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Recommendation for selecting a R4 16.9 X 24 backhoe tire brand

Robert R

Hot Rolled
Joined
Aug 27, 2005
Location
Raymond , CA
Hello: The 30 year old R4 tires on the backhoe need to be replaced. The tread is starting to peel off the casing and the side walls have 3 inch long cracks. The existing tires have a 8 ply rating and were made in Eastern Europe.

This type of tire is now being made in Asia and there are a number of manufacturers. The list includes Deestone, BKT, AG Plus, Titan, Carlisle, Otani, Harvest King, K9, and Firestone. There is little to no information on the internet regarding the quality of these tires. I am primarily concerned about sidewall cracking. Prices range from $450 (Deestone) to $950 (Firestone) for the 12 ply rating. The prices can change by $100 on a weekly basis depending on what the tire warehouse is trying to get rid of. The Simple Tire store states that they will not sell a tire that has been stored for more than 4 years. This would imply that the rubber on the current generation of tires has a short operating life and my expectation of 20 years of service from a new set of tires is unrealistic.

Two questions:

Is there any advantage in using a 12 ply tire when a 8 ply rated tire is sufficient? My guess is that the 12 ply rated bias ply tire tire will have stiffer sidewalls and will flex less when rolling. This may delay the development of sidewall cracks. There is not a significant difference in the price going from a 8 to 12 ply rating.

Can someone make a recommendation for a tire brand based on the tire condition after five or more years of moderate service?
 
They are rear tires, they don't actually do much. So I wouldn't worry to much about changing to a heavier ply rating. An older tire wouldn't bother me, the rubber gets firmer the older it gets.

You might actually get some help from Firestone in the event of later problems, Titan no help at all, Carlisle I've heard of but no knowledge. The rest sound like brands of convenience, any help will depend on the dealer rather than the brand.

Realistically, if the machine is 30 years old already, how many years do you need to get out of another set?
 
I have deestone on the skid loader, a few chipped off chunks but other than that O.K.

Dealer won't sell any other, sells about 20 a month.

Sidewall protection is what I need (and these have it)

Are you going into the woods much ?

I believe driving over logs (small ones) is where the higher ply rating is needed.
 
Never seen someone ask what rubber to use on a 30 year old "HOE" on the machinist forum before ..

I think you would need to go with the Titans

I don't recognize the brands you listed, I'll have to look at mine when I get home. They were old when I bought the tractor, 13 years ago, and they're still in good shape. I have Carliles in the front and they're holding up well.
 
The backhoe is used on rough ground in the foothills. When I operate it there is very little tread wear. When I lend the backhoe to the neighbors it sometimes comes back with tread damage from traveling over the rocks. My concern is a tire blowout while working on uneven ground. The tire and wheel weigh about 300 pounds. Removing the wheel and bringing it back to the house may be difficult.

The backhoe is only run about 30 hours a year. It is enough to keep the hydraulic seals in good condition. The machine itself does not see much wear. The rear tires will be replaced from age related side wall cracks rather than from tread wear. There is not much that can be done to prevent a side wall puncture other than steering carefully and buying a heavier tire with more rubber on the side wall.

My plan was to buy the Deestone tires based on price and the fact that they were made in Thailand rather than India. Firestone does not show a country of origin for its farm tires.

However, I have a new Deestone front tire on the old Ferguson tractor which has developed "micro cracks" in the side wall after one year of sitting in the barn. Maybe this is normal. Or it may mean that I should try a different brand.
 
I think you would need to go with the Titans

I don't recognize the brands you listed, I'll have to look at mine when I get home. They were old when I bought the tractor, 13 years ago, and they're still in good shape. I have Carliles in the front and they're holding up well.

Titans aint the good ole American made of yesteryear.

But the are priced like they still are.
 
I have a Case 580E 2wd backhoe and I recently replaced the original Galaxy brand 10 ply 11L x 16 tires. I ordered Deestone tires from an EBay seller and when they arrived they ended up being Harvest King brand.

The only complaint I have is it seems like the 10 ply rating is not equal to the OEM Galaxy tires. The tires looked like they were ready to explode well below their rated inflation pressure. They also squat a little more when the loader bucket is filled, but they still work fine.

I wish I had gone up to 12 or 14 ply.

I think a lot of tire places sell the off brand tires for construction equipment because you are more likely to get a flat driving over rebar or anchor bolts and destroy a tire than wear one out.
 
I have a Case 580E 2wd backhoe and I recently replaced the original Galaxy brand 10 ply 11L x 16 tires.

I wish I had gone up to 12 or 14 ply.

I replaced the front tires last year with 14 ply Samson radial trailer tires. (ST225/90R16) They have been a very good choice for front loader operation. Samson is a French tire company that moved its trailer tire manufacturing to China. They have maintained their quality control.

The Harvest King brand was originally made in the US. It was at one time sold through the farm co-ops. The company that manufactures the tire has changed over the years. The internet search shows:

Harvest King Tires. Established in 1996, the Shandong Yongtai Chemical Group Co., Ltd.
 








 
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