Tire design

[sourgum]

Several decades ago tire company's designed 23 degree traction bars on rear tractor tires . These seemed very popular after they came out. Not sure many 45 degree traction bar tires are seen much . Have the 23's pretty much taken over the new tractor market? In your experience do you see superior traction with the 23's under field conditions ? Or were the 45's just as good or better than 23's.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

In our often wet soil here in southern Cayuga county, there's no comparison. The 23 degree Firestone is the best pulling tire. When it's dry, anything works. In the 60's, it seemed like a majority of new tractors came with the 45 degree Goodyears. Those tires would last forever, but just didn't hold as well.

 

[Alvin 41]

Over a year ago I replaced the 3'd set of Firestone radial deep tread 23 degree tires,18.4X42 on a Ford 8670 that does a lot of road work pulling wagons to the local elevator as well as corn planting and limited Vertical tillage. The last 2 sets had to be replaced because of uneven tread bar wear to the point that they could not be driven full road speed comfortably. My dealer sold me Michelin Agribib's which are closer to 45 degree ,telling me that the manure haulers preferred them for road hauling. And they were much cheaper--OK so far.

 

[Steve Metcalfe]

I dont know about the functionality aspect but as far as looks on a old tractor I sure prefer the 45s

 

[flying belgian]

I would think the 45 degree would clean better in mud but I'm not farming in mud anyway. My Case cx 100 came from factory with 23 and my Farmall 65A came from factory with 23.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

Yes, here the consensus is Michelins for road work, Firestones for field work.

 

[showcrop]

At the tractor pulls I bet that the 23 degrees outnumber 45s by 4 to one, and I haven't heard anyone discuss which is better for years. Even though 45s would be hard to find pullers would find them somehow if they thought that they could gain an advantage with them.

 

[ss55]

On muddy greasy side hills, 45 degree tires seem to hold to the slope better than 23 degree tires. As soon as 23's start to spin they tend to slide down hill quicker than 45's.

 

[centash]

45s will last longer....a bit more rubber in contact with the ground....and ride a bit smoother, but the 23s will pull much better in nearly all conditions.

Ben

 

[big tee]

Son has Good Year 18.4x38 duals on his Deere 9600--I have same size Firestones duals on my old Deere 8820--He replaces one every year--I never have--Good Year--Good for one year if your lucky---Tee

 

[LSaunders]

Back in the 70's the Farm Journal had an article on tractor tire design. The best bite would be with lugs that ran straight across the tire, but that would plug up in mud. Treads that ran the long way on the tire, like summer auto tires, wouldn't plug up, but they wouldn't have much bite. So all designs are compromises. Better bite, or better cleaning in mud. In the times when most tractors were two wheel drive, lug designs that would clean were a much bigger issue. If you were pulling a load and the tires started to ball up, you were stuck in short order. Soil type matters. I'm in clay country. Two years ago we had a monsoon summer where it rained till the end of July. The hay meadows didn't dry out till after the hay was removed. Every meadow had a muddy spot. I had just put new rears on my baler tractor that spring, BKT's for the 45 degree , open tread. Pulling the baler and wagon through the wet spots it never spun a tire. In the past I've had wet years with 23 degree tires that didn't work out nearly as well. If your soil type isn't "sticky when wet" clay, that may not be an issue for you.
As was said below, when it's dry, anything works. And I think the biggest difference now is that for several decades the majority of tractors sold have been four wheel drive. With four wheels pulling, mud sticking to the tires just isn't the issue it is if you only have two tires to keep you moving.

 

[560Dennis]

I have a booklet put out by Goodrich that tell about traction . Got it in the sixties when took the continuous f9 36 offf tractor 🚜 and put on the 102 36 . What a difference it made ,like un limited power , no sub substitute for gription