Everything You Need to Know About Buying Lawn Tractor Tires. Lawn mower tires 20x10x10

Everything You Need to Know About Buying Lawn Tractor Tires

A great lawn is something to be proud of. It can do wonders to boost your home’s curb appeal – and regular maintenance of your yard’s grass can help it grow better. But a lawn is only as good as the landscaping equipment you use to maintain it. Having a quality lawn mower or tractor is obviously an important piece of the puzzle – but you may not even think about the quality of the lawn tractor tires on these types of vehicles.

You will need to replace your lawn mower tires and other equipment from time-to-time – especially if they get damaged. Worn-out tires can compromise your precious lawn and cause your mower to spin out or create deeper grooves in soft soil.

Further, if you use your equipment for more than just mowing, you might need more versatile lawn tractor tires than what a typical model delivers for improved grip or extra strength when towing heavy loads.

Today, we are going to break down everything you need to know about lawn tractor tires to help you find the ones that fit your needs best.

Tread Pattern Types

First, you need to understand the difference between tractor tire tread types – and what each pattern equates to.

Smooth Tread

This tire has no tread pattern grooves whatsoever and is used on zero-turn mowers – of which have two control levers instead of a steering wheel. This allows mowers to make tighter turns, but it does not provide much traction.

The smooth tread pattern is primarily used for golf and ground maintenance equipment.

Straight Rib Tread

This tire pattern features straight, shallow ribs and are designed for riding lawn mowers and lawn trailers. These tires work well on wet, slippery surfaces like recently watered lawns or slightly muddy terrain after a rainfall. The straight grooves help to dispel water for better grip and minimal turf damage.

This pattern is ideal for both residential and commercial equipment – and can be used on lawn trailers, tractor attachments, transport vehicles, and farm implements.

Chevron Turf Tread

This is one of the most common tractor tire tread patterns – as it provides adequate traction for mowing typical front lawns or other grassy areas. This pattern helps to provide grip on wet or dry grass without damaging the turf beneath.

The Chevron turf tread is used on commercial and residential mowing equipment – like garden tractors, walk-behind mowers, turf maintenance vehicles, golf carts, snow blowers, and utility vehicles.

Commercial Turf Tread

As the name implies, this tread pattern is used on commercial mowing equipment that is larger than a typical lawn tractor. This tread pattern provides superior traction and long-lasting tread that resists punctures.

Round Shoulder R/S Turf Tread

This is another common tread pattern for lawn mowers and garden tractors because it enables tires to be highly maneuverable and can make tight turns. Tires with this pattern are intended for those looking for superior traction with the least amount of damage.

The round shoulder R/S turf tread, generally used for residential mowers and garden tractors, is widely considered to be the most popular and is highly praised for its ability to work on any terrain without causing much impact.

Lug Traction Tread

This pattern is a top choice for lawn equipment – such as trenchers, ditching machines, and larger garden tractors since the deep lugs offer extremely powerful traction, especially in soft dirt. Tires with the lug traction tread are ideal for serious landscaping – and would more than likely damage a typical lawn.

Modified or Wide Footprint Chevron Turf Tread

This wider chevron pattern provides better weight distribution for larger mowing equipment – of which may also be towing heavy loads. This pattern is ideal for commercial mowing equipment and applications – commonly used for golf course fairway mowers.

Understanding Lawn Mower/ Lawn Tractor Tire Size

One of the most confusing parts of finding new lawn and garden tires is determining which size you need for your specific piece of equipment.

Thankfully, lawn and garden tractor tires have numbers on the tires which indicate the size.

Now, some tires use a two-digit number here while others use three. An example of a two-digit number would appear as 9.50 – 8 while a three-digit number would be 18x 9.50- 8.

The first number in a three-digit system (in this case 18) refers to the diameter or height of the tire. Note: this is the height of a tire that is inflated – but not bearing any load.

The second number in a three-digit and the first in a two-digit (in this case 9.50) is the width of the tire in inches.

The third number in a three-digit and the second in a two-digit system (8) is the rim diameter size, which is the smaller hole in the middle of the tire. On lawn mowers and tractors, this number will typically be smaller than the width of the tire, since these types of tires are generally wider than the rim.

Now, you may be wondering just what does NHS mean on a tire.

If you see these letters after the sizing numbers, you will know that your tires are “Non-Highway service. This simply means that they are not rated for highway speeds, which is pretty common for lawn tractor tires since the equipment isn’t designed to go very fast.

You will tend to see more information on the side of a lawn tractor tire – which refers to the ply rating or load index. Higher numbers will mean that the tire is stronger and able to withstand heavier loads since they are made with more ply layers.

The load range system uses letters to indicate how many plies the tire is. Here is a useful chart to help you:

need, know, buying, lawn, tractor
  • Load Range A (LRA) = 2 ply
  • Load Range B (LRB) = 4 ply
  • Load Range C (LRC) = 6 ply
  • Load Range D (LRD) = 8 ply
  • Load Range E (LRE) = 10 ply
  • Load Range F (LRF) = 12 ply

So, a tire that has the measurements 15 x 6.50 – 6 NHS LRA would be 15 inches tall with a 6-and-a-half-inch width for a 6-inch mount. It is 2-ply and not highway rated.

Best Lawn Tractor Tires

There are lots of lawn tractor tires on the market that fit into all budgets. However, some brands offer better quality tires that are longer-lasting or provide a more comfortable riding experience.

Here are some of the best tractor tires to consider, depending on the type of lawn tractor vehicle you own and how you will be using this equipment.

Riding Lawn Mowers and Lawn Trailers

Greenball Soft Turf Lawn and Garden

This tire has a square shoulder design for superior traction and even weight distribution for minimal turf damage and a smooth, comfortable ride.

  • Available in a range of dimensions from 11” to 24” with a tread depth of 4 millimeters.
  • Chevron tread design
  • 2 and 4-ply
  • 12 PSI
  • Applicable for both front and/or rear
11X4.00-4 11X4.00-5 13X5.00-6 13X6.50-6
15X6.00-6 16X6.50-8 20X8.00-8 18X8.50-8
18X9.50-8 20X10.00-8 20X10.00-10 22X9.50-12
23X8.50-12 24X12.00-12

Deestone D265 Turf

This lawn mower tire also uses square shoulders along with a broad tread pattern for great traction on grass and minimal tearing and turf damage. A popular choice for commercial and residential mowers, the D265 is an all-purpose tire that comes in a wide range of sizes. Suitable for garden tractors, walk-behinds, and turf maintenance vehicles. Classic chevron turf tread pattern provides excellent traction and stability.

  • Diameter ranging from from 10.4 – 20 inches with a tread depth of 2.8 – 8.4 millimeters, depending on tire size
  • Chevron tread design
  • Available in 4 and 6-ply
  • Strong nylon construction ensures durability an long wear
  • Wide tread for optimized ground contact and damage reduction
  • 28 PSI
  • Designed for both front and rear applications

Deestone D837-Turf

This lawn and garden tire is not just for lawn tractors and mowers – it can also be used on wheelbarrows, small construction vehicles, and trailers. The rib pattern makes it extremely stable and durable without damaging the soft turf beneath it. B. Features

  • Ranging from 13 to 18-inch diameter with available tread depth of 2.2, 2.5, 2.8, 3.0, 3.2, 3.7, and 4.3 millimeters.
  • Straight rib tread design
  • 4 and 6-ply
  • 48 PSI
  • Available for both front and rear applications

Tires for Wheelbarrows and Garden Equipment

Deestone D601-Rib

This straight rib tractor tire is designed for smooth steering, easy roll resistance, and durability with even weight distribution so that the soft soil beneath is not damaged. This tire is typically used for wheelbarrows, but it can be used on lawn mowers, tractors, and lawn equipment. B. Features

  • Available in 12 to 16-inch diameters with a tread depth of 4 millimeters
  • Straight rib tread design
  • Comes in 2 and 4-ply
  • 50 PSI
4.00-6 4.00-8A 3.50-8 4.00-8B

Deestone D407-Utility

This tire is made for garden tractors to provide great traction and performance on wet and dry surfaces.

  • Diameter ranging from 13-16 inches with a tread depth of 9.7 – 12 millimeters, depending on tire size
  • 4 ply
  • Strong nylon construction ensures durability and long wear
  • Large ground contact enhances handling stability

Greenball Wheelbarrow

This tire is recommended for use on gardening equipment like wheelbarrows or small trailers. It comes in a tubeless tire design, so it can easily roll over hard surfaces, loose dirt, or grass.

Tires for Hand Trucks and Hand Dollies

Greenball Stud Lawn Garden Stud Tread

This tubeless tire is best for handcarts, small garden trailers, and other type of lawn equipment. B. Features

3.50-4 3.50-5 3.50-6 4.80-8

Greenball Rib Lawn Garden

This straight rib tread design is optimal for heavy loads on gardening equipment like trailers, hand trucks, and equipment like pressure washers as well as lawn mowers and tractors. B. Features

11X4.00-5 13X5.00-6 15X6.00-6 16X6.50-8
18X8.50-8 20X10-10

Tires for Hand Trucks, Hand Dollies, Handcarts, and Small Utility Trailers

These types of tires use commercial/diamond head tread or Sawtooth tread patterns – and are designed for driving on harder surfaces like concrete, asphalt, pavement, as well as turf. These types of tires are best for residential gardening equipment or industrial product usage as they can withstand heavy loads.

Greenball Sawtooth Lawn Garden

This lawn and garden tire has a Sawtooth tread pattern for easy rolling over multiple types of turf. These tires are extremely sturdy and able to withstand up to 440 pounds. B. Features

4.10-4 3.50-5 4.10-6
need, know, buying, lawn, tractor

Trac Gard N775 Sawtooth

need, know, buying, lawn, tractor

This bias tire is designed for utility golf carts and is also suitable for lawn and garden equipment like small tractors, lawn mowers, and wheelbarrows. It features a zig-zag Sawtooth tread for a stronger biting edge that provides extra traction. B. Features

Trac Gard N766 Turf

This tire is designed for a wide range of use on numerous lawn and garden equipment – and can handle both off-road and on-road surfaces. The unique tread pattern design helps to support heavy loads while resisting punctures, making it a great choice for heavy duty gardening tasks. B. Features

  • 11 to 24-inch diameters with a tread depth of 7.1 Millimeters
  • All-purpose tread design for versatile use with minimal turf damage
  • 4-ply
  • 30 PSI

Conclusion

No matter what type of lawn or garden tractor vehicle you are in the market for – or what types of applications you will be using it for – you can find a top-quality tire to fit your needs (and your wallet).

The quality of your lawn tractor tires can improve the appearance of your yard or garden and make any task much easier.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our tire experts at Giga Tires if you have any questions. We’re happy to point you in the right direction and help find the lawn tractor tire that is just for your needs!

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