Preventing Stubble Damage to Tires
As part of the never-ending chase for higher farm yields, today’s corn is bred to be super resilient. Unfortunately, some of the advantages gained from these crops (increased resilience and higher yields) can be negated by costly downtime and tire replacement, thanks to the menacing short, stout, post-harvest stalks they leave behind. Fortunately, we build some of the most durable, puncture-resistant, and stubble-proof agricultural tires in the industry. Here are just a few of the ways our farm tires are being engineered to resist stubble damage.
Specially Engineered Rubber Compounds
Much like our farm tires, the stubble-resistant compounds developed by us are application specific, with dozens of ingredients being used in the tread and the sidewall. The implementation of natural and synthetic rubber, elastomers, durability-enhancing agents, and other ingredients allows our designers to ensure maximum performance by using a compound with the ideal blend of durability and flexibility for the task at hand.
Benefits from Steel-Belted Construction
Steel belts provide puncture resistance and help a tire produce a square, flat footprint that is more resilient to stubble. Additionally, steel belts help dissipate heat when running at high speed (an important consideration for machines that will be used on the road) to further extend tire life. Because of the enormous benefit to tire performance offered by steel belts, every one of Alliance’s IF/VF AgriFlex tires feature steel-belted construction.
Tread Patterns Provide Additional Protection
Tread patterns found on tires are also being studied and optimized to meet the challenges presented by stubble in the field. Our Alliance AgriFlex 372+ features a tread designed with lugs angled and pitched to deflect stubble—pushing stalks toward the tire’s shoulder and away from the inside of the tire where they can inflict damage. Because of this, it’s important to mount tires in the right direction. Otherwise, you end up directing the stubble right to the center line of the tire increasing the likelihood of your tires being punctured by stalks.
Proper Tire Pressure for Performance
Maintaining proper pressure in the tires on your farm equipment is of the utmost importance. On top of all the reasons frequently covered in our blogs—less compaction, better fuel economy, longer life—proper pressure also affects a tire’s resistance to stubble. Under-inflated tires are particularly susceptible to stubble, as they can experience excessive amounts of flexing, exposing the sidewall, and making them more vulnerable to piercings. As our Agriculture Product Manager loves to remind us, like in his Tireside Chat on the importance of properly inflating your farm tires, “the single most important thing you can do to extend the life of your tire and get the best performance out of your tire is to make sure your pressure is correct to your manufacturers’ settings.”
Protect Your Investment in Tires
Not all tires are created equal, and neither are all warranties. We’re proud of the product we create and are positive that it will give you an advantage in the field. Before you buy, don’t just know how many years a manufacturer covers or the percentage they pay out based on wear, but also know how quick and easy the claim will be to adjust. Our Warranty Wizard website and mobile app make the claims process simple and speedy—because you need to be in the field, not on the phone with a tire company.
Helping farmers face real-world challenges is our commitment, and developing the technology to minimize stalk damage done to tires is just another problem we’re working on eradicating. To learn more about our stubble-resistant farm tires, contact your local dealer or reach out to your representative.
