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Yeah, turf tires are far and away the best tire in the majority of snow conditions. Anything else is a compromise, but most people have to compromise when it comes to tractor tires though.
There's more to tires than tread pattern. If you consider winter tires for the road, they're formulated with a softer rubber for improved traction on ice. The rubber on the R4 is very hard for long wear on hard surfaces. It turns rock hard at freezing temperatures. Very slippery on ice.
I've moved a bunch of snow, growing up in Michigan. Almost always using a truck with a plow, not a tractor. The rule was to always use a tall, narrow, snow tire. This did a couple things. More weight per square inch, to prevent slipping, and less bogging down in deep snow. The tractor ran R1's (R4 and R14 didn't exist) and the plows ran tall and narrow. So my pick would be the R1's for the tractor.
I run AG tires with chains on rear on my JD 855 with a blower. It's a mountain cabin so driveway is long, steep and unpaved. This setup has always got it done and with there being so much snow there's always ice underneath which no tire will help with that's where chains do the most work.
We get around 70” of snowfall a year. Last year we used 2 1025r’s with 54” snow blowers on the versa treads and they did well except for on the steepest driveways. We also used a John Deere rear steer machine not sure of the model, but I drove it during several storms and it did really well with just the turf tires on the same driveways.
I have 2025r TLB. My driveway is 700 ft long with 20% grade and two switchbacks. I push snow uphill with R4s and haven’t had an issues. Last storm we got last year here in New Hampshire was 3 feet of snow too.
I’ve used all four styles of tread and have experience in Ag, construction, ground maintenance, and snow removal. Here’s my take. R4 Industrial / Float tires are easy on job sites by utilizing tight lugs in the center to make a flattish center strip. The center strip floats the tire minimizing dig, lessening damage to surfaces or turning the lot into a mud pie when wet. However this works against you when moving snow as it significantly reduces the amount the tread engages the ground. I’ve used R1 Ag / Paddle lugs for a lot of snow removal. They are not my first choice but the tractors employed were primarily used for ground engaging work. They are better than the Industrials as the lugs are spread out and tall allowing more pounds per square inch (PSI) on the ground. They will get the job done but will cut up soft surfaces instantly requiring you to back drag over the work area. Side Note: Any tread / cleat that floats or spreads out the tractors load is going to work against you in snow. That’s why Ag tires will outperform bar tracks in snow. If setting up a tractor specifically to move snow, I would look at the R3 Turf and R14 Hybrid. The reason I say both is because there are very aggressive turf patterns and too aggressive Hybrids. A tight turf pattern is not going to work as it floats the tire in snow. A very aggressive hybrid may not have enough knobs / lugs which could reduce the performance down to a R1 Ag tire. There is a sweet spot, you want the most tread contacting the ground without significantly reducing PSI on the ground. The Goodyear R14 hybrid shown in the vid is a good proven mud / snow pattern. Callisle Versa Turf Is an example of a more knobby pattern. Anywhere between these patterns should perform well in snow.
I have the turf tires on my 1025R here in Maine. My neighbor has the same tractor with the R14 tires and there is no comparison. Even with chains my turf tire work better. We get a lot of snow in Maine and I have never even needed to use 4 wheel drive using a 47 inch blower. I think with slippery snow and ice the more tire you have in contact with the ground the better. My view based on experience with my tractor.
I have turf tires on my ck25 and I wouldn't trade them for any of the other tread designs except maybe r14's. I move a lot of snow as I live in west central mn and my turf tires work very well.
John Deere 3046 with R3 in my opinion, they work better because of the soft tread compound is a little more forgiving and makes better contact on slippery surfaces. Maybe not as aggressive and slushy types snow. Question for debate, front chains, or rear chains.?
Hi, I have a JD x495 garden tractor, always used turff tires with chains for blowing snow with the 47 inch 2 stage blower. I switched to the Versa turf tires in the back, 26 by 12 12, don't use chains anymore. That is hands down the best tire for snow traction. I just did a front tire wheel conversion from a solid rim 18 by 8.5 8 to a 5 lug 18 by 8.5 10 with now versa turf on the front. I had a problem steering the tractor with the blower down with the turf tires as the turf lugs would get so much snow and the tractor would just push forward unless raising the blower or driving very slow. I have not had any snow yet, warm spell here in wisconsin but I know the versa turf will shed snow better and steer better. My vote, improve the tractor traction and go versa turf. Reason for the conversion? they do not make the versa turf in the 18 by 8.5 by 8. I had to go to the 18 by 8.5 by 10. wasn't cheap but worth it for me. I didn't care for what was out there tire size in the 8 inch rim size.
I have R4 tires on my tractor. Moving snow I found the tractor lost traction. Now I put chains on all 4 tires. Much rougher ride with the chains but works much better. With only 900 hrs the tires show little wear. I can see the R1 tread would have more traction. Thanks for the information.
I owned a 1025R with turf tires. I had very good success with the turf tires when pushing snow. My JD X590 has turf on the front and HDAP on the rear. Also have good traction in snow as well. I have a concrete driveway.
I have R4s on my 3046r, 2000 ft driveway gravel. Tires are loaded and use an inverted rear mounted blower and spacer’s, bucket up front. I’m upstate New York in the snow belt and haven’t had any issues in 3 years, I do let the snow pack a little and that helps me.
In Eastern Canada, Nokian TRI or Titans snow tire is the best option, even on larger construction machines, we get easily 130" of all types of snow and sleet
Not on your list but NOKIAN HAKKAPELIITTA TRI is what we use. We mow ditches and in the winter blow cul-de-sac's with a 5105M these tires have great grip on hills. The R14 hybrid would be my second choice I have them on my personal Kubota B2301 I do have to chain it once and a while.
This is all good information. But the Best tire for me ,for snow removal in Alabama is the tire that came on my tractor. The wide lug industrial tire. I'm on disability and can't afford to buy tires and wheels for every weather. When you poor you use what you have . Thank you for the info. Love your videos.
I have R3 tires on my 1023e and used rear chains for the first winter. The second and subsequent years I didn't use the chains. I have never spun a tire in snow removal. I live in Ontario in a snow belt area so we get lots of snow and ice. They are great in snow.
Seeing again your grooving of the tires I would question if instead of following the contour of the tread, go multiple chevron or passes along those treads. Sort of perpendicular instead of horizontal (if that makes sense). I’m stuck with R4 but we don’t get a ton of snow so it really doesn’t matter much to me. I agree with one poster, never enough ballast!
Another reason why turf tires punch above their weight is that it is well accepted in the auto world that snow on snow traction is often better than rubber on snow, particularly at colder temps. Since turf tires tend to not be self-cleaning and hold snow in the tread, this actually increases traction in many conditions, particularly in cold snow that isn’t that deep. ruclips.net/video/wUxo2KmO4OI/видео.htmlsi=eGUp9FmQk3EPlEJa
Liquid verses frozen water on your tread makes a big difference for similar reasons. When clearing roadside parking spaces with packed snow base, if my Ag tires get wet from the melt water in the gutter my tractor will break traction and side into the curb. I could spin my tires all day and go nowhere, but if I stop the tires rotating for 4 - 5 seconds, the water will usually refreeze on the exposed tread and she will regain traction and come out easily.
Good topic. Thanks for discussing it. For 12 years I cleared snow with my BX (first with a bucket and then with a pusher). It had the turf tires. Without chains, I would say they turf tires were not great. We had some years with early snow when I wasn't ready and didn't have the chains on yet. However, I put some simple chains on front and back and it had plenty of traction and moved a lot of snow. Last spring (2022) I purchased a B2601 with the R14 and used that with a pusher last winter. It did ok, but we had a lousy winter (low snow) and things got icy so it did struggle. I would say without the ice it did pretty good, but not as good as the turf tires with chains. However, versus the turf tires without chains, hands down the R14s had much better traction. That being said, though, I have ordered wheel spacers (yup - went with Bora) and square link chains for the back wheels with the R14s. Hopefully we get some snow this winter...
I'm curious to see how the R14 with chains do compared to Turf tires with chains. I have R14 with chains and mostly only the center section of the chains really bite down. I have a steep driveway, so chains are mandatory. I feel the Turf tires with chains may have been a better choice, as the chains would not fall into the large voids on the R14. A different chain style, such as a diamond pattern, would have helped with this.
very interesting, i have a driveway of 200ft up hill to town road you will not get out with a inch of snow if you don't have a4x4 anyways i have plowed it for 37 years much of that time with a wheelhorse garden tractor i found the ag tires good till it was Icey or really messy ended up switching back to turf with chains, also used a ford8n before i paved it no issues the tar changes the bite a 4x4 atv worked great no chains later on a Deere x500 poor too light weight needed chains on turfs with wheel weights and 4 ,42lb frame weights bought a 1025 in 17 has turf treads for around all of yard ,i also till with-it it has NO issues pushing snow with the turfs up that hill as long as its in 4x4
When I got my 2038R tractor, my only choice was R14s. The dealer told me when he got a set of turfs, he'd swap them. I spent one Maine winter with the R14s and was not impressed. In the spring, he got turfs and swapped them out. The turfs for snow removal were much better than the R14s. I liked the turfs much better, except when working in a wet field where the treads were filled with mud and became slicks. I bit the bullet a couple of years ago and bought Vera turfs. They are far and away the best all-around tire I've used.
When I bought my 1025r with the loader, mmm, and front my blower the dealer asked me very specific questions on terrain, driveway type and etc, they recommended the turf tires, this was before the versa turf had come out. So far no issues with the turf tires.
For the R3s it all depends on the size of the tires. Smaller turfs, like garden tractors and sub compacts the gaps between the lugs are close vs the gaps between turfs on like a JD 2320 or larger. I've had a 2320, three 2520s, and a second gen 2032r and r3 ran circles around the r4 on snow. R3s were not loaded and the r4s were always loaded. On my current 2032r, I have the r14 and haven't had it in the snow yet.
My 2023 1025R with rear mounted snow blower has R4 tires with chains on rear. Works fine for steep gravel driveway in Anchorage, Alaska. Lots of snow this winter!
I own a John Deere with R3 and a Yanmar with R4. The R3 does great in the snow. I think the tire's profile plays a big roll. The R3 are softer and seem to "float", they spread the weight out and have a larger contact footprint. The thread of the R3 grips the snow, VS the R4 which scoops or digs in the snow. The snow we get in Virginia is not as intense as up north so understand this is just my experience.
My grandparents lived in the mountains of West Virginia back in the 1960s. Their neighbor had an Economy PowerKing tractor. Back then Ag tires were the only option. It was roughly the size of a 20 series John Deere. In the winter, he would swap the tires side to side reversing the tread pattern. They received heavy snowfalls and heavy drifting. It seemed nothing stopped that tractor when he was plowing. The local county owned a couple of WWII surplus 6x6s that would even hang up. My grandfather's neighbor was always able to retrieve them. I don't know how, but it really worked.
Good timing on this. For years, I’ve been blowing snow with a little Kubota BX w/ turf tires. It’s been great. Last year, I added a JD 2032R w/ ag tires. It was not used last winter. Wanting to make it more well-rounded and able to assist with mowing duties and not tear up lawns & based on my success w/ turf tires on the BX in snow removal, I’ve ordered turfs for the JD. We shall see. Now, what I want to know is: what’s the best way to pre-treat the blower chute to prevent/slow down clogging in the heavy wet stuff? I’ve used no-stick cooking spray occasionally for decades, but w/ varied success. Is it more about slowing down when attacking the snow (technique) than expecting a cooking spray to solve the issue? Still learning here…. Thanks!😂
I have turf tires on a 2210. 600 foot gravel drive, that has a pretty good up hill grade from house to road. I use a back blade for snow and have to allow for a layer of snow pack to avoid moving my gravel with the snow. In the spring, that snow pack layer gets pretty slick. In the 18 years Ive owned this tractor, and used only the blade and bucket for snow, I have never had an issue. Low gear and locking diff make a big difference. Sometimes I need to change an direction on how I move snow, but general now issues at all, snow, ice, mud, whatever. Also, no chains.
I needed new tires for my 2009 John Deere X500 and this video sealed the deal for the Versa Turf. I love them! Even my John Deere dealer hopes they start installing Versa Turf on more tractors. Great video and you did not steer me wrong! Pun somewhat intended. Ish...
I love how you call out the dealers for overcharging on the basics. I hope they're listening. Don't particularly want to buy from Amazon, but the dealers have to do their bit too.
I have the R14 Carlisle Versa Turf tires on my JD 1025R and they are incredible. Admittedly a little hard on the grass but fantastic on ice and snow. I have 680 pounds on the three point hitch as a weight and the tires have fantastic grip.
I grew up on a farm in an area of higher snowfall. There is no comparison between the R3s and the R1s or R4s….the R3s exceed both the R1s and R4s. Even the R14s can’t compare to R3s in a good snowfall when it comes to traction. The turfs are truly tractor snow tires!
Kubota L6060 Grand, with loader mounted blade, rear blade and rear snow blower. One mile driveway in the Colorado mountains. R14 suck on slick side hill situations. Tire chains are great but extremely bumpy ride with loaded tires.
I had a 10,000 pound machine with R4s, it didn't move as much snow as my 4,000 pound machine with R14s. When it comes to snow, traction makes the difference
My tractor came with R4 tires. Luckily I live in eastern TN and snow is rare. When we do get it, wait a day and it is gone. I would love R14 tires, but won't replace my R4 tires until they need it.
We've used several pieces of equipment for plowing, everything from large lots to driveways and the biggest thing is weight! Our Johndeere 310J has basically bald AG tires and does just fine being a 16k + machine pushing a 15 acre lot but it sucks around turns. You would think something like the turf tire would be a great set up and surprised it wasn't in the top two. My buddy sells Bobcat tractors and only orders them in now with the new style R14 and says everyone he's sold them to love them in the snow. I'm about to order a Bobcat CT5558 or a Kioti NS6010C HST and probably going to order it with e the R14 but fill with ballast on all 4 tires. One other thing I have to consider is stopping on snow and ice as we'll be roading this tractor to a couple different subdivisions.
Northern Minnesota, 1025R, Versaturf tires, 54" blower, backhoe for ballast. I have had zero traction issue's and I clear about a mile worth of gravel driveway, parking area, paths, and a sledding hill for the kids. I can easily push too fast and overwhelm the blower, even uphill in 2WD. They have been great to me. Co-worker with Kubota says the Turf tires work way better than the R1 or R4's he had.
My b7800 came with r4 industrials, I'd get stuck or slide around very easily. Older neighbor suggested putting chains on, took a while to find some but made a major difference. R4s pretty well blow!!
This brings to mind the thought that there are different tire chain designs for different uses. The typical ladder design ones for a utility tractor with R1s tend to drop between the lugs. So chain choice is impacted by current tire design.
Great video. It all depends on the amount of snow u are dealing with and conditions. If u are pushing 2ft of snow It really does not matter what tire u are using, but at the end of the day I would rock on with what's on the tractor and have a big smile on my face 😊
I went back and forth for awhile on new tires. My 2210 with R1's were pretty worn out. We on average dont see over 2 feet of snow a year. I found a set of R4's on marketplace for 300 that still had the nubs on them. I use my tractor for mowing, farm, and occasional snow. May not be the best tire for snow but a decent tire for the cost, and most of my uses.
Which tire is best in snow and ice is such a “loaded” question! Part of the problem at least up here in the Great White North is the wide variation of snow and ice conditions not only from day to day but sometimes hour to hour, for example fresh dry snow on sheer ice on a steep slope you’re not going up it no matter which tires you have on, wait a few hours with cold enough temperatures so the snow sticks/freezes to ice and up you go with R4’s! In my opinion tire selection will at best help to “get by”, to guarantee traction you need a good set of ice chains!
Vermont winters and a hilly dirt road, and paved driveway, turf has been excellent. I use a snow pusher in front and a 6ft 2 stage blower in the rear, on my 1025r
R1 would be b we tter with no chains. Any are better with chains. The r14 may bebetter for doing commercial plowing on pavement without chains. Where we are farm type plowing (no pavement or concrete) chains are a must. When we get 5 or more inches or a very wet snow you cant do much without chains. Hill ground also make a must have. You gave a good explaination. Lower air pressure in most conditions help gain traction.
It all depends on the the kind of snow you get in your area,I live in Pollock Pines the Sierra Nevada mountains,we get really wet snow here so the old R/1 tire is good, personally haven’t tried the newer R14 but I have used the lawn type tire it’s okay but gets really packed with snow.
Snow and ice are 2 different things. I ran ag tires on 7 tractors for many years. In mud and snow those ag tires push material out to the side like crazy which is why they were made with such steep angles. In ice, they don't do well. I would use chains if I was dealing with ice.
My 1026R came with Turf Tires and when I destroyed the Left Front, I replaced the whole set of tires with the Versa-Turf tires. I really don't notice a big difference in the winter. I have always used chains on the 1026R and keep the chains on year around. I do love the Versa-Turf tires in the summer for loader work a lot better than the Turf Tires, but in snow, I have no preference.
2032R located in Minnesota. I plow two commercial buildings and my house, all asphalt surfaces, and turf tires are my choice. R1 Ag tires would be terrible for my application.
In the past 2 years, I've replaced the original (OEM style r1) tires and rims with Carlisle (r14) VersaTreads on my x748. On my old 2-wheel drive 430, I had r1 tires and they worked good - WITH chains on the drive axle. The x748, WITHOUT tire chains (before I replaced the tires/wheels) outperformed that old 430 (with chains). I'm curious to see how the x748 works, with these new tires, in snow, as compared to the 430 and x748 with the OEM style r1 tires. I have to say that the r14s are harder on turf than the r1s were, but I'm willing to compromise!
I was hoping it would be R14. Every tube I have seen recommend it. I am waiting on a set right now, my R1s are wore out and they rip the yard up to much doing any travel across it. Please get here before we get hit with a big snow storm. Plezzzzzz. :)
From Canada and hands down the turf tires. Has siping between the treads which grip the snow. Turf tires not good in mud like the other tires mentioned.
I didn't vote in the poll, but it makes sense that people picked Ag tires because for passenger cars a narrower tire is better. Growing up both my dad and grandpa used 2WD Ford and Massey tractors with chained R1 and a back blade to clear snow and pull stuck vehicles out of ditches. Totally different weight distribution, drive train, etc vs a modern 4WD tractor with a FEL pusher and snow thrower. My neighbor has used chained R4 on his 1025R the last two winters. Thankfully we didn't get much snow either year. They are calling for this one to be worse.
I had a L3400 with what you are calling R3 (the lug but not ag) and couldnt do much in heavy or deep snow without chains. I do realize most of your followers are probably in incline country or have as much area to plow as we do.
My JD F935 with tire chains and a 5' "Broken" snowblower up front, works great. Ps found out by accident, these machines had diff lock as an option, just needed to fabricate foot lever. Perfect snow removal combo
WolfPaws are the best tier out there for small tractor or skid steer. Unfortunately they are expensive and require separate rims. Ran the turf tires on a 2 series deer and a set of chains really helped.
I would agree with the results. I have the versa turf on my 2025r and have been really pleased with the traction I get in snow or while doing dirt work. They do like to tear up the grass though while mowing.
Unless someone had multiple tractors with different tire tread patterns to compare, how would someone know which is best? I have R14 but I don't know if that is best. They do seem to be wearing out fast on paved surfaces.
It would be interesting to know how many people voted, yet have no other frames of reference. A lot of us small tractor guys only have reference for the set of tires on our tractors. I have R3's and they were better than the industrial tires on my previous tractor. That's all I can comment on though.
I have a jd 455 and an 870 i have r1s on both. the 26-12-12s are beasts but the original turfs did awesome in snow. Would put r14s on my 870 but never r4s on either
Nokian Hakka TRI...i have the R5 for the car...they make the best snow tires for everything...i think the snow cab on the bigger Deere tractors have them...
We had a smaller tractor with the turf tires and I had to use my truck to pull it up the driveway in the ice and snow. My 3032 JD with industrial tires and my Kioti with ag tires have had no issues. I am not talking about plowing with the turf tires as it did fine going downhill but with no engagement it could not climb also it was the only 2wheel drive tractor out of our three.
My Brother has a Army Deuce and Half that we removed one of the tandem axles and cut the bed down to make it a big pickup truck. He put 50" michelin tires on it. The tread looks like 4 big chicken nuggets across the tire. Anyhow, we siped the tires and it made a HUGE difference in road handling, tire noise, and traction. On hard packed snow he couldn't drive up his driveway without using four wheel drive. Once we siped them it could go up his driveway forward or backward in two wheel drive. He bought a hot iron siper and all we did was make razor blade slices straight across the tire about every 3/8" and probably 1/4 to 3/8" deep. It took a LONG time to do this - no grooving. I'm thinking we had 4 man hours on it.
I can’t remember the model, but we had a SAME tractor, one super cool feature was an electronic front diff lock, we had turf tires on it and plowed snow like crazy. They do good unless you get high wheel speed to break them loose but not enough to clean them out. One thing about the turfs is I believe they’re a little bit softer so it helps bite. I also run a ford 535 backhoe with r4s and they suck at everything, probably the worst tire for that machine in soft or snowy conditions
I'm originally from upstate NY, and we got/get lots of snow there. From my first JD 445 to my 770 I chose turf tires-with a bigass set of chains. NEVER got stuck, and I used my front loader to clear all the snow at my place,(which took about 2-3 hours) depending on the amount that fell at night. And then I did my neighbors place up a steep hill from me,never stuck, but often I wish I had chains on the front tires too because of ice. All of my jd's were 4 wheel drive,except the 445. All I bought with the quick attach front loaders as well as having the rears loaded. And back then it was with liquid calcium, and yes, tubes were installed first. On my present 2025r, the industrial tires that came with it kinda suck, but in the spring I'm going to list it with a reverse rotation rototiller and some other goodies. Old injuries now have me in a wheelchair and my wife says it's got to go. The old girl is usually right about a lot of things,( don't tell her I said that) so in the spring I'll say goodbye to my last John Deere.
So many variables to consider. Type of snow, surface type underneath, surface conditions such as packed ice, and the type of hybrid matters quite a bit too. Great video trying to cover the bases. The Nokians tri 2 are the best I’ve used in all snow types on crushed rock, gravel, and concrete. I suspect the tri 1’s are even better but incredibly difficult to source in the US. The Galaxy garden pro’s are good until it’s very slushy. I wouldn’t buy a sub compact without Versa turfs…and they have been good all around including heavy ground engagement in summer months. I found the R14s to be the poorest of the hybrids and switched to the Nokians. The R14 has too much gap in the tread in my opinion which cuts down on edge contact (just less edges overall). I’m in eastern SD for reference running on crushed rock, gravel, and some concrete. I now have 3/4 hybrids mentioned above on a 1, 3 and 4 series…all the hybrids are great tires year-round.
A lot of the major dedicated snow removal companies in Canada that use tractors almost exclusively use either the regular Ag tires because they lease the tractors for the winter from farmers that aren’t using them then or they have been using the Nokian snow tire for the tractors they actually own.
I actually have all four tire options for three different tractors. Two 3005 john deere and a 1025r with R14. I would rate for snow R14 first with R1 a close 2nd and R3 and R4 about tied for 3rd.
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I was the very first vote on that poll. For a brief moment, R3 had 100% of the vote.
Hi Courtney. I live where we average 170 inches of snow a season. Everyone in my neighborhood uses R3s. Just saying.
Yeah, turf tires are far and away the best tire in the majority of snow conditions. Anything else is a compromise, but most people have to compromise when it comes to tractor tires though.
Having said that, if you have the correct surfaces that won’t be damaged, chains on a bald tire will be better than any of the options.
The R3s are most like a snow tire. So I take your word for it.
What I’ve learned through life, doesn’t matter if it’s mud, snow or whatever, people will argue about what tire is better.
There's more to tires than tread pattern. If you consider winter tires for the road, they're formulated with a softer rubber for improved traction on ice. The rubber on the R4 is very hard for long wear on hard surfaces. It turns rock hard at freezing temperatures. Very slippery on ice.
I've moved a bunch of snow, growing up in Michigan. Almost always using a truck with a plow, not a tractor. The rule was to always use a tall, narrow, snow tire. This did a couple things. More weight per square inch, to prevent slipping, and less bogging down in deep snow. The tractor ran R1's (R4 and R14 didn't exist) and the plows ran tall and narrow. So my pick would be the R1's for the tractor.
Good stuff, thanks!
I run AG tires with chains on rear on my JD 855 with a blower. It's a mountain cabin so driveway is long, steep and unpaved. This setup has always got it done and with there being so much snow there's always ice underneath which no tire will help with that's where chains do the most work.
We get around 70” of snowfall a year. Last year we used 2 1025r’s with 54” snow blowers on the versa treads and they did well except for on the steepest driveways. We also used a John Deere rear steer machine not sure of the model, but I drove it during several storms and it did really well with just the turf tires on the same driveways.
I liked my turf tires for another reason. When using tire chains, there is more of the chain in contact with the ground giving awesome traction
Turf tires on my cx2510 and i have very good traction in the snow. I live in northern Maine.
The best tire is the one I have on my tractor. They are paid for.
One way to look at it!
My RK25/TYM came with loaded r-14 rear tires , Havent had any troubles pushing heavy snow .
I have 2025r TLB. My driveway is 700 ft long with 20% grade and two switchbacks. I push snow uphill with R4s and haven’t had an issues. Last storm we got last year here in New Hampshire was 3 feet of snow too.
I’ve used all four styles of tread and have experience in Ag, construction, ground maintenance, and snow removal. Here’s my take.
R4 Industrial / Float tires are easy on job sites by utilizing tight lugs in the center to make a flattish center strip. The center strip floats the tire minimizing dig, lessening damage to surfaces or turning the lot into a mud pie when wet. However this works against you when moving snow as it significantly reduces the amount the tread engages the ground.
I’ve used R1 Ag / Paddle lugs for a lot of snow removal. They are not my first choice but the tractors employed were primarily used for ground engaging work. They are better than the Industrials as the lugs are spread out and tall allowing more pounds per square inch (PSI) on the ground. They will get the job done but will cut up soft surfaces instantly requiring you to back drag over the work area.
Side Note: Any tread / cleat that floats or spreads out the tractors load is going to work against you in snow. That’s why Ag tires will outperform bar tracks in snow.
If setting up a tractor specifically to move snow, I would look at the R3 Turf and R14 Hybrid. The reason I say both is because there are very aggressive turf patterns and too aggressive Hybrids. A tight turf pattern is not going to work as it floats the tire in snow. A very aggressive hybrid may not have enough knobs / lugs which could reduce the performance down to a R1 Ag tire. There is a sweet spot, you want the most tread contacting the ground without significantly reducing PSI on the ground.
The Goodyear R14 hybrid shown in the vid is a good proven mud / snow pattern. Callisle Versa Turf Is an example of a more knobby pattern. Anywhere between these patterns should perform well in snow.
In the summer on my 1025r, R1. Winter time on my gravel driveway, I change to R3 with chains for plowing snow.
Good stuff, thanks!
I have the turf tires on my 1025R here in Maine. My neighbor has the same tractor with the R14 tires and there is no comparison. Even with chains my turf tire work better. We get a lot of snow in Maine and I have never even needed to use 4 wheel drive using a 47 inch blower. I think with slippery snow and ice the more tire you have in contact with the ground the better. My view based on experience with my tractor.
Great video and so accurate. Our research shows the same results. R14 is 1st in class, then Turf Tear. Keep tractoring
Courtney, I have R14 on my kioti dk5310 se cab tractor. Way better than my old Kubota with r4 in my opinion. Haven’t had any issues in snow.
Totally depends on the snow conditions, tractor, and snow removal method. Turf tires or R4’s siped, anything siped is good.
You nailed it.... people get sucked up into marketing/advertising hype. L3560 with rear blade with R3 tires. Knocks out my snow work great.
Good stuff, thanks for sharing!
I have turf tires on my ck25 and I wouldn't trade them for any of the other tread designs except maybe r14's. I move a lot of snow as I live in west central mn and my turf tires work very well.
John Deere 3046 with R3 in my opinion, they work better because of the soft tread compound is a little more forgiving and makes better contact on slippery surfaces. Maybe not as aggressive and slushy types snow. Question for debate, front chains, or rear chains.?
Good question about chains
Hi, I have a JD x495 garden tractor, always used turff tires with chains for blowing snow with the 47 inch 2 stage blower. I switched to the Versa turf tires in the back, 26 by 12 12, don't use chains anymore. That is hands down the best tire for snow traction. I just did a front tire wheel conversion from a solid rim 18 by 8.5 8 to a 5 lug 18 by 8.5 10 with now versa turf on the front. I had a problem steering the tractor with the blower down with the turf tires as the turf lugs would get so much snow and the tractor would just push forward unless raising the blower or driving very slow. I have not had any snow yet, warm spell here in wisconsin but I know the versa turf will shed snow better and steer better. My vote, improve the tractor traction and go versa turf. Reason for the conversion? they do not make the versa turf in the 18 by 8.5 by 8. I had to go to the 18 by 8.5 by 10. wasn't cheap but worth it for me. I didn't care for what was out there tire size in the 8 inch rim size.
I think snow conditions explain preference. My choice for deep unplowed snow is r1 ag.
I have R4 tires on my tractor. Moving snow I found the tractor lost traction. Now I put chains on all 4 tires. Much rougher ride with the chains but works much better. With only 900 hrs the tires show little wear. I can see the R1 tread would have more traction. Thanks for the information.
I owned a 1025R with turf tires. I had very good success with the turf tires when pushing snow. My JD X590 has turf on the front and HDAP on the rear. Also have good traction in snow as well. I have a concrete driveway.
Awesome, thanks for sharing!
I have R4s on my 3046r, 2000 ft driveway gravel. Tires are loaded and use an inverted rear mounted blower and spacer’s, bucket up front. I’m upstate New York in the snow belt and haven’t had any issues in 3 years, I do let the snow pack a little and that helps me.
In Eastern Canada, Nokian TRI or Titans snow tire is the best option, even on larger construction machines, we get easily 130" of all types of snow and sleet
Nokians were an option when I recently ordered a JD 4075R. I researched online what the Canadians commonly used. That was good enough for me!
Not on your list but NOKIAN HAKKAPELIITTA TRI is what we use. We mow ditches and in the winter blow cul-de-sac's with a 5105M these tires have great grip on hills.
The R14 hybrid would be my second choice I have them on my personal Kubota B2301 I do have to chain it once and a while.
This is all good information. But the Best tire for me ,for snow removal in Alabama is the tire that came on my tractor. The wide lug industrial tire. I'm on disability and can't afford to buy tires and wheels for every weather. When you poor you use what you have . Thank you for the info. Love your videos.
I have R3 tires on my 1023e and used rear chains for the first winter. The second and subsequent years I didn't use the chains. I have never spun a tire in snow removal. I live in Ontario in a snow belt area so we get lots of snow and ice. They are great in snow.
Seeing again your grooving of the tires I would question if instead of following the contour of the tread, go multiple chevron or passes along those treads. Sort of perpendicular instead of horizontal (if that makes sense). I’m stuck with R4 but we don’t get a ton of snow so it really doesn’t matter much to me. I agree with one poster, never enough ballast!
Gravel driveway, edge tamers on my bucket, R4's. Work just fine.🎉
Glad to hear it!
Another reason why turf tires punch above their weight is that it is well accepted in the auto world that snow on snow traction is often better than rubber on snow, particularly at colder temps. Since turf tires tend to not be self-cleaning and hold snow in the tread, this actually increases traction in many conditions, particularly in cold snow that isn’t that deep. ruclips.net/video/wUxo2KmO4OI/видео.htmlsi=eGUp9FmQk3EPlEJa
Well said, I was told the same thing when I was younger.
Liquid verses frozen water on your tread makes a big difference for similar reasons. When clearing roadside parking spaces with packed snow base, if my Ag tires get wet from the melt water in the gutter my tractor will break traction and side into the curb. I could spin my tires all day and go nowhere, but if I stop the tires rotating for 4 - 5 seconds, the water will usually refreeze on the exposed tread and she will regain traction and come out easily.
Good topic. Thanks for discussing it. For 12 years I cleared snow with my BX (first with a bucket and then with a pusher). It had the turf tires. Without chains, I would say they turf tires were not great. We had some years with early snow when I wasn't ready and didn't have the chains on yet. However, I put some simple chains on front and back and it had plenty of traction and moved a lot of snow. Last spring (2022) I purchased a B2601 with the R14 and used that with a pusher last winter. It did ok, but we had a lousy winter (low snow) and things got icy so it did struggle. I would say without the ice it did pretty good, but not as good as the turf tires with chains. However, versus the turf tires without chains, hands down the R14s had much better traction. That being said, though, I have ordered wheel spacers (yup - went with Bora) and square link chains for the back wheels with the R14s. Hopefully we get some snow this winter...
I'm curious to see how the R14 with chains do compared to Turf tires with chains. I have R14 with chains and mostly only the center section of the chains really bite down. I have a steep driveway, so chains are mandatory. I feel the Turf tires with chains may have been a better choice, as the chains would not fall into the large voids on the R14. A different chain style, such as a diamond pattern, would have helped with this.
very interesting, i have a driveway of 200ft up hill to town road you will not get out with a inch of snow if you don't have a4x4 anyways i have plowed it for 37 years much of that time with a wheelhorse garden tractor i found the ag tires good till it was Icey or really messy ended up switching back to turf with chains, also used a ford8n before i paved it no issues the tar changes the bite a 4x4 atv worked great no chains later on a Deere x500 poor too light weight needed chains on turfs with wheel weights and 4 ,42lb frame weights bought a 1025 in 17 has turf treads for around all of yard ,i also till with-it it has NO issues pushing snow with the turfs up that hill as long as its in 4x4
When I got my 2038R tractor, my only choice was R14s. The dealer told me when he got a set of turfs, he'd swap them. I spent one Maine winter with the R14s and was not impressed. In the spring, he got turfs and swapped them out. The turfs for snow removal were much better than the R14s. I liked the turfs much better, except when working in a wet field where the treads were filled with mud and became slicks. I bit the bullet a couple of years ago and bought Vera turfs. They are far and away the best all-around tire I've used.
Thanks for chiming in!
R14 works well in Atlantic Canada winters
On my garden tractor (Iseki TX2140) I use studded automotive snow tires on the rear all year.
When I bought my 1025r with the loader, mmm, and front my blower the dealer asked me very specific questions on terrain, driveway type and etc, they recommended the turf tires, this was before the versa turf had come out. So far no issues with the turf tires.
For the R3s it all depends on the size of the tires. Smaller turfs, like garden tractors and sub compacts the gaps between the lugs are close vs the gaps between turfs on like a JD 2320 or larger. I've had a 2320, three 2520s, and a second gen 2032r and r3 ran circles around the r4 on snow. R3s were not loaded and the r4s were always loaded. On my current 2032r, I have the r14 and haven't had it in the snow yet.
My 2023 1025R with rear mounted snow blower has R4 tires with chains on rear. Works fine for steep gravel driveway in Anchorage, Alaska. Lots of snow this winter!
I own a John Deere with R3 and a Yanmar with R4. The R3 does great in the snow. I think the tire's profile plays a big roll. The R3 are softer and seem to "float", they spread the weight out and have a larger contact footprint. The thread of the R3 grips the snow, VS the R4 which scoops or digs in the snow. The snow we get in Virginia is not as intense as up north so understand this is just my experience.
My grandparents lived in the mountains of West Virginia back in the 1960s. Their neighbor had an Economy PowerKing tractor. Back then Ag tires were the only option. It was roughly the size of a 20 series John Deere. In the winter, he would swap the tires side to side reversing the tread pattern. They received heavy snowfalls and heavy drifting. It seemed nothing stopped that tractor when he was plowing. The local county owned a couple of WWII surplus 6x6s that would even hang up. My grandfather's neighbor was always able to retrieve them. I don't know how, but it really worked.
Good timing on this. For years, I’ve been blowing snow with a little Kubota BX w/ turf tires. It’s been great. Last year, I added a JD 2032R w/ ag tires. It was not used last winter. Wanting to make it more well-rounded and able to assist with mowing duties and not tear up lawns & based on my success w/ turf tires on the BX in snow removal, I’ve ordered turfs for the JD. We shall see. Now, what I want to know is: what’s the best way to pre-treat the blower chute to prevent/slow down clogging in the heavy wet stuff? I’ve used no-stick cooking spray occasionally for decades, but w/ varied success. Is it more about slowing down when attacking the snow (technique) than expecting a cooking spray to solve the issue? Still learning here…. Thanks!😂
I have turf tires on a 2210. 600 foot gravel drive, that has a pretty good up hill grade from house to road. I use a back blade for snow and have to allow for a layer of snow pack to avoid moving my gravel with the snow. In the spring, that snow pack layer gets pretty slick. In the 18 years Ive owned this tractor, and used only the blade and bucket for snow, I have never had an issue. Low gear and locking diff make a big difference. Sometimes I need to change an direction on how I move snow, but general now issues at all, snow, ice, mud, whatever. Also, no chains.
I needed new tires for my 2009 John Deere X500 and this video sealed the deal for the Versa Turf. I love them! Even my John Deere dealer hopes they start installing Versa Turf on more tractors. Great video and you did not steer me wrong! Pun somewhat intended. Ish...
I love how you call out the dealers for overcharging on the basics. I hope they're listening. Don't particularly want to buy from Amazon, but the dealers have to do their bit too.
I have the R14 Carlisle Versa Turf tires on my JD 1025R and they are incredible. Admittedly a little hard on the grass but fantastic on ice and snow. I have 680 pounds on the three point hitch as a weight and the tires have fantastic grip.
I grew up on a farm in an area of higher snowfall. There is no comparison between the R3s and the R1s or R4s….the R3s exceed both the R1s and R4s. Even the R14s can’t compare to R3s in a good snowfall when it comes to traction. The turfs are truly tractor snow tires!
I have R14's on my Kioti CK2610. We got 110 inches of snow last winter along with ice and I never had 1 issue.
Kubota L6060 Grand, with loader mounted blade, rear blade and rear snow blower. One mile driveway in the Colorado mountains. R14 suck on slick side hill situations. Tire chains are great but extremely bumpy ride with loaded tires.
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I had a 10,000 pound machine with R4s, it didn't move as much snow as my 4,000 pound machine with R14s. When it comes to snow, traction makes the difference
Yeah, I've been there too!
My tractor came with R4 tires. Luckily I live in eastern TN and snow is rare. When we do get it, wait a day and it is gone. I would love R14 tires, but won't replace my R4 tires until they need it.
We've used several pieces of equipment for plowing, everything from large lots to driveways and the biggest thing is weight! Our Johndeere 310J has basically bald AG tires and does just fine being a 16k + machine pushing a 15 acre lot but it sucks around turns. You would think something like the turf tire would be a great set up and surprised it wasn't in the top two. My buddy sells Bobcat tractors and only orders them in now with the new style R14 and says everyone he's sold them to love them in the snow. I'm about to order a Bobcat CT5558 or a Kioti NS6010C HST and probably going to order it with e the R14 but fill with ballast on all 4 tires. One other thing I have to consider is stopping on snow and ice as we'll be roading this tractor to a couple different subdivisions.
Northern Minnesota, 1025R, Versaturf tires, 54" blower, backhoe for ballast. I have had zero traction issue's and I clear about a mile worth of gravel driveway, parking area, paths, and a sledding hill for the kids. I can easily push too fast and overwhelm the blower, even uphill in 2WD. They have been great to me. Co-worker with Kubota says the Turf tires work way better than the R1 or R4's he had.
My b7800 came with r4 industrials, I'd get stuck or slide around very easily. Older neighbor suggested putting chains on, took a while to find some but made a major difference. R4s pretty well blow!!
Chains are a difference maker
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This brings to mind the thought that there are different tire chain designs for different uses. The typical ladder design ones for a utility tractor with R1s tend to drop between the lugs. So chain choice is impacted by current tire design.
Great video. It all depends on the amount of snow u are dealing with and conditions. If u are pushing 2ft of snow It really does not matter what tire u are using, but at the end of the day I would rock on with what's on the tractor and have a big smile on my face 😊
would you put chains on all four tires or just the back ones. Now am talking about sub or compact four wheel drive tractors.
I went back and forth for awhile on new tires. My 2210 with R1's were pretty worn out. We on average dont see over 2 feet of snow a year. I found a set of R4's on marketplace for 300 that still had the nubs on them. I use my tractor for mowing, farm, and occasional snow. May not be the best tire for snow but a decent tire for the cost, and most of my uses.
Which tire is best in snow and ice is such a “loaded” question! Part of the problem at least up here in the Great White North is the wide variation of snow and ice conditions not only from day to day but sometimes hour to hour, for example fresh dry snow on sheer ice on a steep slope you’re not going up it no matter which tires you have on, wait a few hours with cold enough temperatures so the snow sticks/freezes to ice and up you go with R4’s! In my opinion tire selection will at best help to “get by”, to guarantee traction you need a good set of ice chains!
Vermont winters and a hilly dirt road, and paved driveway, turf has been excellent. I use a snow pusher in front and a 6ft 2 stage blower in the rear, on my 1025r
i run r1s with 1/2 inch sheet metal screws with the 1/4 inch hex heads ziped into the lugs its like having ice studs
R1 would be b we tter with no chains. Any are better with chains. The r14 may bebetter for doing commercial plowing on pavement without chains. Where we are farm type plowing (no pavement or concrete) chains are a must. When we get 5 or more inches or a very wet snow you cant do much without chains. Hill ground also make a must have. You gave a good explaination. Lower air pressure in most conditions help gain traction.
Up in canada we run Nokian snow tires. Very expensive but nothing compares to them for snow and ice.
Yeah, but those are a specific snow tire. Single purpose design.
Messicks did videos a couple years ago comparing these tires for snow use using actual pull strength measurements. Turf tires came out very well!
This is my first year with a tractor. I have turf tires. My driveway has a pretty steep pitch in a couple of spots... have not needed to buy chains.
It all depends on the the kind of snow you get in your area,I live in Pollock Pines the Sierra Nevada mountains,we get really wet snow here so the old R/1 tire is good, personally haven’t tried the newer R14 but I have used the lawn type tire it’s okay but gets really packed with snow.
Snow and ice are 2 different things. I ran ag tires on 7 tractors for many years. In mud and snow those ag tires push material out to the side like crazy which is why they were made with such steep angles. In ice, they don't do well. I would use chains if I was dealing with ice.
A lot depends on if you are pushing or blowing. My lawn tractor with blower attachment has turf tires but - - - chains.
You bring up a great point. The traction needed for snow blowing is much less than plowing.
My 1026R came with Turf Tires and when I destroyed the Left Front, I replaced the whole set of tires with the Versa-Turf tires. I really don't notice a big difference in the winter. I have always used chains on the 1026R and keep the chains on year around. I do love the Versa-Turf tires in the summer for loader work a lot better than the Turf Tires, but in snow, I have no preference.
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I plow my 250' sloped driveway with turf tires (no chains) on my X728 and have ZERO issues with slippage or loss of traction.
2032R located in Minnesota. I plow two commercial buildings and my house, all asphalt surfaces, and turf tires are my choice. R1 Ag tires would be terrible for my application.
Been looking into options for my old 8n, mostly for snow removal, but still decent for plowing and working my garden
In the past 2 years, I've replaced the original (OEM style r1) tires and rims with Carlisle (r14) VersaTreads on my x748.
On my old 2-wheel drive 430, I had r1 tires and they worked good - WITH chains on the drive axle. The x748, WITHOUT tire chains (before I replaced the tires/wheels) outperformed that old 430 (with chains). I'm curious to see how the x748 works, with these new tires, in snow, as compared to the 430 and x748 with the OEM style r1 tires. I have to say that the r14s are harder on turf than the r1s were, but I'm willing to compromise!
I picked tire chains!!! You should give that option.
I was hoping it would be R14. Every tube I have seen recommend it. I am waiting on a set right now, my R1s are wore out and they rip the yard up to much doing any travel across it. Please get here before we get hit with a big snow storm. Plezzzzzz. :)
From Canada and hands down the turf tires. Has siping between the treads which grip the snow. Turf tires not good in mud like the other tires mentioned.
I didn't vote in the poll, but it makes sense that people picked Ag tires because for passenger cars a narrower tire is better. Growing up both my dad and grandpa used 2WD Ford and Massey tractors with chained R1 and a back blade to clear snow and pull stuck vehicles out of ditches. Totally different weight distribution, drive train, etc vs a modern 4WD tractor with a FEL pusher and snow thrower. My neighbor has used chained R4 on his 1025R the last two winters. Thankfully we didn't get much snow either year. They are calling for this one to be worse.
I had a L3400 with what you are calling R3 (the lug but not ag) and couldnt do much in heavy or deep snow without chains. I do realize most of your followers are probably in incline country or have as much area to plow as we do.
My JD F935 with tire chains and a 5' "Broken" snowblower up front, works great. Ps found out by accident, these machines had diff lock as an option, just needed to fabricate foot lever. Perfect snow removal combo
WolfPaws are the best tier out there for small tractor or skid steer. Unfortunately they are expensive and require separate rims.
Ran the turf tires on a 2 series deer and a set of chains really helped.
I would agree with the results. I have the versa turf on my 2025r and have been really pleased with the traction I get in snow or while doing dirt work. They do like to tear up the grass though while mowing.
R3 Turf tires work great snow removal.
I agree
Unless someone had multiple tractors with different tire tread patterns to compare, how would someone know which is best? I have R14 but I don't know if that is best. They do seem to be wearing out fast on paved surfaces.
It would be interesting to know how many people voted, yet have no other frames of reference. A lot of us small tractor guys only have reference for the set of tires on our tractors. I have R3's and they were better than the industrial tires on my previous tractor. That's all I can comment on though.
Growing up on a farm, we didn't have time, money, or space to have multiple tire options for our snow plow tractor. So we just use R1.
I have a jd 455 and an 870 i have r1s on both. the 26-12-12s are beasts but the original turfs did awesome in snow. Would put r14s on my 870 but never r4s on either
Nokian Hakka TRI...i have the R5 for the car...they make the best snow tires for everything...i think the snow cab on the bigger Deere tractors have them...
Turf tire hands down anybody who knows about snow tires knows snow to snow contact makes most traction.
Boom! Exactly!
I was very surprised that they came in last place
We had a smaller tractor with the turf tires and I had to use my truck to pull it up the driveway in the ice and snow. My 3032 JD with industrial tires and my Kioti with ag tires have had no issues. I am not talking about plowing with the turf tires as it did fine going downhill but with no engagement it could not climb also it was the only 2wheel drive tractor out of our three.
Remember, these polls are open to everyone, tractor owners AND those with no experience whatsoever.
Definitely
My Brother has a Army Deuce and Half that we removed one of the tandem axles and cut the bed down to make it a big pickup truck. He put 50" michelin tires on it. The tread looks like 4 big chicken nuggets across the tire. Anyhow, we siped the tires and it made a HUGE difference in road handling, tire noise, and traction. On hard packed snow he couldn't drive up his driveway without using four wheel drive. Once we siped them it could go up his driveway forward or backward in two wheel drive. He bought a hot iron siper and all we did was make razor blade slices straight across the tire about every 3/8" and probably 1/4 to 3/8" deep. It took a LONG time to do this - no grooving. I'm thinking we had 4 man hours on it.
I can’t remember the model, but we had a SAME tractor, one super cool feature was an electronic front diff lock, we had turf tires on it and plowed snow like crazy. They do good unless you get high wheel speed to break them loose but not enough to clean them out. One thing about the turfs is I believe they’re a little bit softer so it helps bite. I also run a ford 535 backhoe with r4s and they suck at everything, probably the worst tire for that machine in soft or snowy conditions
The SAME was about the size of a 2 or 3 series. Just a 30 horse compact tractor
I'm originally from upstate NY, and we got/get lots of snow there. From my first JD 445 to my 770 I chose turf tires-with a bigass set of chains. NEVER got stuck, and I used my front loader to clear all the snow at my place,(which took about 2-3 hours) depending on the amount that fell at night. And then I did my neighbors place up a steep hill from me,never stuck, but often I wish I had chains on the front tires too because of ice. All of my jd's were 4 wheel drive,except the 445. All I bought with the quick attach front loaders as well as having the rears loaded. And back then it was with liquid calcium, and yes, tubes were installed first. On my present 2025r, the industrial tires that came with it kinda suck, but in the spring I'm going to list it with a reverse rotation rototiller and some other goodies. Old injuries now have me in a wheelchair and my wife says it's got to go. The old girl is usually right about a lot of things,( don't tell her I said that) so in the spring I'll say goodbye to my last John Deere.
So many variables to consider. Type of snow, surface type underneath, surface conditions such as packed ice, and the type of hybrid matters quite a bit too. Great video trying to cover the bases. The Nokians tri 2 are the best I’ve used in all snow types on crushed rock, gravel, and concrete. I suspect the tri 1’s are even better but incredibly difficult to source in the US. The Galaxy garden pro’s are good until it’s very slushy. I wouldn’t buy a sub compact without Versa turfs…and they have been good all around including heavy ground engagement in summer months. I found the R14s to be the poorest of the hybrids and switched to the Nokians. The R14 has too much gap in the tread in my opinion which cuts down on edge contact (just less edges overall). I’m in eastern SD for reference running on crushed rock, gravel, and some concrete. I now have 3/4 hybrids mentioned above on a 1, 3 and 4 series…all the hybrids are great tires year-round.
A lot of the major dedicated snow removal companies in Canada that use tractors almost exclusively use either the regular Ag tires because they lease the tractors for the winter from farmers that aren’t using them then or they have been using the Nokian snow tire for the tractors they actually own.
R3 turfs with chains are the absolute best in snow or ice but R1s are my second choice
I actually have all four tire options for three different tractors. Two 3005 john deere and a 1025r with R14. I would rate for snow R14 first with R1 a close 2nd and R3 and R4 about tied for 3rd.
I was surprised you didn’t mention Nokian snow tires. My order for a 4075R includes Nokian tires.
Those are only for snow...not general tires that folks will buy with their tractor and run year round.
The best snow removal option is ballast.
Chains are the best option. Ballast is second. 😁