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Four essential tips to help you make the best choice of tractor tyres

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 | PRODUCTS

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If it’s time to renew your tractor’s tyres, paying attention to a few points of advice can help you to make the decisions on type and format of tractor tyre that could potentially really make a difference to the performance of your farming business. Next time you’re using the internet to search for tractor tyres for sale, seeking ‘tractor tyres near me’ or consulting a tractor tyres price list, bear these guidelines in mind.

Match tractor tyre size to the wheel rims on your tractor – or consider new rims if it’s possible

The code stamped on a tractor tyre’s sidewall works in much the same way as any other. For example, a CEAT Farmax R70 tractor tyre with a specification of 710/70 R38 tyre is 710mm wide across the full width of its tread, with a profile height from the bead to the point at which the tread begins of 70% of that 710mm, or 497mm. The R38 figure denotes the diameter of the wheel rim in inches, and to make the best choice of new tractor tyres you must select new tyres of the same R number. If you would like to install tractor tyres of a greater diameter in order to boost traction, it may be possible to change to tyres of, for example, 42in diameter (R42), but to do this would require investment in new wheel rims, and before you do this consultation with the tractor manufacturer and its recommendations will be necessary, as larger diameter wheels and tractor tyres may affect the tractor’s transmission.

Increased flexion(IF) and very high flexion (VF) tyres offer flexibility and performance benefits

When compared to standard tractor tyre formats, the special sidewall design of increased flexion (IF) tractor tyres means they are able to can carry 20% more load at the same operating pressure, or the same load at 20% lower pressure.The design of very high flexion tractor tyres develops this further further, doubling this capacity increase to provide 40% greater load bearing capacity at the same operating pressure or the same load at 40% lower pressure. The extra cost of these designs can soon pay off in terms of reduced haulage costs, soil compaction and fuel consumption. Tractor tyres such as the Torquemax models, the flagship tractor tyre offering in the CEAT range, aimed at higher-horsepower tractors doing significant hours each year on tasks including field operations and road haulage, are available in IF and VF specification.

Understand radial and crossply/bias tractor tyre designs

While radial tractor tyres are now the more commonplace type, many older tractors may have been fitted from new with cross-ply or bias tractor tyres Radial tractor tyres are manufactured in a circular format around the circumference of the tractor tyre, while cross-ply tractor tyres are constructed from side to side. Cross-ply tractor tyres are cheaper to make and therefore cheaper to purchase, and have stiff sidewalls which may be of benefit on the front tyres of a tractor used with a front loader. However, they do not offer the ride comfort or grip benefits of the more modern radial tractor tyre design, which achieves these benefits because of its more flexible sidewalls. These points mean radial and cross-ply tractor tyre types must not be mixed on the same axle.

Replace tractor tyres in pairs unless the opposing one remaining is relatively unworn

Occasionally,damage to an individual tractor tyre means it alone may need replacing. If its ‘neighbour’ on the same axle is relatively unworn, it’s fine to replace just the one tractor tyre with another of the same size and type. However, if the opposing tyre is more than 50 per cent worn, you should consider replacing both of the tractor tyres on that axle, for performance and safety reasons.

Consider these four points when next searching for tractor tyres for sale, searching the internet search for ‘tractor tyres near me’ or consulting a tractor tyres price list, and they will help you make the best choice of tractor tyres.