New cadet owner, traction problems.

[Rrmarti]

Hi fellow cadet owners. This has probably been covered before, but give the newbie a break. Just wondering about what you guys run for tires on your cubs. I recently got a 1210 hydro and found that on my sloping lawn I spin aot, leaving some nasty turf burn on my lawn. Just wondering what everybody uses for traction on their cubs. Do you use chains, ag tires, weights or a combination thereof? Does the fact that it is a hydro mean that ag tires or chains will just tear the lawn up more or would I be okay? Just looking for ideas. Thanks.

[Sam Mac]

I'm running Kenda Terra Trac 4 Ply 23-10.50-12 K502 Lawn & Garden/Turf Tire on my 1864.

[Mike McKown]

All Cyclops tractors here. 10.50 X 12 OEM issue turf tires on all of them. They stick good enough to raise the front end off the ground.

I don't mow when it's wet, I slow down for turns and I don't spin the tires.

When I was in my 20's, I had a Wheel Horse and thought I had to have dual AGrear wheels to keep from spinning the rear wheels. Same yard. Now, well into my '70's, I find the turf tires work for me just fine.

Yes, I have steep, hilly sections I go up/down and sideways.

I pull a big EZ Vac lawn vacuum with another tractor, turf tires and I find that the optional Cub wheel weights are helpful when the vacuum gets full of leaves.

[athomas]

I run chains and wheel weights year round ! Usually doesn't spin but when it does you'll get a little more than turf burn !

[Rrmarti]

Yeah. I don't really want to start spending money on tires and chains, would prefer to save up for possibly another cub. Im going to keep playing around with speed and angles on the hillsides that are giving me some trouble... maybe coming at them from different angles.

[ol'George]

fill the rear turf tires with windshield washer fluid like a lot of us do and you will notice quite a difference.
inexpensive and easy.
Do a search here, it has been addressed many times.

[Rrmarti]

Originally Posted by ol'George

fill the rear turf tires with windshield washer fluid like a lot of us do and you will notice quite a difference.
inexpensive and easy.
Do a search here, it has been addressed many times.

I am definitely debating doing that, my only concern is that I don't think there is a tube in the tires and that my father in law put that tires slime stuff in all four tires before he gave the cub to me. As he puts that in all of his equipment, even bicylces, aparently to prevent leaks. Would washer fluid affect that stuff?

[cooperino]

What pressure are your tires at? Over inflated tires lose traction easier

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by Rrmarti

I am definitely debating doing that, my only concern is that I don't think there is a tube in the tires and that my father in law put that tires slime stuff in all four tires before he gave the cub to me. As he puts that in all of his equipment, even bicylces, aparently to prevent leaks. Would washer fluid affect that stuff?

No offence to yer FIL, but I don't like slime.
if ya got a leak fix it if possible or install a tube.
I have no idea if slime & WW fluid are compatible.
If it were me, I'd remove the tires and clean the slimy residue and install tubes and fill them with WW fluid or antifreeze.
I use calcium chloride in my large farm tires but don't like it, as it is nasty shit and if you have a leak, it is highly corrosive.
There is the option of used tires/wheels that are in good shape, they are usually not really expensive.

[FrankF3]

I have heavy clay in my yard and if it has rained in the prior week or morning dew was on the grass for that matter all it would take was one revolution of the tire to spin and fill up those turf reads so they look like cheater slicks, then there is no chance of moving it. I switched over to Carlisle V-treads and never had a problem since.