The Development of the Alliance Agri Star II Tire

We have a well-deserved reputation for building innovative products such as VF- flotation tires and roadable R-2 tires, along with creating category-defining technical “R-5” treads like the Alliance 550 MultiUse and Galaxy Garden Pro. The new Alliance Agri Star II is carrying on the tradition of innovation while living up to our commitment to producing the best performing (and best value) tires in the industry. Bringing the Agri Star II to market is the result of years of thought, energy, and engineering—here’s just a glimpse at what went into the creation of this pioneering product. 

Agristar FIMA 3
Photo courtesy of Canal Neumático

 

Understanding Our Customers’ Needs

When designing the Agri Star II, we knew it would need to fill the gap between our line of high-tech Alliance AgriFlex IF/VF radial tires and our popular line of FarmPro bias-ply tires. Before even sketching an idea for a new tire, our product development team reached out to our tire dealers and customers across the globe to better understand what features and benefits made a real-world difference to the people using them day in and day out. The takeaway was surprisingly straightforward. Farmers around the world want: 

  • A tire that provides maximum traction
  • A tire with a high load-carrying capacity
  • A tire resistant to stubble damage 
  • A tire that minimizes soil compaction 
  • A tire that performs equally well in the field and on the road
  • A tire that looks as good as the machine it’s mounted on
  • A top-tier product that doesn’t dig into the bottom line

With the knowledge of what our customers were looking for in a tractor tire, we created 3D designs of new tires and took them back to our customers to solicit more feedback. This process led to the development of the Agri Star II’s most notable design element: Stratified Layer Technology (SLT). 

 

What is Stratified Layer Technology (SLT)?

At its simplest, Stratified Layer Technology is a two-layered lug that improves the performance of the Alliance Agri Star II throughout its entire life cycle. Our unique STL lug features a single-angle top layer above a multi-angle bottom layer—the two layers work together in response to the loss of traction and roadability that typically occurs over the average tire’s life. A few of the advantages offered by Stratified Layer Technology are: 

  • Longer-lasting tread bar (after 40% wear, the multi-angle bar is exposed)
  • More biting edges for improved traction and better braking 
  • Larger contact area for better distribution of machine weight  


Other Lug Advancements

Stratified Layer Technology is a show stopper, but there are a host of other design features on the Alliance Agri Star II’s tread that benefit farmers. The Agri Star II is also built with dual-step tie bars, which prevent heat-generating lug shuffling and act as mud breakers. On careful inspection, you’ll also notice that the lugs on the Agri Star II overlap at the center, which improves the tire’s roadability—a key criterion of the customers we spoke with. Our Agri Star II tires are also D-rated, helping speed up farmers' trips between fields on the road. 


Improved Footprint

The Agri Star II’s innovative lug design and tread pattern, designed for maximum efficiency, benefit from the tire’s larger contact patch. Thanks in part to the robust radial belts used in the tire’s carcass, the Agri Star II contact patch is 13% larger than a comparable radial, helping it hit those important criteria to farmers: better traction and less compaction. 


Robust Tire Construction 

Spend any time with a farm customer and you quickly learn that farming is hard work. With this in mind, our Agri Star II is engineered to keep up with our customers day after day and year after year. The Agri Star II’s polyester casing is stronger and more stable than the nylon casings found in comparable tires. The tire is wrapped in rubber that has been extensively tested and found to contain the perfect balance of longevity, cut and chip resistance, heat resistance, and stubble protection.  


Masterful Manufacturing

Extensive engineering and design only matter if it translates to the end product and our manufacturing team has been up to the challenge of producing these great-performing—and great-looking—tires. Before leaving the factory, Agri Star II tires are subject to stringent testing, designed to surpass anything they’ll encounter in the field. 

The Agri Star II is a product that has been designed from the ground up using information and feedback sourced from the end user: farmers. The Agri Star II has been tested extensively around the globe and has proven to deliver what farmers universally desire in a tire—the best product at the best price. 

Learn More About the Alliance Agri Star II 

Contact your local dealer or rep to learn more about the innovative new Agri Star II.