 

[scifi4all 6]

A buddy of mine has Carlisle xtrac snowblower tires on the front of the tractor he uses for snow plowing, on a long stone driveway. He has ags on the rear.

Here's a link to what they look like: http://www.carlisletirestore.com/store/xtrac.html

[chrisd200(inactive) 55]

Finally got some tires for the D and went with some Carlisle 26 X 12.5 X 12 tires with 1.5" deep lugs.  When I first saw them on CL they put a smile on my face and had to get them.  Brand new never mounted for $125 for the pair.  I havent got to play with them much but I think they might be a little better than the turfs I pulled off 

The only problem was getting the tires onto these rims!  What a PITA.  It's like trying to seat the tire for 6" with those rims that have the large diameter on half the width of the rim.

 

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Thanks for everyone's advice- I think I'm going to like them!

Looks GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[brandonozz 168]

Thanks Chris,

I figured if I get stuck with these I probably went somewhere I never should have gone.  Although...... on second thought, I had to pull the D out with a truck a couple of months ago when trenching the ditch while still wet.  I had turfs on at the time.  I would like to try it again with these shoes on!

 

Scifi4all,

If I put those on the front of my D I wouldn't be able to turn the steering wheel with the loader on.

[3609horse 27]

I am currently switching all my tractors to ATV tires. I like the way they give when climbing up over curbs and rocks where my AG tires try but

don't always make it on the first try.  I also have a set like Mikes tires and they worked great in the snow and I was using a 54" blade on a

14hp black hood that I put together.  I have some that are very aggressive and some not so, but they all work well for me.  Just my 2 cents..

Gene.

[3609horse 27]

Finally got some tires for the D and went with some Carlisle 26 X 12.5 X 12 tires with 1.5" deep lugs.  When I first saw them on CL they put a smile on my face and had to get them.  Brand new never mounted for $125 for the pair.  I havent got to play with them much but I think they might be a little better than the turfs I pulled off 

The only problem was getting the tires onto these rims!  What a PITA.  It's like trying to seat the tire for 6" with those rims that have the large diameter on half the width of the rim.

 

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Thanks for everyone's advice- I think I'm going to like them!

I like the way they look on your tractor.  I just bought a set used  but in good shape but you got a great deal on those.  Now I can't wait to put mine on.

Nice looking tractor. That's what I am putting mine on too, not happy to hear how hard they were to mount but it will be worth it. 

[brandonozz 168]

The local lube/tire shop broke down the old turfs off the rims and I stripped the rims down to the metal and primed and painted them.  Took them back a few days later and they remounted the tires.  Doing these by myself was not worth the $12 they charged me to dismount and and mount!  Actually, at 5 times that price I wouldn't want to do it!

[chrisd200(inactive) 55]

Oh yes!!!!!!!! Money WELL spent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kris22 6]

I'm with my dad (3609horse) on this one I've got ATV's on everything except my strictly mowing tractor. I never have a problem with the way they perform on either grass or off road conditions. especially my worker/play tractor