HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE VIDEO! IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE TIRE GROOVER OR BALLAST WEIGHT, CLICK THE LINKS BELOW! Tire Groover: www.goodworkstractors.com/product/tire-grooving-iron-tool/ VersaBracket & Weight Bundle: www.goodworkstractors.com/product/gwt-versabracket-bundle-w-8-suitcase-weights/ Good Works Tractors: www.goodworkstractors.com WANT TO SAVE MONEY? CHECK OUT THE GWT DISCOUNT CLUB! Use code GWT at any of the vendors below and you will save cold hard cash :) I will also get a commission for the sale, so it's a win-win-win! 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT 247PARTS.COM www.247parts.com 10% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT OUTBACK WRAP! www.outbackwrap.com 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT MUDD'S CUSTOMS! www.muddscustoms.com 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT JU FAB WORKS! www.jufabworks.com 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT ON SELECT PRODUCTS AT SUMMIT HYDRAULICS! www.summit-hydraulics.com 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT LUBE SHUTTLE! www.lube-shuttle.us/store 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT 511 DESIGNS (CUSTOM GRILLS): www.5elevendesignz.com 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT TRACTOR PTO LINK! tractorptolink.com 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT ON PROTERO DUMP SYSTEMS! www.proteroinc.com 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT ON SWEEP-ALL SWEEPERS! www.sweep-all.com 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT YARD GLIDER! www.yardglider.com 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT MILLER TIRE! www.millertire.com 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT BIG TOOL RACK! http:www.bigtoolrack.com 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT HEAVY HITCH! www.heavyhitch.com 5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT TRAC SEATS! www.tracseats.com 5% OFF AT RHINOHIDE CANOPIES! www.rhinohidecanopies.com Complete survey after purchase, mention GWT, get 5% refunded. *Discount codes cannot be combined with any other promotions, offers, or deals! **I choose to sell some products through 3rd parties instead of stocking items myself. Know that I will receive a commission if you choose to purchase through certain links. Thank you very much for your support! This video is for entertainment purposes only. Good Works Tractors (Good Works Lawn & Power, LLC) cannot be held responsible for content found in any video. Always reference your owners manuals, use extreme caution, and proceed at your own risk.
We used that very tool in the 1980s to groove our competition tires for rally racing on dirt. The pattern was more art than science, and having a talented groover on your team was worth his weight in gold. It compromised tread life for the sake of improved traction, certainly not an issue with tractors. I do have to echo the call for continuing the groove through the ends of the tread block. Besides trapping a strip of ice at the worst place - the highest point of the tread block - the uncut bridge will reduce the contact pressure on the edges of the groove, defeating their effectiveness. And that's the key to all of this: making more EDGES perpendicular to the vehicle's drive, which is the physics behind sipes. It's not the groove you are cutting that makes the difference, it's the amount of edges you are adding.
Remember how you tell people to order their snowblowers, snow pushers, etc. in June/July? Add tire grooving to the list. It is best accomplished outdoors on a nice hot July day! Makes the rubber softer and the knife works better. I grooved my buddy's tires on his 1025R and he said the difference was like night and day! He has a very steep concrete driveway. Great video Courtney!
Curious if the tire wear will be diminished with the lack of tread mass after grooving since a lot more driving will be when there is no snow. We solved the problem here by simply going to Arizona at the first sign of snow at the farm.
I just grooved my R4 tires on the Massey and it made quite a big difference on the ice and snow. Tip: Instead of pushing the groover horizontally, tilt it upwards on approx 30 degree angle and the tip will heat the rubber better as you push the blade through. I notice in the vid it appears you figured this out after a bit of time.
The best ad on I put on my tractor is a brush guard on my front bucket. Keeps limbs dirt and rock off the hood radiator and me. Made it out of a mobile home frame. Cut an angle on each side, folded the top bar down reseeded it for strength, put 2” receiver in center cut 2 round holes and 4 2” slots so I can still see what’s in the bucket,used those slats for upright support support behind the holes and slots, put a weld on hook on each lower corner and 2 d rings on each top corner looks and works great.be glad to see someone like you make them
Chains on my tires worked great, right up until I had my driveway paved. Ha! Can’t wait to see how the grooved tires work out. Maybe I’ll go that route. Thanks for the vid!
they make rubber "chains" or tread bars also. I run chains on a lighter tractor with no damage, but these bigger tractors with chains on will damage your driveway?
After sealing my macadam 2 years ago,I stopped using chains. Unfortunately in spring you could barely tell it was sealed. If I spend time sealing it again I will check into a rubber cutting edge.
The effort is obvious in your change in attire as the video goes on. It does make a big difference in the tire appearance! They look meaner! I'll be anxious to see how this works out for you. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the great video! I wish the place that sold me my 2320 would have given me a clue about ballast. I would have a loader full of gravel with no weight on the back and had some really scary moments.... Back tires coming off the ground... Feeling like i was going to tip....etc. I have a heavy cab on it also and i know in the early days the 62" mower deck stopped me from tipping countless times. Now I never use the mower deck and have about 400 lbs of weight lifting plates on the quick hitch for ballast. It's a whole different feel with that ballast 100% of the time.
Courtney tell Chris that I like how he thinks. I added 30lbs of human ballast over the past few months that should definitely help with traction this winter!
I sure agree about the R4 tires being helpless in plowing snow. I gave in and bought chains halfway through my first season using them. Great video…I never thought of putting more into the tread pattern.
After sliding off my concrete driveway a couple of years ago in my 1025R I went to the rubber chains. They are a huge improvement. They're kind of a pain to put on...but worth it.
I grooved my tires a few years ago and the tires have been wearing fine...It helps. The #1 way I get traction is to get some air out of the tires. All that weight to compress your tire when you can just let some air out.👍
Thank you for sharing! I have R4s on my Massey. Never had them in snow or ice but using them this year for clearing drive. I am excited to see how this works for you this season, I may have to try this. Show us how they do in dirt/ mud and such too.
My Massey has R4s on and worked great last year pushing snow. No chains but have 450 lb of weight in the back. I wouldn't groove my tires. I think when driving on road or hard surface they would wear a little faster
@@brucebennett8475 Good to know. I used to use a skid loader with R4s in snow and never had any complains. I am hopeful for lots of snow this year to try the Massey out!
The grooving does work. I did my last 1025 r with the same pattern. I also makes the R 4 tires work better for forward traction on hard dirt. I have the same tire groover. It works great. I have the new radials on my 2021 1025 r.
Thanks for posting the tire groving part. We have a 2520 with the original tires and they are horrible in the snow. I may do this to the tractor. Please let us know how it does. I don't want to change the tires on the tractor. I don't want to buy chains or stud them as well.
I’m not sure if it was mentioned but tire width can be a real “issue” in snow. Just an example, those big wide city tires on a pickup ver the narrow tire on a true plowing pickup. I do realize we are not actually changing out the tires on a tractor, just part of the reason R14’s work well. More of a rounded profile. Tire width and wheel width, plus tread patterns = ugh. Ballast + chains and run what you brought.
i jacked up the back so i could spin the tires. no need to wiggle the tractor around. i just did siping. i used a razor knife for the fronts. that was a pain. i used an oscillating cutter with a thin blade for the rears. i got both rears R1 11.2-24s done in about an hour. i also made an template of the 2 different lugs (outer and inner) in tinfoil, then cut the foil in the pattern i wanted, and spray painted the tires with the template. i just followed my marks after that. it made a pretty consistent pattern. came out all right. i'm expecting snow tomorrow, i'll let you know how it goes.
UPDATE: just had my first very wet heavy snow this am. 2025R loaded tires, freshly grooved. BEAST MODE. No loss of grip whatsoever, no 4WD either the entire time. Looking forward to more, but thought I would provide an update.
I did this on my full sized compact koiti last winter worked great the big rear tires take around 3 hrs the front are another 1 or so but helped a lot with snow traction this year will be the test with groves and ballast in rears as well
Another great video! Looks like a lot of work though. I haven't had much if any trouble with the R4's on mine in the snow. But it is a very flat asphalt driveway. I will be looking forward to an update video. Perhaps another update 6-8 months later showing how the grooves affected traction (if at all) during the other seasons of the year would be cool as well.
Hello, i have a old deere 420 powered with new 23.5 briggs added bucket from ezbuck loader and still have the 54 inch blade. A cab was added but ive always wanted to upgrade but money for trade wasn't good. Payments on new used are crazy at my age. By the looks on weather this year in mid west Illinois shell stay parked. I use it for many things. Not many hours in the engine.
Ive thought about making a hydrolic unit for the underside on each side the rear axle to slide flat weights forward abd back to distribution of weight for easy parking. I come up with crazy thing's
Great video. Looking forward to some better traction using that HLA 1800 I got from you, it's an awesome pusher. Grooved mine this summer, get used to having extra amounts of dirt in your garage being carried in by the grooves.
They make cables as well. The cables are dot approved and some use them on semi trucks out west. They do not work as good as chains and are lighter. They also do not mark up the pavement as bad as chains. I have a 37hp 4400 jd yr 01. It is crazy heavy compared to Kubota and others. Turf tires front and rear with no chains on a crush and run packed drive way. Western PA so we do get the snow and bitter cold as you do. My driveway is 1/4 mile with a barn and dry winter paddock for horses that I plow. The tractor does fine if you've done it all your life and know the tricks. But the first pass down the hill I have to make sure I get enough snow off to get back up. All 4 tires are filled and I can handle 7 to 800lb bales with nothing in the back and not miss a beat. Now the 13 to 1400lb bales I have to think about and be a little safer with because they will make it light on the rear. I can't really use an implement for weight on the back to stack the hay because it gets tight in the barn at the end as it's getting full. The suitcase weight holder on the 3pt looks like a good option for that. 👍
Pretty interesting. Will be interesting to see how much of a difference you notice with snow. I would think you would want to groove the fronts as well. Yes, doesn't look like the worst job to do, but not fun at the same time.
I can vouch for studs. I put “Grip Studs” all the way around on my 2320 R4s and love them. Would prefer chains but because of the backhoe mount there just isn’t enough room. I plow only gravel, no asphalt or concrete. Also, Grip Studs are easily removed and can be put back on the following year.
Oh .. someone else with a 2320. They seem to be rare and not too many videos about them. I think my tires are the R4 and I have a front mounted snowblower and use about 400 lbs of weight on the back quick hitch... And try to stay in 2 wheel drive if I can.
A big part of snow tire function is that the snow packs into the siping and actually grips the snow or ice on the driving surface. That’s why you see the zig zag siping is because it holds the snow in better. Curious how your siping works, it should certainly add another straight edge to grab traction, which should help! Another important component is the tread compound, but you can’t change that!
When I was a kid growing up in the mountains of West Virginia, our neighbor had an "Economy Power King". For plowing snow in the winter he would switch his ag tires side to side for better traction in the snow. I didn't think about it much then, but now it seems like the worst thing to do. But I'll have to admit it was a snow plowing beast. Have you ever heard of doing this?
I would think when you run tires in opposite direction that snow would pull in to center of tire causing slipping.Running the right way snow siphons out to edge of tires. Then again I've seen mud trucks and a few hill climb vehicles running them backwards. Have to suggest it to project farm to do a test.
I'm going to be very interested if the grooves really help or not. Maybe a side-by-side comparison. 1025R with and one without. Thanks for sharing. Groovy man...
Typically on snow tires the grooves go right to edge of tread to allow water to escape and flexing , should you do the same with these? Neat tool! Great video!
I have used groovers for years with tractor trailer tires they work well but last season I had chains on my 1025 and blacktop and no issues at all this year I installed ATV ice studs in the tires front and seem to be OK rear tires not so good the screw heads are sinking into the rubber so may have to try Plan B
Studded tires on wet red clay? Hummm. I guess that'd be worth a try 'cause red clay is like greased hog snot that's well oiled on ice with a silicone and wax coating.
Groove some shoes or boots for video testing, one foot with and one without grooving to show the effectiveness. I was thinking you'd only do one wheel and follow up with testing to compare. For tractor applications, you might groove every other lug to get traction benefits while keeping longer tread wear. Tractor tread wear can make or break a used tractor sale.
I wish you would have asked about doing this before you did it. The key to traction on ice and snow is how soft the rubber is, called (Durometer) Cold hard rubber has very little traction.
The grooving does work. Its not like throwing chains on but it does help the helplessness of an R4 a good bit. It doesn't really seem to effect the durability much either. I haven't had any radical chunking or anything like that.
In my experience if you go the stud route use real studs not screws, ice studs for four wheeler racing worked the best for me they are harder. be careful on going to deep with the groove you would be surprised at how thin the material at the base of those tread blocks are.i groove a tire on a lawn tractor to deep and it actually lost strength in the tire body and expanded by about a inch and then it was lop sided. even though those grooves you did may look like they will scoop snow better and probably be better than stock. i would have grooved them across the tread bars to simulate more tread blocks. look at the snow tire tread you showed and try to mimic it as close as possible. they spend lots of money on R&D for what works the best. most of all have fun trying to be frugal and learn from you mistakes. I'm back to using tire chains with ag tires on my JD 318 it only sees gravel and turf. good luck and a great video wish there was more vids like this 20 years ago.
The tires turned out looking really good. Just an idea what if you took the tire groover and cut grooves going through the lug as well as with the lug as you did I'm thinking almost trying to make your r4 tires look a little bit more like the r14 tires maybe not have to make so many cuts but just an idea
I already have ballast in my tires. I already have wheel weights. I have the turf tires. on the series 2 the turf tires are a little more aggressive then the series 1. I don't really see any place to cut into the tires with the heat gun. Adding weight to the front would get in the way of the front snow blower. I already have a spreader on the rear for salt so no room for more weight there. I have a 300 foot tar driveway. the elevation is 75 food higher at the top. I don't have any issues in the snow. its the ice. when the driveway ices over its almost impossible to clear it. I think my only fix is a new house. lol
In your situation I think if you got tire cables on front and rear it would work well on ice and they come off fast for summer. Get some that don't have any extra clamped on features, I would think if it is cable alone it should not do any noticeable damage to your paved surface. They will however bite the ice and start to roughen its surface. If you think your unit is not too heavy you might get get away with chains which would be more aggressive on ice but also on your tar surface.
I live in the Pacific Northwest which tends to have a wet sticky snow which here the snow chance to pack in that grooved area so it basically does nothing as far as help helping traction. If you are in the area that tends to have dry snow I imagine it would help. Also consider that your Lugz on the tires will wear faster in the summer months. I never knew that they made rubber chains for the lawn tractors I'll have to study up on that one that sounds like the way to go. )-[@#=]
I live in Michigan as well we have lots of sugar beets grown by the farmers a product of that is beet juice there is no brine in it it's pure beet juice look up rim guard online that has no brine in it so it's non-corrosive also a good thing about beet juice is if you get a hole in your tire you don't have to worry about cleaning up the beet juice it's not bad for the ground or animals however it does stink when you get it on your hands
Calcium chloride is probably what you are thinking of. Beet juice is just that, juice from beets. There are other fluids to use. Another popular one is RV antifreeze, since it is less toxic if it leaks out, than regular antifreeze. Windshield washer fluid is another. What is best for you depends on how much weight is needed in the tire, and how cold it gets where you are at.
We had used beet juice brine mixture for our Test facilities in NJ. But it was a beet/ brine and it does stink. It worked great to minimize ice buildup. But being a brine it seemed not so great an idea for wheels. It is good to here you are able to get the 100% beet juice.
Could see it working good ! But for me it would quickly take the life out of my tire ! I live in hilly rocky land and take my tractor to maintain my woods . Just feel spinning a tire on a rock or fresh stump would take chips out of my R4 tires . But that's just my situation !
Haha, no way! We're all done. That would be a Christmas miracle! 😂😂😂 We also own a daycare center and ordered a replacement crib online that recently got delivered. That reminds me, my wife asked me to assemble it and take it to the center!
People will be hiring you to groove and sip dirt track car tires in no time! I have never grooved tractor tires but you should not have a problem going to the edges of the tires. Also you can cut them into smaller squares to emulate the Versa turfs
There's two schools of thought from what I've read. One is that the more edges, the better, perhaps certain patterns, angles, depths, locations are preferred. A flat piece of rubber doesn't do much which is why you don't see baldies on anyone's equipment. Another train of thought is that the extra grooves, slots, etc, trap snow and create more friction allowing for improved traction. Perhaps it's a bit of both or neither. I don't know. I do know that they made this tool for with this intended purpose in mind and many folks have done it. Do a google search and you can spend a good amount of time learning about it.
Are dragsters running on packed snow and ice? This isn't a brand new to market concept. Been around for a long time, just a first for me. Thanks for watching!
as always what a great video. Can't wait till it's used and report back how it went. Interested to see if you sipe the front tires as well. I have the R4's as well. I plow 1000'+ of gravel drive and some of my neighbors have asphalt/ concrete areas as well (of course as a tractor owner, you can't not help your neighbors) and I enjoy doing it for them, even the ones that bitch about where I stack the snow (I basically have a chuckle about that as I don't even charge them for fuel costs). Don't really want to buy versa trac or whatever, Just want to improve on what I have. snow plow on front and backhoe on back seems to have made my tractor realitively safe to push snow. But I do, at times, slip/slide around in icy conditions.
HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE VIDEO! IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ON THE TIRE GROOVER OR BALLAST WEIGHT, CLICK THE LINKS BELOW!
Tire Groover: www.goodworkstractors.com/product/tire-grooving-iron-tool/
VersaBracket & Weight Bundle: www.goodworkstractors.com/product/gwt-versabracket-bundle-w-8-suitcase-weights/
Good Works Tractors: www.goodworkstractors.com
WANT TO SAVE MONEY? CHECK OUT THE GWT DISCOUNT CLUB! Use code GWT at any of the vendors below and you will save cold hard cash :) I will also get a commission for the sale, so it's a win-win-win!
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10% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT OUTBACK WRAP! www.outbackwrap.com
5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT MUDD'S CUSTOMS! www.muddscustoms.com
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5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT TRACTOR PTO LINK! tractorptolink.com
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5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT MILLER TIRE! www.millertire.com
5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT BIG TOOL RACK! http:www.bigtoolrack.com
5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT HEAVY HITCH! www.heavyhitch.com
5% OFF WITH CODE GWT AT TRAC SEATS! www.tracseats.com
5% OFF AT RHINOHIDE CANOPIES! www.rhinohidecanopies.com Complete survey after purchase, mention GWT, get 5% refunded.
*Discount codes cannot be combined with any other promotions, offers, or deals!
**I choose to sell some products through 3rd parties instead of stocking items myself. Know that I will receive a commission if you choose to purchase through certain links. Thank you very much for your support!
This video is for entertainment purposes only. Good Works Tractors (Good Works Lawn & Power, LLC) cannot be held responsible for content found in any video. Always reference your owners manuals, use extreme caution, and proceed at your own risk.
I see someone made you a awesome lamp. You're lucky to have such a talented artist.
It is pretty sweet! It was my grandpa's from long ago. He loved to stay busy after he retired. He was a man of many talents!
We used that very tool in the 1980s to groove our competition tires for rally racing on dirt. The pattern was more art than science, and having a talented groover on your team was worth his weight in gold. It compromised tread life for the sake of improved traction, certainly not an issue with tractors.
I do have to echo the call for continuing the groove through the ends of the tread block. Besides trapping a strip of ice at the worst place - the highest point of the tread block - the uncut bridge will reduce the contact pressure on the edges of the groove, defeating their effectiveness.
And that's the key to all of this: making more EDGES perpendicular to the vehicle's drive, which is the physics behind sipes. It's not the groove you are cutting that makes the difference, it's the amount of edges you are adding.
Thanks for being a great resource regarding compact tractors. I've learned a lot from your videos and appreciate all your knowledge you pass on.
Very welcome Chad, glad you enjoy them :)
I love your videos. When you shoot at your workbench with the light behind you. It's all dark
Remember how you tell people to order their snowblowers, snow pushers, etc. in June/July? Add tire grooving to the list. It is best accomplished outdoors on a nice hot July day! Makes the rubber softer and the knife works better. I grooved my buddy's tires on his 1025R and he said the difference was like night and day! He has a very steep concrete driveway. Great video Courtney!
Haha, definitely. However, the tractor at least has been stored in a heated garage, so not freezing rubber :)
What pattern did you cut in his tires? Thanks
Your doing super thank you for all your help ideas
Curious if the tire wear will be diminished with the lack of tread mass after grooving since a lot more driving will be when there is no snow. We solved the problem here by simply going to Arizona at the first sign of snow at the farm.
I just grooved my R4 tires on the Massey and it made quite a big difference on the ice and snow. Tip: Instead of pushing the groover horizontally, tilt it upwards on approx 30 degree angle and the tip will heat the rubber better as you push the blade through. I notice in the vid it appears you figured this out after a bit of time.
The best ad on I put on my tractor is a brush guard on my front bucket. Keeps limbs dirt and rock off the hood radiator and me. Made it out of a mobile home frame. Cut an angle on each side, folded the top bar down reseeded it for strength, put 2” receiver in center cut 2 round holes and 4 2” slots so I can still see what’s in the bucket,used those slats for upright support support behind the holes and slots, put a weld on hook on each lower corner and 2 d rings on each top corner looks and works great.be glad to see someone like you make them
Chains on my tires worked great, right up until I had my driveway paved. Ha! Can’t wait to see how the grooved tires work out. Maybe I’ll go that route. Thanks for the vid!
Haha, yeah I know what you mean. No bueno on asphalt! Have a good one James!
they make rubber "chains" or tread bars also. I run chains on a lighter tractor with no damage, but these bigger tractors with chains on will damage your driveway?
After sealing my macadam 2 years ago,I stopped using chains. Unfortunately in spring you could barely tell it was sealed. If I spend time sealing it again I will check into a rubber cutting edge.
@@brucebennett8475 ah, makes sense.
The effort is obvious in your change in attire as the video goes on. It does make a big difference in the tire appearance! They look meaner! I'll be anxious to see how this works out for you. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the great video! I wish the place that sold me my 2320 would have given me a clue about ballast. I would have a loader full of gravel with no weight on the back and had some really scary moments.... Back tires coming off the ground... Feeling like i was going to tip....etc.
I have a heavy cab on it also and i know in the early days the 62" mower deck stopped me from tipping countless times. Now I never use the mower deck and have about 400 lbs of weight lifting plates on the quick hitch for ballast. It's a whole different feel with that ballast 100% of the time.
They look good!
Thanks Adam!
Best cheap tire balast is RV antifreeze. Not as heavy as some options but it is non toxic and dirt cheap.
That looks like a TON of work wowza..
Very helpful as always, Courtney. Thank You!
Kershaw 1670... Man after my own heart...
Great informational and interesting video. Keep it up!. Have a good one and be safe guys. Tim
Nice ! It looks like that will definitely help traction, especially on R4 and R1
Sure hope so!!
Courtney tell Chris that I like how he thinks. I added 30lbs of human ballast over the past few months that should definitely help with traction this winter!
I sure agree about the R4 tires being helpless in plowing snow. I gave in and bought chains halfway through my first season using them. Great video…I never thought of putting more into the tread pattern.
After sliding off my concrete driveway a couple of years ago in my 1025R I went to the rubber chains. They are a huge improvement. They're kind of a pain to put on...but worth it.
I grooved my tires a few years ago and the tires have been wearing fine...It helps. The #1 way I get traction is to get some air out of the tires. All that weight to compress your tire when you can just let some air out.👍
Tire chains work wonders when used in mud as well. I hadn’t heard that about studs but it’s not surprising.
Thank you for sharing! I have R4s on my Massey. Never had them in snow or ice but using them this year for clearing drive. I am excited to see how this works for you this season, I may have to try this. Show us how they do in dirt/ mud and such too.
My Massey has R4s on and worked great last year pushing snow. No chains but have 450 lb of weight in the back. I wouldn't groove my tires. I think when driving on road or hard surface they would wear a little faster
@@brucebennett8475 Good to know. I used to use a skid loader with R4s in snow and never had any complains. I am hopeful for lots of snow this year to try the Massey out!
It looks cool.
Top 25 !
Atta boy!! Just a dusting of snow here, what about you?
@@GoodWorksTractors EXACTLY. Same here. Nothing to plow. Going to be 48 here Friday lol
Like the idea of studs on the front. Would like more information about them.
I don't have much info, but might try running a google search on them to see what turns up.
@@GoodWorksTractors I was hoping Courtney that you would put them on one of your tractors and let us know about them.
Never heard of people putting studs I'm tractor tires. I might have to try that.
Good informative video. Always wondered how those work.
Glad it was helpful!
The grooving does work. I did my last 1025 r with the same pattern. I also makes the R 4 tires work better for forward traction on hard dirt. I have the same tire groover. It works great. I have the new radials on my 2021 1025 r.
Thanks for posting the tire groving part. We have a 2520 with the original tires and they are horrible in the snow. I may do this to the tractor. Please let us know how it does. I don't want to change the tires on the tractor. I don't want to buy chains or stud them as well.
I’m not sure if it was mentioned but tire width can be a real “issue” in snow. Just an example, those big wide city tires on a pickup ver the narrow tire on a true plowing pickup. I do realize we are not actually changing out the tires on a tractor, just part of the reason R14’s work well. More of a rounded profile. Tire width and wheel width, plus tread patterns = ugh. Ballast + chains and run what you brought.
i jacked up the back so i could spin the tires. no need to wiggle the tractor around. i just did siping. i used a razor knife for the fronts. that was a pain. i used an oscillating cutter with a thin blade for the rears. i got both rears R1 11.2-24s done in about an hour. i also made an template of the 2 different lugs (outer and inner) in tinfoil, then cut the foil in the pattern i wanted, and spray painted the tires with the template. i just followed my marks after that. it made a pretty consistent pattern. came out all right. i'm expecting snow tomorrow, i'll let you know how it goes.
UPDATE: just had my first very wet heavy snow this am. 2025R loaded tires, freshly grooved. BEAST MODE. No loss of grip whatsoever, no 4WD either the entire time. Looking forward to more, but thought I would provide an update.
Awesome, really glad to hear it. Thanks for the update!
I don't have a plow tractor, but I sure enough have all the balast I need!🤔😱😜
I did this on my full sized compact koiti last winter worked great the big rear tires take around 3 hrs the front are another 1 or so but helped a lot with snow traction this year will be the test with groves and ballast in rears as well
Kold kutter ice racing studs have worked great for me over the years.
I have loved the better traction I gained with the grooved tires. I did the fronts and rears.
Interesting , Hope it works. Thank You
Another great video! Looks like a lot of work though. I haven't had much if any trouble with the R4's on mine in the snow. But it is a very flat asphalt driveway. I will be looking forward to an update video. Perhaps another update 6-8 months later showing how the grooves affected traction (if at all) during the other seasons of the year would be cool as well.
I haven’t had issues with mine on my b2650, nor my neighbor’s Grand L. Also flat driveway areas for the most part.
Hello, i have a old deere 420 powered with new 23.5 briggs added bucket from ezbuck loader and still have the 54 inch blade. A cab was added but ive always wanted to upgrade but money for trade wasn't good. Payments on new used are crazy at my age. By the looks on weather this year in mid west Illinois shell stay parked. I use it for many things. Not many hours in the engine.
Ive thought about making a hydrolic unit for the underside on each side the rear axle to slide flat weights forward abd back to distribution of weight for easy parking. I come up with crazy thing's
Since no one seemed to mention it the warmer the tire the better the groover will cut.
Great video. Looking forward to some better traction using that HLA 1800 I got from you, it's an awesome pusher. Grooved mine this summer, get used to having extra amounts of dirt in your garage being carried in by the grooves.
Haha, yeah I believe it! Always a trade-off!
TIRE LOOKS WHY MORE AGGRESSIVE AND MEAN!! 💪🏼💯💪🏼
Haha, I thought so too!
🎯
They make cables as well. The cables are dot approved and some use them on semi trucks out west. They do not work as good as chains and are lighter. They also do not mark up the pavement as bad as chains. I have a 37hp 4400 jd yr 01. It is crazy heavy compared to Kubota and others. Turf tires front and rear with no chains on a crush and run packed drive way. Western PA so we do get the snow and bitter cold as you do. My driveway is 1/4 mile with a barn and dry winter paddock for horses that I plow. The tractor does fine if you've done it all your life and know the tricks. But the first pass down the hill I have to make sure I get enough snow off to get back up. All 4 tires are filled and I can handle 7 to 800lb bales with nothing in the back and not miss a beat. Now the 13 to 1400lb bales I have to think about and be a little safer with because they will make it light on the rear. I can't really use an implement for weight on the back to stack the hay because it gets tight in the barn at the end as it's getting full. The suitcase weight holder on the 3pt looks like a good option for that. 👍
Great info, haven't heard of the cables. Will have to investigate that!
Pretty interesting. Will be interesting to see how much of a difference you notice with snow. I would think you would want to groove the fronts as well. Yes, doesn't look like the worst job to do, but not fun at the same time.
I used to use one of those back in the 80s on my tractor trailer drive wheels. It could sure take the slip out of half worn tires.
Awesome video! The closeups from different angles were really helpful to see how it's done. I wonder if this would help in mud as well?
I would think it would help in mud too? However, I don't know for sure.
It would help if you grooved to the edge. Gotta have a way for the water, mud and slush to escape.
I studded my front tires last winter (1/8" length)... thus far haven't had any fall out yet.
I can vouch for studs. I put “Grip Studs” all the way around on my 2320 R4s and love them. Would prefer chains but because of the backhoe mount there just isn’t enough room. I plow only gravel, no asphalt or concrete. Also, Grip Studs are easily removed and can be put back on the following year.
Did you put the studs in front and rear?
Oh .. someone else with a 2320. They seem to be rare and not too many videos about them. I think my tires are the R4 and I have a front mounted snowblower and use about 400 lbs of weight on the back quick hitch... And try to stay in 2 wheel drive if I can.
Ya gotta do a followup discussing traction in difficult conditions
A big part of snow tire function is that the snow packs into the siping and actually grips the snow or ice on the driving surface. That’s why you see the zig zag siping is because it holds the snow in better. Curious how your siping works, it should certainly add another straight edge to grab traction, which should help! Another important component is the tread compound, but you can’t change that!
what about r14 tires? Are they better in Snow I would guess?
Definitely, much better
When I was a kid growing up in the mountains of West Virginia, our neighbor had an "Economy Power King". For plowing snow in the winter he would switch his ag tires side to side for better traction in the snow. I didn't think about it much then, but now it seems like the worst thing to do. But I'll have to admit it was a snow plowing beast. Have you ever heard of doing this?
I would think when you run tires in opposite direction that snow would pull in to center of tire causing slipping.Running the right way snow siphons out to edge of tires. Then again I've seen mud trucks and a few hill climb vehicles running them backwards. Have to suggest it to project farm to do a test.
Hey Courtney..That tool looks like a giant PIA to operate. Curious to know if it makes any difference. Thanks for sharing!
I'm going to be very interested if the grooves really help or not. Maybe a side-by-side comparison. 1025R with and one without. Thanks for sharing. Groovy man...
I have r4’s I’m really waiting to see the difference.
Typically on snow tires the grooves go right to edge of tread to allow water to escape and flexing , should you do the same with these? Neat tool! Great video!
I read pros and cons of that. I figured I can trim out the edge pretty quickly later on, but would be harder to put that rubber back in place! 😂
@@GoodWorksTractors my research led to the same conclusion, don't go all the way to the outside edge.
tire manufacturers should make grooved tires from the factory
I have used groovers for years with tractor trailer tires they work well but last season I had chains on my 1025 and blacktop and no issues at all this year I installed ATV ice studs in the tires front and seem to be OK rear tires not so good the screw heads are sinking into the rubber so may have to try Plan B
Did you get a chance to test them in the snow? If so, how was it?
o k i will thumbs up
Great video as always! I'm thinking a combo of both studs and the grover
We used a gun, slightly larger, like that on semi tires back in the 90's. Nothing like smelling rubber for days after the fact. It works though.
Studded tires on wet red clay? Hummm. I guess that'd be worth a try 'cause red clay is like greased hog snot that's well oiled on ice with a silicone and wax coating.
😂😂😂 Killin' me! Yeah, I'd say that's probably accurate!
So your saying it's slippery 😆 🤣 😂
@@petenolte4192 Just slightly
So, how did the siping do in the snow/ice?
just use some stainless bolts drilled through the tyre as studs. works great...
I don't think my driveway would like that very much
A good pair of knee pads might be a good idea for this task. Great video
Groove some shoes or boots for video testing, one foot with and one without grooving to show the effectiveness. I was thinking you'd only do one wheel and follow up with testing to compare.
For tractor applications, you might groove every other lug to get traction benefits while keeping longer tread wear. Tractor tread wear can make or break a used tractor sale.
I have a 2038R and the 41lb weights still hit the tube on my loader. It is a 2021. Would you have an answer as to why this would be?
Good question. I've never tried it on a 2038r. Only a 1025r.
May depend on NSL or MSL type loader. The weights don't work on a 1025 with MSL loader for sure. I'm not familiar with the 2R series loaders.
Dude kept making reference to a tractor. I never saw a tractor but I did see a lawn mower.
I wish you would have asked about doing this before you did it.
The key to traction on ice and snow is how soft the rubber is, called (Durometer)
Cold hard rubber has very little traction.
The grooving does work. Its not like throwing chains on but it does help the helplessness of an R4 a good bit. It doesn't really seem to effect the durability much either. I haven't had any radical chunking or anything like that.
Do that for a full time job and you’ll have one arm looking like Popeye in no time!
Haha! I politely decline!
I like that little tool box adder on the ROP riser...do you sell those ? .I think this video was "Groovy"
pc
Hi,I am looking for winter tires for a 2025r and a 2320,I plow sidewalk and the regular ag tire are a bit of a pain, what would you recommend thanks
In my experience if you go the stud route use real studs not screws, ice studs for four wheeler racing worked the best for me they are harder. be careful on going to deep with the groove you would be surprised at how thin the material at the base of those tread blocks are.i groove a tire on a lawn tractor to deep and it actually lost strength in the tire body and expanded by about a inch and then it was lop sided. even though those grooves you did may look like they will scoop snow better and probably be better than stock. i would have grooved them across the tread bars to simulate more tread blocks. look at the snow tire tread you showed and try to mimic it as close as possible. they spend lots of money on R&D for what works the best. most of all have fun trying to be frugal and learn from you mistakes. I'm back to using tire chains with ag tires on my JD 318 it only sees gravel and turf. good luck and a great video wish there was more vids like this 20 years ago.
The tires turned out looking really good. Just an idea what if you took the tire groover and cut grooves going through the lug as well as with the lug as you did I'm thinking almost trying to make your r4 tires look a little bit more like the r14 tires maybe not have to make so many cuts but just an idea
Did you eventually do the fronts?
I already have ballast in my tires. I already have wheel weights. I have the turf tires. on the series 2 the turf tires are a little more aggressive then the series 1. I don't really see any place to cut into the tires with the heat gun. Adding weight to the front would get in the way of the front snow blower. I already have a spreader on the rear for salt so no room for more weight there. I have a 300 foot tar driveway. the elevation is 75 food higher at the top. I don't have any issues in the snow. its the ice. when the driveway ices over its almost impossible to clear it. I think my only fix is a new house. lol
In your situation I think if you got tire cables on front and rear it would work well on ice and they come off fast for summer. Get some that don't have any extra clamped on features, I would think if it is cable alone it should not do any noticeable damage to your paved surface. They will however bite the ice and start to roughen its surface. If you think your unit is not too heavy you might get get away with chains which would be more aggressive on ice but also on your tar surface.
Wish I could add wheel weights to my B2650. Unless that’s changed?!?
When are you going to make a shirt that says “I’m not fat, I’m in ballast mode.”?
😂😂😂
You know my little cs2210 coyote has fluid in the back tires and I always put a Implement on the back before I start trying to push snow
Definitely!
Nice options though I think it’s better with the rubber chains.
What about tire pressure? Should it be lowered for pushing snow?
So who is playing the music at the end? I would like to get me some!
That's going to be the only time you ever see a 1025R smoke its tires.
😂😂😂
I live in the Pacific Northwest which tends to have a wet sticky snow which here the snow chance to pack in that grooved area so it basically does nothing as far as help helping traction. If you are in the area that tends to have dry snow I imagine it would help. Also consider that your Lugz on the tires will wear faster in the summer months. I never knew that they made rubber chains for the lawn tractors I'll have to study up on that one that sounds like the way to go. )-[@#=]
You mentioned beat juice. I thought that was a brine mixture? Is there a way to get it concentrate without the brine?
I live in Michigan as well we have lots of sugar beets grown by the farmers a product of that is beet juice there is no brine in it it's pure beet juice look up rim guard online that has no brine in it so it's non-corrosive also a good thing about beet juice is if you get a hole in your tire you don't have to worry about cleaning up the beet juice it's not bad for the ground or animals however it does stink when you get it on your hands
Calcium chloride is probably what you are thinking of. Beet juice is just that, juice from beets. There are other fluids to use. Another popular one is RV antifreeze, since it is less toxic if it leaks out, than regular antifreeze. Windshield washer fluid is another. What is best for you depends on how much weight is needed in the tire, and how cold it gets where you are at.
We had used beet juice brine mixture for our Test facilities in NJ. But it was a beet/ brine and it does stink. It worked great to minimize ice buildup. But being a brine it seemed not so great an idea for wheels. It is good to here you are able to get the 100% beet juice.
Where is a good place to get/order chains for my 1023?
Do you ship to canada?
Could see it working good ! But for me it would quickly take the life out of my tire ! I live in hilly rocky land and take my tractor to maintain my woods . Just feel spinning a tire on a rock or fresh stump would take chips out of my R4 tires . But that's just my situation !
new crib in the background....new farmhand on deck???!!??
Haha, no way! We're all done. That would be a Christmas miracle! 😂😂😂
We also own a daycare center and ordered a replacement crib online that recently got delivered. That reminds me, my wife asked me to assemble it and take it to the center!
Jack up the rear wheels when grooving, just turn them as you go.
They will want to spin. Having them on the ground helps to keep them in place. Quite a bit of force being applied.
A PTO or electric Spreaders filled with sand or ice melt
People will be hiring you to groove and sip dirt track car tires in no time! I have never grooved tractor tires but you should not have a problem going to the edges of the tires. Also you can cut them into smaller squares to emulate the Versa turfs
Don't see how cutting just groves in the thread it's not adding anything, plus you taking rubber away, so that's less tire on the touching the ground
There's two schools of thought from what I've read. One is that the more edges, the better, perhaps certain patterns, angles, depths, locations are preferred. A flat piece of rubber doesn't do much which is why you don't see baldies on anyone's equipment.
Another train of thought is that the extra grooves, slots, etc, trap snow and create more friction allowing for improved traction.
Perhaps it's a bit of both or neither. I don't know. I do know that they made this tool for with this intended purpose in mind and many folks have done it. Do a google search and you can spend a good amount of time learning about it.
@@GoodWorksTractors maybe for off hard surfaces, but on hard surfaces you want rubber rather than groves for traction, that's why dragsters run slicks
@@GoodWorksTractors think the thread walls are too thin now with all the rear weight you have, think they would fold over
Are dragsters running on packed snow and ice? This isn't a brand new to market concept. Been around for a long time, just a first for me. Thanks for watching!
@@GoodWorksTractors LOL, some do but they use the screw in studs for traction
as always what a great video. Can't wait till it's used and report back how it went.
Interested to see if you sipe the front tires as well.
I have the R4's as well. I plow 1000'+ of gravel drive
and some of my neighbors have asphalt/ concrete areas as well (of course as a tractor owner,
you can't not help your neighbors) and I enjoy doing it for them, even the ones that bitch about where
I stack the snow (I basically have a chuckle about that as I don't even charge them for fuel costs).
Don't really want to buy versa trac or whatever,
Just want to improve on what I have. snow plow on front and backhoe on back seems to have made
my tractor realitively safe to push snow. But I do, at times, slip/slide around in icy conditions.